Did you know that there is a large, native and edible fruit to the U.S. that some of you have never heard of? I didn't learn about it until I moved to Michigan, and I've still never seen one or tried one, though I'd love to if I had the chance. (Some were just planted in the edible community garden nearby, so I will have to keep my eyes open when it's in season). It's called a pawpaw, and is native to Eastern forests. It's the largest edible native fruit native to the U.S.
http://www.enquirer.com/editions/2004/04/05/loc_loc1ohio.html
http://heartland-gardening.com/2013/04/13/designing-edible-landscapes-and-gardens-part-3/
Apparently it tastes like a mix of a mango, banana and melon, and is high in antioxidants. One reason why more people haven't heard of it is because it has a very short shelf life, and has only recently been under cultivation to make it bigger and fleshier. Listen to this podcast (and/or read this short article) about the fruit here:
http://www.npr.org/blogs/thesalt/2011/09/29/140894570/the-pawpaw-foraging-for-americas-forgotten-fruit
Apparently it tastes like a mix of a mango, banana and melon, and is high in antioxidants. One reason why more people haven't heard of it is because it has a very short shelf life, and has only recently been under cultivation to make it bigger and fleshier. Listen to this podcast (and/or read this short article) about the fruit here:
http://www.npr.org/blogs/thesalt/2011/09/29/140894570/the-pawpaw-foraging-for-americas-forgotten-fruit