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The pawpaw (Asimina triloba) is a native plant that’s indigenous to eastern North America. It grows in wooded areas in its native habitat as part of the forest’s understory. While deer find the tree unpalatable, small wildlife enjoy the ripe fruit. It also serves as a host plant for Zebra Swallowtail Butterflies. Pawpaw trees grow well in moist soils in light shade or full sun, and can reach up to 30 feet in height with adequate moisture and full sunlight. In the fall, the pawpaw leaves turn soft yellow. Pawpaw trees can be ordered online from specialty nurseries as seedlings or grafted trees. While seedlings can take up to ten years to bear fruit, grafted trees can produce fruit in two to three years. Purchasing a minimum of two trees is beneficial for cross-pollination to occur. Pawpaw fruits hang in clusters on one-year old stems, and look similar to an elongated 3-6 inch mango. Pruning older pawpaw trees is important for new growth. The pawpaw fruit matures in September, and may be tinged with some black when ripe. You will want to harvest ripe fruit immediately before it is consumed by wildlife. Ripe fruit will only last a few days if not refrigerated. Another option is to pick the fruit before it ripens, and allow the fruit to ripen indoors by laying it out in a single layer. An intense fruit aroma is omitted as the fruit ripens. Pawpaws are very nutritious, and are rich in Vitamins C, B-6, niacin, folate, riboflavin, and thiamine. The minerals potassium, iron, magnesium, and phosphorus can also be found in pawpaws. The texture of the pawpaw fruit is creamy, with the flavor being described as a combination of banana with a touch of pineapple and mango. When consuming a pawpaw, be sure to gently rinse under water, slice it and scoop out the pulp. Do not eat the seeds or skin of the pawpaw. Use the pawpaw pulp immediately or freeze to use later. The pulp can be frozen in a freezer quality bag and used within one year. Thaw in the refrigerator, and when ready to use, bake into quick breads and oatmeal bars by using in place of bananas. Sorbets and ice cream are also favorite creations. Fruit leather can also be made when combined with strawberries. See directions for making fruit leather from The National Center for Home Food Preservation. Make a point to try the fruit or purchase this native tree to add to your landscape. You could also plan to visit the Pawpaw Festival on Sept. 12 in Paw Paw. The festival advertises trees for purchase, educational demos and fruit tasting. Find out more about this upcoming event at www.visitpawpawwv.com Pawpaw Quick Bread 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour 2 teaspoons baking powder 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon baking soda 1/2 cup coarsely chopped nuts (walnuts or pecans) 2/3 cup light brown sugar, firmly packed 1/3 cup butter 2 eggs, unbeaten 1 cup mashed pawpaw pulp Sift together first 4 ingredients, add nuts, and set aside. Cream sugar, butter and eggs in a mixing bowl. Stir in mashed pawpaws, then flour-nut mixture, beating until just combined and smooth. Pour into 1 large greased loaf pan or 3 small ones. Bake at 350°F for about an hour for large pans, 35 minutes for small ones. Or until done when tested. Turn out on a rack to cool. Recipe Source: Penn State Extension Pawpaw Ice cream 2 quarts vanilla ice cream 2 cups fresh or frozen pawpaw pulp, pureed in blender till smooth. Use any vanilla ice cream: homemade, store-bought, or low-fat. Partially thaw ice cream until soft. Mix in pawpaw puree by hand or machine. Refreeze for at least two hours before serving. Alternative: When making homemade vanilla ice cream, add pawpaw pulp near end for additional flavoring. Recipe Source: Purdue Extension Pawpaw No-Bake Cheesecake 1/2 cup sugar 1 package unflavored gelatin (Knox) 1/2 cup near-boiling water 1-2 cups thawed or fresh pawpaw pulp (keep chilled until added) 1 tablespoon lemon juice 1 8-ounce package of Neufchatel cheese (cream cheese can be used) 1 teaspoon vanilla 8-inch pie crust, prebaked Prepare prebaked 8-inch pie crust or containers lined with graham cracker crust. Mix sugar and gelatin in small container. Add hot water to dissolve gelatin. Give gelatin 5 minutes to completely dissolve. Stir occasionally. In food processor (or by hand), beat pawpaw pulp and lemon juice until smooth. Add cheese and vanilla. Mix well. Slowly add liquid sugar/gelatin mixture to cheese/pawpaw. Mix completely. Depending on the temperature of the pawpaw/cheese mixture, this may start setting up immediately. Pour into pie shell or containers. Garnish with graham cracker crumbs, tiny nut pieces or chocolate bits. Chill or freeze immediately. Recipe Source: Purdue Extension Pawpaw Oatmeal Bars 