Sour Guava

The Costa Rican guava, or sour guava, is called a cas. The sour guava is a bit different from a guayaba, or standard guava, and it’s a favorite in Costa Rica. Sour guavas are small fruits, averaging 3 to 5 centimeters in diameter, and have a round, oval, to ovate shape with lumpy, curved edges. The skin is semi-smooth, taut, and thin, ripening from green to yellow-green with maturity, and there may be remnants of small sepals at the apex of the fruit.

Cas is sour and has a flavor akin to citrus fruits like lemon or white grapefruit, even when it is fully mature. Locals frequently consume cas without removing this little protein gem, which is typically found inside a complete cas. Fortunately, there are no worms to worry about when cas juice is used to make drinks like smoothies and tropical cocktails. Also, when you order breakfast at a Costa Rican restaurant, you’re likely to get a glass of fresh cas juice. The fruit is also edible by itself. In Costa Rica, underripe cas are offered for sale as a snack by street sellers. Vitamin C is abundant in sour guava, making it a nutritious and tantalizingly tangy delight.