The amazing paw paw

So, has anyone out there ever had a paw paw? My friends Tom and Ethel introduced me to them last year, and I must say, well, I didn't really know what to say. This is a picture of a paw paw fruit, which grows on trees, and yes, it does grow quite well here in the Hudson Valley. I would go as far as to say that you should all rush out and get your paw paw trees in the ground. The fruit is similar to a strange combination of a papaya, a banana, and an avocado. It tastes quite tropical, and besides the obvious paw paw creme brulee, the only other thing I have used it for is to wow people. (Creme brulee is my long time specialty, although I try to save it for only very special occasions now.) This was not the best year for the fruit, with the bees struggling to pollinate anything with the strange weather...Go bees! I will try to have some paw paws in the store, if only for sampling, and also, will be transplanting some babies for the future, so that I can share this custardy fruit with all. That all aside, I came up with some great menu ideas today, like chicken and star shaped polenta with creamy sauteed poblano pepper strips and blue potatoes, and a fresh ham is marinating in garlic, apple cider and roasted tomatillo salsa as we "speak". As the season dwindles down with the abundance of veggies that we just started to get used to, I urge you all to embrace the upcoming foods. Fall is exciting, as we start to get creative with radishes, turnips, beets, rutebegas, beans, carrots, grains, potatoes, greenhouse greens, and many little surprises that we have managed to find time to store away. It will be a very pesto winter! See you at the store soon, and keep on mushroom hunting...it is near the end!

Oh, and for Lisa, let me know if I have figured out the title thing. Thanks!