July and August is QUENEPA-time!!!!
Called mamoncillo by Cubans, it’s a green and “crispy” skinned fruit. You open them by biting the skin with your front teeth. It has a peachy pulpy interior that’s both sweet and a bit acidic at the same time. Quenepas are very delicious but could be dangerous to eat because enclosed in that pulp is a very slippery pit that if not careful, many people have choked on. I was not able to taste my 1st quenepa until I was about 10 years old.
Another thing to be careful of when eating quenepas is that the juice of the pulp stains, very much like green bananas and green plantains stain and if that juice falls in your clothes they could be stained forever.
Nonetheless, quenepas are the perfect fruit to eat at the beach during summertime. If you come across a bunch, give them a try, just be careful… never talk with a quenepa in your mouth. OK?
KarmaFree Cooking 