The shape and size of the fruit is highly variable, depending on the cultivar. The better selections consistently produce large, ovate fruit with glossy skin weighing upwards of 400 g. The flesh is somewhat pasty, although the best varieties have a creamy, mousse-like texture. The flavor is rich and is reminiscent of an egg custard. The fruit may contain one to six large, brown seeds. The canistel displays climactericfruit ripening. A fully mature fruit shows an intense yellow skin color. It eventually softens and drops from the tree. Insects and birds avoid the fruit flesh, perhaps because of its astringent properties, that are much reduced in senescent fruits, but still perceptible to the human palate. Apparently mature fruits severed from the tree while still hard often fail to develop the desired climacteric changes in terms of reduced astringency and a texture reminiscent of egg yolk.
Uses
Like the related lucuma, the canistel can be eaten fresh, and has the texture of a hard-boiled egg yolk. The ripe fruit can be made into jam, marmalade, pancakes, and flour. The ripe flesh is blended with milk and other ingredients to make a shake, and pureed, it is sometimes added to custards or used in making ice cream. It is also used in a milkshake known as "eggfruit nog". The wood of the tree is occasionally used in construction where it is available, especially as planks or rafters. In its native range, it has been a source of latex used to adulterate chicle.
Etymology
Its specific name is derived from the Mexican town of Campeche, where it is native. In the numerous countries where it is cultivated or sold, it is known by many vernacular names; canistel is common, as are variations on egg fruit and names referring to its yellow color. In the Philippines, it is called chesa, tiessa, or tiesa. In Sri Lanka, this fruit is known as laulu, lavulu, or lawalu. In Thailand, it is known by different traditional popular names such as lamut Khamen or tho Khamen, folk imagination attributing a hypothetical Cambodian origin to this fruit. Currently, those names are discouraged by linguistic authorities and names making no reference to Cambodia, such as mon khai —Khai meaning "egg", or tiesa, are officially favored. The plant's name in the Vietnamese language is cây trứng gà because of the fruit's appearance. In Indonesian language, it is called alkesah, or sawo mentega. Though relatively rare in East Africa, they can be found, and in the Swahili language, the fruit is confusingly named zaituni, which is the same word used to refer toolives. In Taiwan, it is called danhuang guo, "egg yolk fruit" or xiantao "peach of the immortals".
