Skip to main content
Back to Home

Season Sixteen, Episode Three. Under the Sun

Sapodilla Secrets

Explore the sapodilla, a sweet and malty tropical fruit that once gave the world its chewing gum.

description for amiyah: a round sapodilla with rough sandy brown skin, sweet and malty, glowing on matte black velvet.
Line 1 of 68

The Full Conversation

The complete script for this episode, with the two hosts, in eleven parts.

  1. Intro

    Amiyah: Hey guys, hope y'all having a good day. How is y'all today?
    Poke: I am good, just swaying in the breeze. How about you?
    Amiyah: I am wonderful, so happy to be back with you all.
    Amiyah: All right, let's spin the wheel and see what we have today.
    Poke: boom. Sapodillas!
    Amiyah: The wheel clicked to a stop on the sapodilla, a humble brown fruit with a surprising story. The hosts were curious to explore a fruit that once helped give the world its chewing gum.
    Poke: Oh, this is going to be a good one. Sapodillas has range.

  2. History

    Poke: So where does sapodillas actually come from?
    Amiyah: Sapodillas come from the warm lowlands of Mexico, Central America, and the Caribbean, where they have been enjoyed for centuries.
    Poke: The tree is the source of chicle, a sap that was once used to make chewing gum, and the fruit itself spread across the tropics as a beloved sweet treat.

  3. Fun Facts

    Amiyah: What are the facts that are going to blow my mind today?
    Poke: Sapodilla is also called chikoo in India and naseberry in the Caribbean.
    Amiyah: I did not know that at all.
    Poke: The fruit's sap, called chicle, was once the base for chewing gum.
    Amiyah: That tracks.
    Poke: A ripe sapodilla tastes sweet and malty, a little like pear and caramel.
    Amiyah: Wait, really?
    Poke: Each fruit holds a few shiny black seeds that are not eaten.

  4. Varieties

    Amiyah: How many kinds are we talking about here?
    Poke: Sapodillas vary in size and sweetness by variety.
    Amiyah: Go on.
    Poke: The Prolific variety is large and very sweet.
    Amiyah: The Tikal variety has smooth, rich flesh.
    Poke: That tracks.
    Amiyah: The Alano variety is sweet with a fine, grainy texture.

  5. World Use

    Amiyah: Now let us take a trip. How is it used around the world?
    Poke: In India, sapodilla is a popular fruit called chikoo, eaten fresh and in desserts.
    Amiyah: Okay, that is so good to know.
    Poke: In Mexico and Central America, it is enjoyed fresh and made into drinks.
    Amiyah: I did not know that at all.
    Poke: In the Caribbean, it is known as naseberry and eaten as a sweet snack.
    Amiyah: That tracks.
    Poke: Around the tropics, the fruit is peeled and eaten fresh or blended into smoothies.

  6. Myth

    Amiyah: Okay, myth time. What is the misconception?
    Poke: A lot of people think some people believe sapodilla is a kind of potato because of its brown skin.
    Amiyah: Oh, I love that.
    Poke: Here is the truth. It is a sweet tropical fruit, not a potato. Its brown skin hides a soft, sugary flesh that tastes like caramel and pear.

  7. Fan Question

    Poke: A listener wrote in. Let us hear it.
    Poke: How can you tell when a sapodilla is ripe?
    Amiyah: Love this question.
    Amiyah: A ripe sapodilla feels soft and yields to gentle pressure, and its skin turns a dull brown. It should be eaten when soft, because an unripe fruit is very astringent.

  8. Host Opinions

    Amiyah: Let me give you my honest, unvarnished opinion.
    Amiyah: Honestly, I went in unsure and came out a fan. It earned its spot today.
    Poke: Classic Amiyah take. I respect the commitment to the bit.
    Amiyah: Amiyah loves ripe sapodilla peeled and eaten by the spoonful, calling it a natural candy.
    Poke: Poke prefers sapodilla blended into a thick, sweet smoothie.
    Poke: See, this is why people tune in, the strong opinions.

  9. Lightning Round

    Amiyah: Time for the Fun Fact Lightning Round.
    Amiyah: Sapodilla is also called chikoo and naseberry.
    Poke: Its sap was once used to make chewing gum.
    Amiyah: Ripe sapodilla tastes like caramel and pear.
    Poke: The shiny black seeds are not eaten.

  10. Recap

    Amiyah: So what did we take away from this one?
    Poke: The hosts learned that sapodillas are a sweet tropical fruit with malty, caramel like flesh, a long history in the Americas, and a surprising role as the source of the sap once used to make chewing gum.

  11. Recipe

    Amiyah: And now my favorite part, the recipe.
    Poke: Today we are making Sapodilla and Coconut Smoothie. The full ingredients and steps are right below.
    Amiyah: Thanks for spinning with us. Spin It. Learn It. Love It.™

Recipe Segment

description for amiyah: a stylized illustration of Sapodilla and Coconut Smoothie, plated on a gold rimmed dish with warm golden tones and a soft orange glow, set against a deep matte black velvet background.

Sapodilla and Coconut Smoothie

Ingredients

  • 3 ripe sapodillas, peeled and seeded
  • 1 cup coconut milk
  • 1 tablespoon honey
  • Half cup ice
  • A pinch of cinnamon

Preparation

  1. Peel the sapodillas, remove the seeds, and place the flesh in a blender.
  2. Add the coconut milk, honey, ice, and cinnamon.
  3. Blend until smooth and creamy.
  4. Taste and add more honey if you like it sweeter.
  5. Pour into glasses and serve chilled.

Spin It. Learn It. Love It. trademark

Back to Home