Here’s some fruit trivia for the day: what’s the difference between a Hawaiian papaya and a maradol papaya? The latter is from Mexico and is visually very different than the vaguely-pear-shaped Hawaiian variety — maradols are almost a foot long and have much darker flesh. Both, however, have a wonderfully smooth tropical flavor; both blend well with other tropical fruits like coconut, banana, and pineapple; and both have peppery black seeds that can be used as edible garnish or dried and used the way you’d use black peppercorns. (And both are sometimes used as vegetables when they’re still green and un-sweet.)
Although the maradol has a slightly milder flavor than its more-bulbous Hawaiian cousin, its vivid color makes it an appealing choice for smoothies and cocktails. Because it’s so much bigger, too, you can eat it like a watermelon: cut it in half long-ways, scoop out the seeds, and slice it into wedges with the skin still attached. The other great thing about maradols is that they can be quite a bargain — the last time I bought one, it cost $1 less than a Hawaiian papaya and weighed about four times as much. Holy tropical treat, Batman!
An Easy Papaya Smoothie (with either Hawaiian or maradol papayas)
Trim skin away from papaya flesh, cut into rough chunks, and place in a blender with a squirt of lemon juice and a handful of ice cubes. If you’re using the smaller Hawaiian papaya, prepare an entire fruit; if you’re using a maradol papaya, cut into quarters and trim flesh from only one quarter, wrapping the remainder in plastic wrap and storing it in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Blend fruit until you have a smooth, icy drink, then serve immediately. A wedge of lemon and/or sprig of fresh mint would be a nice garnish.
Mexican Papaya Smoothie
Here’s some fruit trivia for the day: what’s the difference between a Hawaiian papaya and a maradol papaya? The latter is from Mexico and is visually very different than the vaguely-pear-shaped Hawaiian variety — maradols are almost a foot long and have much darker flesh. Both, however, have a wonderfully smooth tropical flavor; both blend well with other tropical fruits like coconut, banana, and pineapple; and both have peppery black seeds that can be used as edible garnish or dried and used the way you’d use black peppercorns. (And both are sometimes used as vegetables when they’re still green and un-sweet.)
Although the maradol has a slightly milder flavor than its more-bulbous Hawaiian cousin, its vivid color makes it an appealing choice for smoothies and cocktails. Because it’s so much bigger, too, you can eat it like a watermelon: cut it in half long-ways, scoop out the seeds, and slice it into wedges with the skin still attached. The other great thing about maradols is that they can be quite a bargain — the last time I bought one, it cost $1 less than a Hawaiian papaya and weighed about four times as much. Holy tropical treat, Batman!
An Easy Papaya Smoothie (with either Hawaiian or maradol papayas)
Trim skin away from papaya flesh, cut into rough chunks, and place in a blender with a squirt of lemon juice and a handful of ice cubes. If you’re using the smaller Hawaiian papaya, prepare an entire fruit; if you’re using a maradol papaya, cut into quarters and trim flesh from only one quarter, wrapping the remainder in plastic wrap and storing it in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Blend fruit until you have a smooth, icy drink, then serve immediately. A wedge of lemon and/or sprig of fresh mint would be a nice garnish.
Enjoy!