
"Drupe" is the botanical term for a fruit with an
exocarp and fleshy mesocarp surrounding a hardened endocarp that protects a seed inside. In other words, a drupe is a
stone fruit. Peaches, nectarines, plums.
But be not mistaken, not all fruits that have a hard center and a fleshy outside are drupes, and fruits
that you'd never guess were drupes, in fact, are. I thought I was brilliant when I thought an avocado was a drupe because technically, an avocado is a fruit, but
it's not a drupe. An avocado is a berry. But there are berries that are really drupes. Blackberries
and raspberries, also known as bramblefruits, are aggregates of little drupelets.
A mango is a drupe. Duh. Of course it is.
Dice a couple of mangoes, which is a drupe, a couple of avocadoes, which is a
berry, a couple of tomatoes (also a berry) and toss it with cut grilled shrimp, a squeeze of
lime juice, minced garlic, salt, and pepper. If you
are so inclined, add a splash of tequila. Serve with tortilla chips, and I guess if
you think about it, you're eating one hell of a fruit cocktail!