Why We Love It: Just about every Cuban café serves batidos – shakes – made with tropical fruits, including papaya, guanabana, banana and mango, but it’s the batido de mamey that’s the star of the show. Mamey sapote (Pouteria sapote) is a large football-shaped fruit with russet skin that looks like a fuzzy potato. Beneath the skin is a shiny brown seed surrounded by dazzling pink, orange or dark red smooth pulp that is sweet and creamy, with notes of sweet potato, honey and almond. Eat peeled mamey raw or cut it into chunks and make it into shakes.
Find mamey sapote: Depending on the variety – Pantin and Magana are widely grown – you can find ripe mamey sapote year-round in South Florida. Look for fruits in Hispanic grocery stores and fruit stands, like Robert Is Here.
