Food

Food Information

Fruit

Tropical

GUAVAS

Guavas, native to Mexico, are now grown extensively in Hawaii and ona much smaller scale in Florida. They are available from December throughFebruary.

The guava is a light green or yellow colored fruit, about the size and shapeof a plum. When tree-ripened, guavas have a pleasant strawberry like flavor.When they are force-ripened, they are apt to be quite tart. Depending onthe variety, the flesh color can range from white to dark pink. Numeroussmall seeds are embedded in the flesh near the heart of the fruit.

Guavas make a fine amber-colored jelly that was highly prized in Grandma'sday. Of late, guava jelly seems to have gone out of style and is seldomfound on supermarket shelves.

The best, most flavorful guavas are produced in Hawaii, but you'll haveto visit the islands to sample their fine product. Due to stringent andwise law enforcement by the USDA, the guavas, which can be a host to thedreaded fruit fly, cannot be exported to the mainland unless they are fumigated.Unlike the Hawaiian papayas, the guavas are too delicate to survive theheat used as part of the fumigation process and they are never shipped orflown to the continental forty-eight states. Unfortunately, Hawaii is oneof the fruit fly capitals of the world.

Deamer 5/97