All About: Papaya
Brighten bleak winter days with a taste of the tropics! Papayas are now fairly easy to buy all year round, thanks to their year-round growing season and easy shipping. These sweet and refreshing fruits pack a wonderful flavor and a great helping of vitamin C.
Papayas most likely originated in the Americas, though precisely where is not known. They are now grown in tropical regions worldwide, though most domestic production comes from Hawaii. Choose papayas that are about half yellow, with smooth, unblemished skins. (Unripe papayas are green; they ripen into a yellow/yellow-orange/rose hue. Totally green papayas were picked too soon and probably will not fully ripen.) A fully ripe papaya will be yellow to yellow-orange; it will yield to a gentle touch, but will not be mushy or have any smell. Cut papayas are sweet and fragrant.
Partially ripened papayas will be completely ripe in two to four days; you can hasten the process by placing them in a paper bag with a banana. Refrigerate fully ripe fruit in plastic bags and use within a couple of days. Wash, cut in half, and scoop out the seeds (the seeds are edible-with their spicy, pepper-like flavor, they're great for garnish or ground up and used as seasoning). Cut the flesh into cubes or slices and enjoy! Or bake the ripened halves with a sprinkling of sugar at 325° F for an easy and delicious dessert.
Papayas are loaded with vitamin C, providing over 100 percent of the recommended daily requirement.