PAW PAWS —
Sometimes referred to as “America’s forgotten fruit”—are the largest fruit indigenous to North America. These green‑skinned peanut-shaped fruits range from 3 to 6 inches long. Their interiors vary from a soft yellow to a golden or light orange hue. Each pawpaw contains several large lima bean–size seeds. This seemingly tropical fruit grows in hanging clusters that resemble a “hand” of bananas. Some people refer to papayas as pawpaws (or papaws), but they are not the same fruit.
A member of the custard-apple family, pawpaws have creamy, rich, and custardy flesh. Their sweet flesh