1 1/2 cups flour (whole wheat optional) 1 1/2 cups quick or rolled oats 1 cup brown sugar 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 3/4 cup butter 1-2 cups pawpaw puree Stir together flour, oats, sugar and soda. Cut in butter until crumbly. Pat 2/3 of the mixture into the bottom of an ungreased, 13 x 9 x 2-inch pan. Spread puree on top. Sprinkle on the remaining crumbs. Bake at 375 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes. Cool and cut. Recipe Source: Purdue Extension Pawpaw Pie 1 c. sugar 1 c. milk 1 egg 1/4 tsp. salt 1 1/2 c. pawpaw pulp (peeled and seeded) Place all ingredients into stew pan and stir together. Cook over medium heat until thickened. Pour into unbaked pie shell and bake until the crust is done. Recipe Source: Kentucky State University Pawpaw Cream Pie 3/4 c. sugar 1/3 c. flour or 1/4 c. cornstarch 3 egg yolks, slightly beaten 1 c. milk 1 c. light cream 1 c. pureed pawpaw pulp 3 egg whites 3 Tbsp. sugar pinch of salt 1 baked 9-inch pastry shell Combine sugar and flour or cornstarch. Add the beaten egg yolks, milk, and cream. Mix well and add pawpaw pulp. Cook and stir constantly over low heat until thickened. Cool. Make a meringue by beating the egg whites stiff with 3 Tbsp. sugar and a pinch of salt. Pour custard into a baked pastry shell and cover with meringue. Bake in oven (350o F) for 12 minutes or until meringue is browned. Serves 6 to 8. Recipe Source: Kentucky State University Pawpaw Custard 1 c. pawpaw pulp 2 oz. grated coconut 1 1/4 c. half and half 1 tsp. vanilla 3 eggs, beaten 1 dash salt 2 oz. sugar (superfine preferred) zest of orange (optional), serrated Mix pawpaw pulp with coconut. Layer on bottom of buttered ovenproof casserole dish. Heat half and half mixed with the vanilla until bubbles form. Beat eggs with salt and sugar and still beating, pour on the half and half very slowly so as not to curdle the eggs. Add the orange rind if using. Pour over fruit and place in a pan of hot water. Bake in oven (375o F) for 30 minutes or until custard is set. Turn out if possible when cool to show off the fruit layer. Recipe Source: Kentucky State University Pawpaw Cookies with Black Walnuts 3/4 c. pureed pawpaw pulp 1 c. all-purpose flour 1/2 tsp. baking powder 1/4 c. butter 1/2 c. brown sugar 1 egg 1/2 c. black walnuts Preheat the oven to 350o F and grease one large cookie sheet. Peel and seed fresh pawpaws and process in a food processor until fine. Sift together the flour and baking powder, and set aside. Cream the butter and sugar. Add the egg. Add the flour mixture and then add the pawpaw pulp. Chop half the nuts (reserve 16 pieces) and blend them in. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto the prepared cookie sheet and press a piece of black walnut onto the top of each cookie. Bake 12 minutes or until brown across the top. Makes about 16 cookies. Recipe Source: Kentucky State University Pawpaw Bread 1 c. melted butter 2 c. sugar 4 eggs 2 c. pawpaw pulp 1 Tbsp. lemon juice 4 c. sifted all-purpose flour 2 tsp. baking powder 3 c. pecan pieces plus 16 pecan halves Preheat oven to 375o F. Grease two 9x4x2-inch loaf pans. Beat together butter, sugar, and eggs. Add and beat in the pawpaw pulp and lemon juice. Sift the flour and baking powder together, and stir them into the batter. Stir in the pecans and scrape the batter into the loaf pans. Garnish each loaf with 8 pecan halves, and bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes. The top corners of the loaf will burn, but that adds flavor and character. Recipe Source: Kentucky State University 1 lb. very ripe pawpaws non-stick vegetable spray 1 1/2 c. all-purpose flour 1/2 c. white cornmeal 1 Tbsp. baking powder 1 egg 1/3 c. 100% pure sweet sorghum 1/4 c. oil 1 c. 2% milk 1/2 c. hickory nut or pecan pieces 1/2 c. raisins Wash and peel pawpaws, and press them through a food mill. Measure out 1 c. of pulp. Preheat oven to 400o F. Using non-stick vegetable spray, grease 18 medium (2 1/2 inch or 1/3 cup) muffin cups. If desired, sprinkle a little cornmeal into the bottom of each muffin cup. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cornmeal, and baking powder. Crack the egg into the center of the dry ingredients, and whisk the egg until it is well mixed. Add and whisk in the sorghum, oil, and milk, stirring until they are almost mixed. Using a rubber scraper, stir in the nuts and raisins. With the nuts barely mixed in, and the flour just incorporated, pour the batter into the muffin cups, filling each about 2/3 full. Bake 17 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. The muffins should be crusty on the top and brown on the bottom. Cool 3 minutes on a wire rack, then lift the muffins from the pan onto the wire rack to finish cooling. Recipe Source: Kentucky State University o