One of my favorite parts about traveling, and traveling Latin America in particular, is the abundance of strange and exotic fruits to try. I am known for traveling with my “fruit knife,” a small knife used not for protection, but for cutting up fresh fruits at local markets. While in Latin America, try every fruit you can! In Spanish-speaking countries, you can always talk to your local market sellers about a fruit, asking “¿Está listo para comer?”- “Is it ready to eat?”

• Mamey- Found in Mexico and Central America, the taste of the mamey fruit is often described as being similar to a sweet potato pie! It is one of the most distinctly different fruits I have tried while in Mexico and is amazing in dessert recipes like my Mamey Pudding.

• Açaí- The beloved Brazilian açai berry is known around the world for being the primary ingredient in delicious smoothie bowls. But in Brazil, açai is better than anywhere else on earth. My favorite açaí bowl can be found in Rio at Tacacá do Norte, where Amazonian cooking traditions are preserved and perfected.

• Cherimoya- A chef in Lima once described Cherimoya to me as “The Rolls Royce of Fruits.” Custardy and sweet, cherimoya is like a dessert in itself, with layers of almond, vanilla, and cinnamon flavors.

• Feijoa- As soon as my plane hits the ground in Colombia, I will be on my way to find some feijoas. One of my favorite fruits ever, feijoa tastes like a cross between strawberry, guava, and pineapple, with a similar texture to a firm kiwi- and its name is just so fun to say! The best way to eat feijoa is to cut off the top and use a spoon to scoop out the insides.

• Maracuyá / Gulupa- Otherwise known as passion fruit, these two fruits are actually different! Maracuyá is large and yellow, with a more sour taste- while gulupa is the small, purple passion fruit you’re likely most familiar with. I love both types, but most people prefer gulupa for its sweeter taste.

• Cacao- One of the earth’s most incredible plants, cacao is much more than just the base of chocolate. Consumed in many different forms across Latin America, you can expect to find one of my favorites, ceremonial cacao, in the Amazon, known for creating deep feelings of euphoria. You can also try roasted cacao tea, a popular choice in Peru. Or go for the delicious roasted cacao snacks from Dengo in Brazil.

• Acerola- While you first might mistake this fruit for cherries, acerola will quickly surprise you with its tart taste. With a sour and citrusy taste, acerola is known for its extremely high levels of vitamin C- in fact, eating just one acerola cherry can provide you with more than a day’s worth of it! These cherries can be found at local markets in Brazil, but are sometimes hard to come by.

• Granadilla- Granadillas bring me back to my time hiking in Peru, where we would stop along the Andes to snack on these seed-filled fruits. Another type of “passion fruit,” the best way to eat them is to use the stem as a sort of handle, break off the top, and suck out the seeds inside.

• Brazilian Mango- Any Brazilian will be quick to tell you “Mangoes in Brazil are just different!” Unlike other varieties, mangoes grown in Brazil tend to be larger, smoother, and sweeter than most- making them the perfect snack while lounging on the beaches of Rio.

• Carambola- Otherwise known as star fruit in English, carambolas are the closest thing I have tried to nature’s candy. Sweet and tart, they are at their ripest when they are a deep yellow-orange color, with a bit of brown at their edges. Don’t eat green carambolas unless you really love the taste of sour!

• Lulo- A fruit particularly loved by Colombians, lulo’s bright orange color gives way to its flavors- a taste reminiscent of citrus and pineapple. It is super popular in fruit juices as well as in cocktails, like the one I had at Alquímico in Cartagena.

• Tomate de Árbol / Tamarillo- A vibrant fruit native to the Andes, “Tomate de Árbol” translates to “Tree Tomato.” Eaten fresh and used commonly in cooking, my most memorable taste of this fruit was in a sauce at my favorite restaurant in the world, Mérito in Lima, Peru.

• Aguacate Criollo- One of the most unexpectedly delicious fruits that I’ve tried during my travels were these mini avocados in Oaxaca, Mexico. Available only during a select season of the year, these avocados are eaten with the skin on, complementing their creamy texture with flavors of anise.

• Ciruela- The Latin version of plums, these small, fresh fruits are the perfect snack to throw in your bag for long hikes.

• Níspero- I put this fruit on this list, less as a recommendation and more as a warning– when I first tried it in Colombia, no one told me beforehand that it will absorb all of the moisture in your mouth! Eating níspero feels a bit like an allergic reaction- but some people love it! Enjoy at your own risk…