Have you ever seen a pawpaw? I picked up this little fruit from Lagier Ranch at the Ferry Plaza Farmer's Market on Tuesday. The fruit fits in the palm of my hand and is quite soft when it is ready to eat. It is known as the "poor man's banana" and can substituted for banana in recipes.
If you are serious about eating local, this fruit is a good one to know about as it satisfies the need for a tropical fruit, yet it can be found in California.
The fruit is custardy in texture and reminds me of a cross between a mild papaya, a banana and a mango.
A pawpaw is in the same family as a cherimoya fruit, and is native to woodlands in the native US. It is now grown in parts of California and the Pacific Northwest.
Cutting into the pawpaw, it's seeds are quite large with a beautiful woody exterior.
If you make it to a market in the Bay Area this weekend, keep an eye out for Lagier Ranch and their pawpaws. Lagier is at the Ferry Plaza Farmer's Market on Saturdays and the Marin Civic Center Farmer's Market on Sundays.
More about the Pawpaw fruit:
Wikipedia
California Rare Fruit Growers, Inc
Photo credit: Flourphoto
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