On Sunday I was down by Chinatown with my parents when I spotted a fruit I’d never seen before. The scaly green thing was had a sign that read “suger apple” (which I knew couldn’t be right) and sold for a whopping $8/pound. The lady at the fruit stand picked out a nice ripe one for me and I brought it home to try out. As soon as I cut it open I recognized it as something I’d heard of before — the custard apple. The sugar-apple is a variety that’s native to Southeast Asia, and I’m sure the high price is a reflection of how difficult it must be to ship this delicate fruit. The interior tasted like an Asian pear that had been put through the blender — not quite custard-y, but sweet and mushy (though full of hard black seeds). A unique experience, to be sure, and if you get the opportunity to taste it I highly recommend it.

Tagged: custard apple, fruit, nyc, secret ingredient