FoodFood InformationFruitTropical
The Papaya, believed to have originated in Central America, is now animportant fruit crop in all tropical areas of the world. It is most unusual.Botanically it is a berry that grows on a tall, bee like plant that reachesa height of twenty feet. The fruit is pear-shaped, but cuts and tastes likea cantaloupe. Like a melon, the countless, tiny, round black seeds are containednot in the flesh of the fruit but in a cavity. Papayas, often referred toas melons that grow on trees, are in season twelve months of the year.
Just as the pineapple originated in Brazil and did well when introducedon the islands in the Caribbean basin, but reached its finest hour whentransplanted to Hawaii, the papaya followed the same path to success. Untilafter World War 11, unless you visited the Hawaiian Islands, you could notenjoy the fine flavor of the Hawaiian pineapple or the Hawaiian papaya.Today, thanks to the speed of the jet plane, both items are available inmost stateside areas.
Papayas grow like weeds in the tropics. Puerto Rico, the Bahamas, and Floridahave varieties that attain great size, some as big as a football. Hawaiianpapayas are carefully tended and nourished. Almost all are of uniform sizeand are identical in appearance. Usually a light green in color when harvested,they color up to a golden yellow as they ripen, following the same changingcolor pattern as bananas. Nearly all the papayas sold in North America aregrown in Hawaii and arrive via air freight.
The main Hawaiian variety is called Solo, but there is nothing soloabout the way they grow. I have seen hundreds on a single papaya tree. TheSolo is a yellow fleshed variety. Recently there has been an increased supplyof an orange-pink-fleshed variety called the Sunrise. Both varieties areequal in flavor and texture and will ripen at room temperature.
Fully ripened papayas are golden yellow in color. When they are green incolor they are not mature and lack flavor. The best way to prepare themis to cut them lengthwise, from stem end to blossom end, and scoop out thenumerous black seeds. Then add a few drops of fresh lime or lemon juiceto jazz up the rather bland but sweet flavor. A ripe papaya will have aflavor and texture very similar to that of a ripe cantaloupe.
Due to the great distance that papayas have to travel, they are usuallyquite costly. They are not a good buy when the usually less costly and moreflavorful cantaloupes are in season, but when melons are out of season-usuallyin December and January, papayas can be an excellent substitute. Althoughavailable twelve months of the year, they are in short supply and at yearlyhigh prices from March 15 to May 15.
WHEN TO BUY: Available year-round
WHAT TO LOOK FOR: Firm, pale green, or pale yellow fruit
HOW TO STORE: Ripen at room temperature; preferable not to refrigerate
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