Marula

Marula are plum-sized fruits produced by Sclerocarya caffra (syn. S. birrea subsp. caffra), a tree native to southern and eastern Africa. Rich in vitamin C and several minerals (notably potassium and magnesium), they have a strong, leathery skin over a layer of white, fibrous flesh similar in flavour to mango, enclosing a hard pit containing a small, tasty, oil-rich kernel. The fruit is eaten fresh, juiced, and famously fermented and distilled into the cream liqueur Amarula; the kernels are pressed for cosmetic and food oils. Harvested ripe from the ground, the perishable fruit needs prompt processing or cold storage, and fermented products require hygienic control of the wild fermentation.