Açaí berry

Euterpe oleracea, E. precatoria

fruit

Small purple-black berries of a palm from the flooded areas of the Amazon, growing in dense clumps; blended into a thick purée in Brazil, and frozen to travel. They provide anthocyanins.

Origin

Amazon (palms of the flooded zones)

Season (United States)

imported · all year round

Preparation

Outside the Amazon, it is bought as frozen purée or powder: the purée is blended with a banana into a thick bowl (açaí na tigela), the powder stirred into a smoothie or yoghurt. The large stone is not eaten.

Molecules

Anthocyanins

Did you know?

So fragile it can only be eaten fresh within 48 hours of picking; in French Guiana it is called wassaï, from a Tupi-Guarani word.