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Get ready to discover the delightful mamoncillo fruit, commonly known as Spanish lime! These small to medium-sized fruits usually measure about 3 to 4 centimetres in diameter and have a charming oval to spherical shape with a slight point at one end. Once you peel away the skin, you’ll find it has a unique texture—stiff and leathery yet surprisingly brittle. The skin is thin and boasts a semi-smooth, pebbled surface with little oil glands, showcasing colors that range from deep green to vibrant lime, often sprinkled with brown spots..

The flesh is fibrous and chewy, like lychee, and it clings to the huge central seed. The flesh is gelatinous and watery. One ivory- or white-colored seed is normally encased in each fruit, though occasionally there will be two. The starchy and astringent seeds, which can range in shape from round to oval, become mellow and nutty when cooked. It is common practice to sell mamoncillo fruits still on the branches they grew on. Try to find branches that can be bent easily and that have a healthy sheen. The fruits may be nearing their expiration date if the branches are old, dry, and fragile. The flavor of ripe mamoncillo fruits is tangy, acidic, and sweet vinous, like a combination of lime and lychee.

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The seasons for harvesting mamoncillo fruits are late summer and early autumn.The botanical name for the tiny, sweet, and sour fruits of the Sapindaceae or soapberry family is Melicoccus bijugatus. On the limbs of a tree that can grow to be over 25 meters tall, clusters of compact, dense, and heavy fruits develop. There are twelve or more individual fruits in each cluster, and it is common practice in local markets to sell the fruit in its natural state, still clinging to the branch. The Spanish verb “mamar,” meaning “to suck,” inspired the name Mamoncillo because the fruit is traditionally eaten whole, seed and all.

Across various regions, mamoncillos are known by many delightful names: Quenepas in Puerto Rico, Mamones in El Salvador, Ginep and Guenepa in Jamaica, Barbados, and Guyana, Kenep in Haiti, Guayo or Grosella de Miel in Mexico, Kenet in French Guiana, Limoncillo in the Dominican Republic, and Mamon or Maco in Colombia. In the United States, they are affectionately referred to as “Spanish lime” due to their resemblance to miniature limes. But don’t be fooled; despite their lime-like look, they are actually more closely related to the juicy rambutan and lychee. Each variety has its own unique texture, but all are cherished raw as a sweet and refreshing summer indulgence.

Benefits of Spanish Limes to Your Health

Besides being delicious, Spanish limes are packed with essential nutrients that your body will love! They are a fantastic source of Vitamin A, which supports overall bodily functions, and Vitamin C, known for enhancing your immune system and fighting inflammation. You’ll also find calcium for strong bones and teeth, along with a wealth of other nutrients such as phosphorus, fiber, iron, and phenolic compounds, which are wonderful antioxidants that protect your cells from free radicals.

The Buy Spanish Limes Fruit Box not only contain vitamins and minerals, but also tryptophan, a natural molecule that, when combined with other chemicals, helps to induce sleep. The pulp of Mamoncillo fruits has traditionally been used to treat gastrointestinal distress and as a natural laxative throughout Central and South America. In Panama, the flooring of homes and public buildings are covered with Mamoncillo leaves, which are gathered off the trees’ branches and laid flat. Since fleas and other insects are thought to congregate on and around the leaves, they are swept away once the building’s occupants have had enough.

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The Spanish Lime also known as Quenepa is a fruit with a thousand names. It’s known as Mamoncillo, Guinep, Limoncillo, Mamón, Jocote, you get the point. Why does it have so many names? We can only guess that every country that has it, likes it so much they want to make it their own. No joke. People are serious about this little fruit! The Puerto Ricans love it so much that they even have a national festival celebrating the Quenepa, which is what they call it in the island of enchantment.

Other than it looks similar to a key lime from the outside; the Spanish Lime could not be more different from a citrus fruit. It’s actually a cousin of the Lychee, Rambutan, and Longan, some of Tropical Fruit Box’s fan favorites.

What do Spanish Limes taste like?

The Spanish lime tastes like a lychee that marries a lemon but without the high citrus notes. It’s tangy and sweet, with a hint of tamarind and it feels refreshing in your mouth. Perhaps that is why it’s a popular summer beach snack.

How do you eat these tasty Quenepas?
The skin is a beautiful green that’s hard like a shell but not so hard like an egg. When you squeeze it, it cracks open pretty easily. You can cut it with a knife like the civilized person you are, or you can have an adventure and open it by biting down on it which is what we do since this is a beach favorite (don’t tell your dentist).

Once the soft shell cracks, remove it and you’ll see the peach-colored translucent orange flesh. Put it in your mouth and chew the flesh off the seed. The flesh is pretty stuck to the seed so you are going to have to work for it. When you are done, get rid of the seed and repeat until you’ve gone through all of them. When you are done and you just realized that you went through the whole box without sharing it with your loved ones, you can order another box in guilt and repeat the process all over again. Only while they last.

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Culture/Ethnicity Data

The legend of the mamoncillo fruit is deeply rooted in Caribbean culture. In Jamaica, it is commonly believed that a lady would be blessed with twins if she discovers two seeds in her fruit. The Arawak, an indigenous people group in the Caribbean, use the staining juice to make a deep brown dye for textiles. Ponce, Puerto Rico, hosts the annual Festival Nacional de la Quenepa when Mamoncillo is honoured. Buy Spanish Limes Fruit Box is famous for its production of Mamoncillo drupes, which are recognized as one of the region’s official fruits. Ponce is home to a number of Mamoncillo types, including one discovered in a garden bearing the city’s name. The local fruits, a rise in tourism, and a sense of community were all goals in 2008 when the Oficina de Desarrollo Cultural launched a festival. The fruits are celebrated over the course of three days with a market, live performances, games, and food.

History Mamoncillo Spanish Limes

The mamoncillo fruit has been growing wild in South America and the Caribbean for thousands of years, notably in Colombia, Venezuela, and the island of Margarita. These fruits are at their peak in tropical regions, and their early consumption was a result of foraging from wild trees. The trees were a popular feature in public spaces like town squares, city streets, and private gardens as civilizations grew.

Commercial planting of Mamoncillo trees began in southern Florida and later spread to other parts of the United States as well as Central America, tropical Africa, and Southeast Asia. The Mamoncillo fruit is native to South America, Central America, the Caribbean, India, the Philippines, Africa, and the states of Florida, California, and Hawaii in the United States, where it is now commercially cultivated, planted in home gardens, and still found growing wild. Markets in the areas where mamoncillos are grown sell fresh fruit, and a limited amount is shipped to neighbouring nations.