Never had one! Would love to get to sample a wild one at some point though
Never had one! Would love to get to sample a wild one at some point though
I've tried lots of different fruits... wolf berries, mangosteens, pitahaya, durian (had to plug my nose with that one) and permissons but I can honestly say I have never had a pawpaw. You have me quite intrigued though. It isn't often a food comes up that I am completely and utterly unfamiliar with.
Hmmm...about the time I bore of wild Huckleberries I'll go fixate on Pawpaws
It's an odor I can't even describe... but if you can get past that - they taste and texture were wonderful. Like custard.
I recently found mini golden kiwis. While not exotic, they were totally delicious. I made some into fruit leather but sadly the guys ate it all so there won't be any on our upcoming trip.
I think I'll go grab some paw-paws this weekend. They grow like mad along the C&O canal tow-path. They're actually ripe when they start to get black spots on them, and should be softer to the touch. Unripe they're all green and hard to the touch.
If you don't have something nice to say,
Be witty in your cruelty.
I picked about half a bushel yesterday and gave them to a friend. When I pick the remainder, I intend to puree and freeze all but a few dozen for pawpaw walnut bread to keep the resident baker warm and happy through the winter months.
I still have pawpaws hanging on my trees. Just ate one, no different from those picked a month earlier as far as I could tell. Later and slower to ripen due to shading and reduced temperatures perhaps?
Emerald, do you have any recommendations for pawpaw varieties to plant? Miller's nurseries has them good to zone 4 (cold). http://www.millernurseries.com/cart....duct_list&c=10
That's who supplied mine. Given what I read at the link you provided, they appear to be offering seedlings, i.e., not grafted or budded cultivars. I would call and ask them for more information.
You might want to spend some time Googling names and characteristics of recommended cultivars and their suppliers. I believe U of Kentucky had some of the best information online at one time. Cultivars vary in size, color of flesh, when they ripen and probably also in their hardiness.
I'd send some, but why give a man a fish who can be taught to obtain many himself?
http://www.raintreenursery.com/catalog/producttype.cfm?producttype=PAW
The paw paw season is over here in Ohio, but I did get a couple wild ones by a river. Saw tons of trees hiking but no friut. I have never done the dead animal idea, but I do look by fields, because I figure there will be flies which is needed for the friut. I love em, and wish I had found more.
One secret I have found is to pick the friut while still unripe and out them in a brown paper bag for one day. That is usually all it takes for the fruit to ripen.
Schnikel
The last of my pawpaws I hadn't picked fell from my trees some time ago. I neglected to record the exact date.
I still have some fresh fruits in my refrigerator which demonstrates it's possible to retard ripening with refrigeration so long as they are fully formed and firm when picked and none which have advanced beyond that stage is stored with them.