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   DIR Return to: PawPaw Fruit & PLant!!!
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       #Post#: 152--------------------------------------------------
       PawPaw, what is it!!
   DIR By: Hummingbird
       Date: August 8, 2012, 1:17 pm
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       The pawpaw is the largest edible fruit that is native to the
       United States. Pawpaws are indigenous to 26 states in the U.S.,
       in a range extending from northern Florida to southern Ontario
       and as far west as eastern Nebraska. They have provided
       delicious and nutritious food for Native Americans, European
       explorers and settlers, and wild animals. They are still being
       enjoyed in modern America, chiefly in rural areas. There are 27
       varieties.
       Most enthusiasts agree that the best way to enjoy pawpaws is to
       eat them raw, outdoors, picked from the tree when they are
       perfectly ripe. But there are also numerous ways to use them in
       the kitchen and extend the enjoyment of their tropical flavor
       beyond the end of the harvest season.
       The unique flavor of the fruit resembles a blend of various
       tropical flavors, including banana, pineapple, and mango. The
       flavor and custard-like texture make pawpaws a good substitute
       for bananas in almost any recipe. The common names, 'poor man's
       banana,' 'American custard apple,' and 'Kentucky banana' reflect
       these qualities.
       Pawpaw's beautiful, maroon colored flowers appear in the spring,
       and the clusters of fruit ripen in the fall.
       Ripe pawpaw fruits are easily picked, yielding to a gentle tug.
       Shaking the tree will make them fall off. (If you try this,
       don't stand under the fruit clusters, and don't say we didn't
       warn you.) Ripeness can also be gauged by squeezing gently, as
       you would judge a peach. The flesh should be soft, and the fruit
       should have a strong, pleasant aroma. The skin color of ripe
       fruit on the tree ranges from green to yellow, and dark flecks
       may appear, as on bananas. The skin of picked or fallen fruit
       may darken to brown or black.
       Fully ripe pawpaws last only a few days at room temperature, but
       may be kept for a week in the refrigerator. If fruit is
       refrigerated before it is fully ripe, it can be kept for up to
       three weeks, and can then be allowed to finish ripening at room
       temperature. Ripe pawpaw flesh, with skin and seeds removed, can
       be pureed and frozen for later use. Some people even freeze
       whole fruits.
       Pawpaws are very nutritious fruits. They are high in vitamin C,
       magnesium, iron, copper, and manganese. They are a good source
       of potassium and several essential amino acids, and they also
       contain significant amounts of riboflavin, niacin, calcium,
       phosphorus, and zinc. Pawpaws contain these nutrients in amounts
       that are generally about the same as or greater than those found
       in bananas, apples, or oranges.
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