AFRICAN PEAR

Safou, Safou fruit, African Pear or scientific name Dacryodes edulis, is a tropical fruit.

Safou fruit varies greatly in size and appearance due to genetic diversity and individual growing conditions. The fruit is usually oblong, oval, conical in shape, averaging 4 to 15 centimeters long and 3 to 6 centimeters in diameter, and is often found covered with sores and scars. The thin skin is glossy with a waxy coating and, when mature, ranges from shades of pink or white to violet, navy blue to blue-black. Each fruit can also carry more than one color at a time, giving the rind a variegated appearance. Under the skin, the smooth flesh also ranges in hues from green, pale yellow, pink, cream to light brown, covering a central seed that is oblong, dense and firm. Safou fruit has a slippery consistency with a sour, slightly acidic and tangy flavor when consumed fresh. The fruit also carries an aromatic odor similar to that of turpentine or citrus. When cooked, the fruit develops a buttery consistency with a milder, salty flavor. Safou fruit is found in Africa during the rainy season.