Reviewed by Jeanne
I remember eating my first pawpaw as a child, being given one
of the fat green fruits while waiting on my grandparents to finish talking to a
friend. I didn’t quite know what to make
of it at first: not crunchy like an apple but rather creamy. It sort of tasted
like an over-ripe banana, but somehow different. I just wasn’t sure about it.
Flash forward a few decades when I once again was given a
pawpaw to eat. My taste buds had the
same puzzled reaction: what IS this? I detected other flavors in it this time,
more generally tropical than just banana, and more than a little
addictive. Other family members have
never tasted a pawpaw or if they have, they’ve forgotten, so I decided to do a
little looking. I soon found articles rhapsodizing
over this North American delicacy but lamenting the short window of
availability for chefs as well as the problem of transporting a delicate fruit.
Lo and behold, I found an entire book on pawpaws at the
library. It offers a wealth of
information about this amazing fruit, including that there are some cultivated
varieties now. It confirmed the short
storage time—three weeks is the maximum; an already ripe pawpaw will last less
than a week. The book gives very
thorough instructions on how to grow your own pawpaws, including cultivated varieties.
I had no idea under some conditions, pawpaw plants can be low and bushy, not
the trees I expect to see.
Spacing, stared from seed or from seedling, where to buy, grafting,
and more considerations are addressed in an informative and friendly manner,
illustrated with wonderful color photos. It’s almost enough to make me want to try
to grow one, so I decided to lie down until the foolish notion passed. I am NOT good with plants.
The book also covers how and when to harvest, store, and
process. This includes safe handling
with the note that certain wild animals REALLY love pawpaws and might have “all
out parties in the pawpaw patch” which may leave behind certain… um… deposits,
which may be hazardous to human health.
Thorough cleaning of any pawpaws found on the ground is highly advised.
There is even a Pawpaw festival in September each year in
Ohio. I checked and yep, it’s still
going on!
He also offers recipes, including pawpaw cheesecake. Need I say more? Okay, there is also Vegan
Pawpaw Mexican Lasagna with Black Beans and Potato, Vegan Pawpaw and Pecan Whole
Wheat Pancakes with Caramel Sauce, and Pawpaw Crème Brulee.
And if that isn’t enough for you, there’s also Pawpaw Moonshine.
No comments:
Post a Comment