Pawpaws for Athens: Glimpses of Home

Appalachian gold: Rediscovering riches of the ‘poor man’s banana’

Jenaye Antonuccio (photo by Michael DiBari, Jr.)
September 11, 2008

A boy stands beneath the tropical-leaved tree, peering at the mottled-skinned fruit pods. Alien-like, they hang from multiple limbs, singularly or in clusters. With his stick, he takes a swipe at the nearest group — down they fall. Quickly realizing that his new shoes (with added traction and support) are perfect for the job of smashing, he stomps on the fruit with much gusto. Gargantuan seeds and golden pulp squelch onto the forest floor. Disgusted, he walks away. Flies soon swarm in to feast upon the meal that has been so graciously provided.

There is gold waiting to be mined from our backyards.

Modern eyes aren’t trained to detect it, yet no treasure map with an “X” marking the spot is needed. The gift of the pawpaw has always been right before us.

For longer than history notes, the pawpaw has steadily persevered as an under-story tree in Eastern North American woodlands, thriving and basking in the shade. Walk through any nearby woods and witness eye-level views of the pawpaw’s broad, tropical leaves. Spring’s warmth conjures up small maroon, triangular blooms predating bees’ evolution that receive pollination from carrion flies and beetles. By summer’s end, the fruit’s yellow-orange skin peels open to reveal amber, custard-like pulp with oversized brown seeds, perfect for spitting contests.

Yet, at best, the most attention we give the pawpaw is to avoid stepping in its fall fodder.

Southeast Ohio’s soil and climate are most excellent for the fruit tree that dominated native culture plantations and was voted landscape tree of the year in 2000 by Better Homes and Gardens. The pawpaw, subject of repeated legislative attempts to be named the official fruit of Ohio, is superior in nutritional benefits, is potentially one of the highest food sources for antioxidants, and could provide untapped economical boosts for a poverty-ridden region.

Should we not proudly boast of our very own rich natural resource? Most people have not heard of this eccentric fruit, and if they have, its mention either prompts a face of disgust, annoyance or confusion.

At what point was the pawpaw wiped clean from our fruit bowls and memories? Was it when the forests were ruined for want of houses? Was it greed for something more palatable?

“Our agriculture changed in the ’40s with lots of trucked-in foods from California,” says Chris Chmiel, co-owner of Integration Acres, a pawpaw orchard and goat farm, and president of the Ohio PawPaw Growers Association. He is working hard to expand the pawpaw’s status from just a forgotten component of old folk songs.

Compared to the popular marketing prowess of such exotic fruits as gem-like, succulent pomegranate or the energy-packed, Amazonian acai berry, the ugly pawpaw lacks luster. But for a nation emphasizing deliberate health-mindedness and local organic shopping, the slow takeoff of pawpaws doesn’t make sense.

“Pawpaws are rampantly growing but that doesn’t mean the fruit is widely available or preserved for later use,” says Chmiel.

Perhaps the confusion about the pawpaw is best stated in the song, “Bear Necessities” from the movie “The Jungle Book.”

Now when you pick a pawpaw
Or a prickly pear
And you prick a raw paw
Next time beware
Don’t pick the prickly pear by the paw
When you pick a pear
Try to use the claw
But you don’t need to use the claw
When you pick a pair of the big pawpaw
Have I given you a clue?
The bare necessities of life will come to you…

Local resident Annie Pepper owns an in-town property that held one of two of the largest pawpaw trees in the official National Register of Big Trees in Ohio. Practical yard care stands in the way of her appreciation, however. “The fruit bangs on our car tops, driveway and grass,” she says. “It is similar to a smashed banana.” Recently, they had to cut one tree down from the four-tree cluster due to rot. “The leaves are brutal on the gutters because they are so big. They are not fun to rake, either,” notes Pepper.

One could almost call the pawpaw persistent in its glories, if not just plain stubborn.

Research conducted at Kentucky State University yielded surprising results in pawpaw nutritional information: the amount of vitamins, nutrients and protein in one pawpaw outweighs that of many others. The pawpaw supplies more food energy and protein, provides all the essential amino acids, and contains more or equal amounts of vitamin C, phosphorous, magnesium, iron, zinc, copper, riboflavin and manganese than the apple, banana and orange.

