North American Fruit Explorers mailing list at ibiblio

[Richard Moyer <ramoyer@gmail.com>]

Amy,
Hidden Springs Nursery (NAFEX members) in Cookeville, TN, have a
selection of pawpaws that work in the SE US.  Worth planting for the
history, as our largest native fruit, and one that sustained DeSoto
and Lewis&Clark expeditions.  And worth eating for the nearly 5%
protein, and the heart-healthy fats therein.  Good source of calories
on a tree.  We get $1 each for them at market, more for large ones.

Once they begin to ripen, we try to pick them individually before they
hit the ground.  Unless they land in a fresh cowpie, they damage on
impact.  Very easy to graft, so you could plant one tree in the yard
and add more cultivars to it.

We freeze the pulp (mush in, mush out upon thawing).  Can be used in
popsicle molds or ice cube trays for frozen snacks in summer, good if
the fresh texture puts one off.  We use thawed pulp for mikshakes,
yogurt, smoothies, ice cream, as goes well with milk.  Sub pawpaw pulp
for bananas in bread recipes, or for pumpkin in pie recipes.  Custard
pies particularly good, as pawpaws are a member of the tropical
'custard apple' family.  Frozen custard pies again attractive if fresh
pawpaw texture is an issue.

Dried, the fruit carmelizes and much of the aromatic esters escape, so
that's my least favorite use.
Others please chime in with your favorites.
Richard Moyer,  SW VA
Finishing lunch of strawberry or muscadine jam on toast, applesauce
and dried pecan halves on the side.




>From: Amelia Hayner <abhayner@gmail.com>
>Sent: Feb 24, 2011 12:39 PM
>To: nafex@lists.ibiblio.org
>Subject: [NAFEX] good tasting paw paws
>
>I realize that is almost a contradiction in terms, in my opinion, but others
>may know more.
>Husband is stubbornly insisting on planting a couple.. in the YARD and not
>down in the woods where I had hoped to put them.
>They are very ornamental, I will give them that, but they certainly won't be
>where I have to walk frequently..
>any preferences out there as to superior cultivars?
>any idea of WHAT to do with them, when they start hitting the ground??
>Amy
>NC Z8