The pawpaw fruit, also known as the custard-apple or sweetsop (not soursop, mind you) is native to various places across the Uantioxidant-fruits.comted States. In Appalachian areas, you will find that pawpaws are especially regarded with delight, being significant to the cultural heritage of these regions (along the Appalachian Mountains). It is also one of many antioxidant fruits.
What does pawpaw fruit look like?
You will typically find it ranging from a brown to yellow/green color, and it can reach up to 16 cm in length and 7 cm in width, making it a substantial piece of fruit. Inside the fruit, there are many different brown seeds. A mature pawpaw will be more of a yellow or brown color as it starts out green. When the fruit is ready to be picked, it is easy to tell because you will often see the fruit bending the branches because it weighs so much. The fruit has a sweet flavor similar to some custards.
What’s so great about these fruits?
Well, first off, they are the largest fruit native to the US. This means that you won’t have to order from exotic overseas farms to get what you need. You can likely even find pawpaws locally if you feel the desire to do so. Pawpaw fruit seeds have shown promise in the way of chemotherapy treatment, preventing against certain types of cytotoxicity. The fruit itself has antioxidant properties.
Some people also love to use pawpaw fruit in place of other fruits for pie or cake recipes. For example, some West Virginia residents love to make a pawpaw nut cake in place of banana nut cake. Pawpaw fruit pulp is used for desserts as well.