Melanie Duffrin, assistant professor of nutrition and dietetics at East Carolina University and former Ohio University assistant professor of human and consumer sciences, took 15 pawpaw trees with her when she relocated. She has long been convinced of the fruit’s benefits, having conducted thorough research, namely on the pawpaw’s ability to be used as a fat substitute in many recipes for baked goods – excellent news for a diabetes-ridden region. Half of the trees she brought have survived, especially one on her own property.

Chmiel has planted pawpaw orchards on a continual basis for the last 10 years, and the initial trees are starting to bear fruit. He also gathers and purchases pawpaws from the woodlands of his neighboring farmers. His products have been shipped as far away as Japan and Italy, and have been used on movie sets, sold to zoos, and purchased by old-timers reliving memories of their favorite childhood snack.

Initial research findings conducted at Ohio University on antioxidant content in pawpaw seeds yielded promising results. Antioxidants protect cells from damage by unstable molecules. Dane Salabak, researcher and graduate student in food and nutrition at OU, tested the seed’s antioxidant properties while a colleague tested the pulp. “The compulsion for further study is that the results were promising,” he says. “We received good numbers in a lab.”

Harvesting and eating the pawpaw seems like a no-brainer, correct?

A few problems stand in the way, including taste preferences.

“I tried them but do not care for them,” says Pepper.

“The taste is not bad; it’s the texture that gets me,” says Salabak.

“I absolutely love the flavor,” says Chmiel.

“I prefer some varieties over others,” says Duffrin.

The there’s the short shelf life:

“The reason the pawpaw has never been commercialized is the rapid ripening process,” says Salabak. The ripe pawpaw lasts about three days once picked, and for about a week in the refrigerator.

“Short shelf life has hurt the pawpaws accessibility,” concedes Chmiel. His solution? “I make frozen and shelf-stable pawpaw products available for year-round consumption.”

Because of pulp availability, Duffrin’s fat-replacing baking experiments were successful. “We probably made a dozen different batches before we decided on something we thought would work,” she says. “Using pawpaw as a substitute for fat in (storebought) cake mixes is quick, easy, and adds a nice flavor to the cake mix. You can also mix the fruit into a white icing. There are many things you can make with pawpaw. A bourbon sauce my friend made with pawpaw that we put on bread pudding was awesome.”

With ever-increasing popularity, long-standing and new recipes are pushing their way as culinary creations in more kitchens across the country. The Ohio Pawpaw Growers Association now has a 200-recipe cookbook available.

This Saturday and Sunday marks the 10th annual Pawpaw Festival, organized by Chmiel at Lake Snowden Park several miles southwest of Athens on U.S. Rt. 50/Ohio Rt. 32. Events include a cook-off, an eating contest, beer garden, assorted vendors, kids activities, and a new component called the Ohio Country Fair, with exhibits and workshops on self-sustainable living. (For more information, visit http://www.ohiopawpawfest.com/). A full lineup of bands is on tap both days, including the ever-popular Royales on Saturday night.

Mostly, however, the wonders of the pawpaw will be the highlight. “Some people have had bad experiences eating pawpaws, but mostly due to lack of knowledge of pawpaw perfection — eating pawpaws too ripe or under ripe,” Chmiel says. “Powerful chemicals are in every cell of the pawpaw; in the under-ripe fruit they protect them from being eaten until their seed is ripe.”

Yet Chmiel is adamant about its wonders. “When I first tasted a fresh pawpaw picked up off the ground, I remember thinking about the viscosity and texture of the pawpaw reminding me of something sweet and sexy.”

THE FUTURE LOOKS PROMISING for the pawpaw.

Salabek says of his research, “There is until only recently one or two papers that have been published with work similar to ours and a couple of papers in submission for publication.”

Chmiel adds, “I’ve got lots of ideas which include getting more and more people out to the farm, a new farm store opening up this fall, and a place for gatherings and other eco/agricultural tourism opportunities.”

Duffrin states it plainly: “I would love to see the fruit have a longer shelf life so people could get it in stores. This would give the farmers more income potential. I would also like to see it become the state fruit of Ohio.”

“Ideally we will get published and find a market for PPSE/PPPE (pawpaw seed/pulp extract),” says Salabak. “Knowing the benefits of the pawpaw could cause increased popularity. Additionally, if these things were determined, it could be a benefit to Appalachia. It could bring a financial benefit to the region.”

Time (and taste) will tell.