“The sweet, elusive pawpaw has been hiding in plain sight in the eastern and midwestern United States for centuries,” George Washington’s diary entry on March 7, 1785, mentions the pawpaw trees he planted at his Mount Vernon, Virginia home. The pawpaw is said to have been the first president’s favorite fruit. Lewis and Clark wrote of finding and eating pawpaw on their expedition, just as they were running out of food. They got lucky; pawpaws have a short season, ripening on the tree from September through mid-October. Today, many are unfamiliar with the custard-like fruit. Split open its green skin and you will find yellow fruit and a row of large brown seeds about the size of a fat penny. Pawpaw is creamy and easily eaten with a spoon, right out of the skin. It looks similar to a mango and tastes not quite like a banana. “It tastes like pawpaw,” …
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