Ecuadorian fruit: babaco
Nestled in the middle of the world, Ecuador has tropical weather and dramatic changes in altitude, making it an ideal location for fruit tasting.
When you visit some of our local markets, you will discover fruit that you’ve never seen before, and one example of this is babaco. a.k.a. Mountain Papaya or Champagne Fruit
This is why we have decided to write a post solely about babaco, one of the many exotic fruits in the country.
Where do they grow?
Babacos grow on a tree similar to that of papaya.
If you are in South America, I would love to see your pictures.
What is babaco, and how is it eaten
A babaco has a pentagonal shape fruit that turns to bright yellow when ripe.
Once you open the fruit, you find the pulp, which is bright white and has no seeds.
Unlike most Ecuadorian fruits, babaco is not eaten fresh. The fruit’s skin is discarded, and the pulp is usually chopped into cubes and cooked with sugar and cinnamon.
What it tastes like
Once you taste the pulp, you find that it is juicy, acidic, and is not really sweet. It can be described as a combination of strawberry, papaya, pineapple, and citrus when it comes to flavor.
How and where to eat babaco
If you are in the highlands of Ecuador, you can find babaco for sale on local markets or small fruterias (fruit shops). Another option is to look for restaurants selling dulce de babaco. If you are lucky, you may be able to find babaco pie for sale in some places.
Once you find the fruit, you can scoop out the foamy, tasteless, white part and discard it together with the skin. called
While doing research for this post, we found out that babaco is filled with antioxidants and vitamins A, C, and E.
Have you tasted babaco before? Let us know here!
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