Have you ever tried pawpaw fruit? Though it’s native to every county in North Carolina, you’re likely in the majority if you haven’t.
To some N.C. residents, however, pawpaw is a beloved staple. In fact, the love many people across the nation have for the pawpaw tree and its fruit is borderline fanatical.
Derek Morris, a horticulture technician at N.C. State University, helped found the NC Pawpaw Festival — now the NC Pawpaw Field Day — over 10 years ago. Despite the name change, the event is still a celebration. Morris told the Citizen Times that the goal has always been to spread information and appreciation.
“People were just unaware of it, and we wanted to teach people about the fruit, and taste it and enjoy it, and try to get people growing it,” Morris said. “And that was our main purpose.”
This year’s event in Forsyth County featured tree vendors, pawpaw ice cream and bread — and over 700 attendees. Morris said visitors weren’t just from N.C., with some attendees traveling from New York, Florida and more to join in.
What does pawpaw fruit taste like?
The flavor of pawpaw fruit varies based on ripeness, variety and of course, individual palates. An NCSU page on the fruit said the flavor is sometimes described as a cross between banana, pineapple and mango. Morris gave a list of the many notes he’s detected regularly in various varieties of pawpaw fruit including cantaloupe, vanilla, banana, pineapple, coconut, chocolate and coffee.
Morris said that in his experience, people who dislike pawpaw generally blame the soft custard texture of the fruit’s flesh rather than the taste itself.
“Most of our fruits that we grow here and eat are crispy type fruits, you know, or crunchy, or something like that,” Morris said. “This is totally different, you know. It’s got a very, very soft texture, and that’s one reason you don’t see it in grocery stores.”
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Why is pawpaw popular?
Morris said that he sees many reasons why pawpaw fruit has such a fan club, beginning with its many special traits.
“It’s a very unique fruit,” Morris said. “I think that’s one thing that appeals to me, is that it’s from this tropical family, yet it grows here, and it is our largest tree fruit native to the U.S., and it just has a very unique flavor. There’s nothing else we can grow that comes close to it.”
Morris also cited the trees’ resilience against pests and attractiveness to zebra swallowtail butterflies as reasons for the interest.
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How to identify pawpaw
The pawpaw tree is shaped like a dense pyramid and can be up to 25 feet tall and 15 feet wide. It has smooth, gray bark and large, dark green leaves that hang down from its branches.
Light green, potato or mango-shaped pawpaw fruits begin to grow in the late spring and are ready for harvest in late summer and early fall when they are generally yellow-brown in color.
Where can pawpaw trees be found?
Pawpaw trees grow best in sunny, moist areas with rich, well-drained soil. If you’re foraging for pawpaw fruit, the banks of creeks and rivers are your best bet, plus areas like steep hillsides and the bottoms of ravines.
According to NCSU, the trees are found from Canada to FL, and as far west as Nebraska.
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Cooking with pawpaw
A wide variety of recipes can be made with pawpaw, from baked goods to jams and jellies to Morris’ personal favorite, ice cream.
Morris provided his pawpaw ice cream recipe for Citizen Times readers who want to make a batch of their own.
Pawpaw ice cream (no churn)
Ingredients:
- 1 can sweetened condensed milk
- 2 cups heavy cream (cold)
- 2 cups of pawpaw puree
- Juice of 1 lemon
Place pawpaw puree in a food processor or blender until completely smooth.
Place cold heavy cream in a large bowl, whip to stiff peaks.
Add sweetened condensed milk, pawpaw puree and beat on low speed until well mixed.
Transfer into a container/dish and freeze for at least 6 hours.
Iris Seaton is the trending news reporter for the Asheville Citizen Times, part of the USA TODAY Network. Reach her at [email protected].
