It was just another visit from our son and three grandgirls. That was way back in November. It was prepademic you know. And none of us had a clue about a virus that was to shut us all down and stop family visits from out of town.
We were all sitting around the kitchen table shoulder to shoulder and I remember telling them about the wonderful exotic tropical fruits that grew in my backyard when I was a little girl. I lived in South Florida where we had avocado trees, bananas, oranges, kumquats, mangos and guavas.
We also had Sapodillas!
“What is THAT?” they asked.
“Oh, I haven’t tasted a Sapodilla since I was a little girl about 70 years ago,” I said. “A Sapodilla looks exactly like a kiwi (but uglier) on the outside. But on the inside the fruit is brownish and has the most beautiful shiny brown/black thumbnail sized seeds. And the fruit tastes so sweet!”
All three girls sounded interested but we eventually moved on to other subjects.
Enter the Pandemic ShutDown and I haven’t seen my family since.
Can you guess what the three Grandgirls got me for Mother’s Day?
A beautiful box arrived in the mail and it was:
FIVE POUNDS OF SAPODILLAS!
I simply could not believe it.
“WOW! WOW! WOW!” I said. “This is an amazing gift and how did they ever remember and how did they ever find it and what a precious thing that they thought of it and acted on it so many months later!”
And my first taste was like floating back back back to childhood.
There was my Dad again and I was just a little girl. He was once more telling me not to eat the seeed and saying, “You will love this my little Gypsy. It will taste just like honey.”
And it did. And it does.
And it was the nicest gift ever because it was a gift of memories. I only wish the Grandgirls had been here too, so I could have introduced them the same way as my Dad did.
Now every little bite of the five pounds is gone. And only the memories linger.
And the smiles!
Note: You will probably never see a sapodilla in the grocery store. At least I haven’t in all my years. The kids found them online.
Sapodilla (Sapota)
Sapodilla or sapota (chikoo) is a popular tropical fruit. Sapota is a tropical evergreen, fruit-bearing tree belongs to the family of Sapotaceae, in the genus: Manilkara. The fruit, popular as nasebrry, is a most relished tropical delicacy.
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Sapota fruit cut section. Note for dark brown seed. |
Now that is what I call a really thoughtful gift. Not only did they remember your story but they took the trouble to find what sounds like a fairly hard to find fruit so you could have some six months later.
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Never heard of them – but they sound delicious. What a thoughtful gift!
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You are so right.
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Mery very special.
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Those girls are beautiful inside and out, just like their grandma 😃❤️.
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What a very special gift! I liked your description of the fruit and what it tastes like. I hope you get to see the family again soon.
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That is one of the sweetest (pun intended) stories I’ve heard i a very long time Dor. Lucky you!
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What a lovely gift from your beautiful grandchildren. Another memory to store and share.
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I lived in South Florida briefly and I never heard of sapodillas! How exciting and how thoughtful.
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What a great gift! Very thoughtful!
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Now that was one grand gift from the grand girls! What a treat you had. ❤
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Never heard of them either. How special of them to have remembered! You are blessed!
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My little gypsy friend, this is a lovely story. Your family loves you very much to hear that story, take it to heart, and reach out to find you some of your childhood loves. xoxoxo
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They have already grow into beautiful and kind young women!
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It remains a rather obscure tropical fruit and certainly not available in ordinary grocery stores. Even my oldest friend who I grew up with in Florida, has never tasted a Sapodilla.
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It was a wonderful surprise that went on giving until the very last bite!
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I could say that again – and again – and again, until the last Sapodilla was waiting in the frig and then was gone, gone, gone.
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Thanks Kathy. It is a story that will warm my heart for years to come for sure.
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Such a thoughtful gift ~ that level of thought put into a special gift would have made me cry! I’m dying to try one 🙂 MJ
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