The Soursop Punch

Have you ever tried something called soursop punch? My guess is that your answer will be no, if you are from North America. I had never heard of soursop until just recently when Gary and I were strolling around the Sheraton Mall here in Barbados one Friday night. We sauntered into a fruit/vegetable stand and I asked the lady who owned this establishment what this ugly looking thing was - and she was so astounded that I didn't know! She said, "Why that is a soursop! Have you never had any soursop punch?" Well no, I said, of course. She then offered if I would come back the next evening - that she would make me some and bring it to work with her the following day! Can you believe that? This is one of the many things that I so love about this island. Most of the people are genuinely friendly and love to make others happy.

The following day, Gary and I made sure that we went back to the Sheraton Mall and you could tell she was a little surprised that we had returned, but she grinned and went into the back of the store and came out with a quart of soursop punch! It turns out that she is originally from St. Lucia and has been making this punch for a good majority of her life. We couldn't wait to taste it when we got home. It was fabulous! But, I am having a hard time putting into words so that the reader can understand how it actually tastes - sweet but sour at the same time, I guess is the best that I can do here.

I regretted many days after this tasting, that I had not asked her how she made this punch. Then, while Gary and I were visiting St. Lucia, we saw some soursops again and I asked someone had they ever had the soursop punch - and of course they looked at me like I was crazy - of course, they grew up on the stuff! So, they told me it was easy to make - squeeze out the juice from the fruit, put it in a blender along with evaporated milk, vanilla essence, and sweet condensed milk - and then let it chill.

Yesterday, I set out to buy a soursop and to have my first try at making the punch. But, first I had to find one. I couldn't remember what they looked like. You have to realize down here on the island there are a lot of strange looking fruits/vegetables in the super markets - and I have been passing them by. After going to 2 stores and not finding any - I found some at the Big B Super Centre. To make sure that they were indeed soursops, I approached a Bajan woman that was working in the fruit/vegetable section and asked her. She smiled coyingly and said,"those shouldn't be called soursops because they should have been aborted!" I said, "what do you mean, I'm not understanding you." She laughed and said that whoever picked this particular fruit, had picked them too soon and that they would never be good - that they would just turn dark.

I looked frustrated and told her that I was disappointed that this was the 3rd store that I had been to and I had so wanted to try my hand at making soursop punch. She thought for a minute and then she said,"You wait here and I will be back for you." In a few minutes, she walks back into the store with a huge grin on her face - and she is holding two beautiful soursops. She wanted to give them to me. She said that a kind gentleman had brought them to her that morning and she wanted me to have them. I gave her a big hug and she made my day.

I made the punch! It was divine. My only wish is that everyone that ever reads this blog could one day experience the taste of this sweet fruit. It is not plentiful such as mangos, so even when you visit an island - it will not be offered to you - you have to seek it out. Here is a picture of one of the soursops that this precious woman gave me, so that you too will now know what one looks like.