Playing with papaya

Excerpts from an article in the 1/5/11 Ft Myers News-Press by Drew Sterwald

Papayas are not all alike

Papaya varieties can vary considerably in size, sweetness and scent. Some grow to pear shape, while others take more after oblong melons, which they resemble somewhat in texture and flavor. The berry’s seeds taste peppery and often are used as garnish.

The fruit’s sometimes funky aroma may turn up a few noses.

“Not all papayas are alike,” said Mary Ostlund, marketing director for Brooks Tropicals, a Homestead-based fruit grower and shipper.

“If you’ve tried a papaya and found it to have a musky taste and smell, don’t give up on the fruit.”

"Brooks specializes in Caribbean Red Papaya, a large fruit that’s sweeter than most other backyard varieties," she said. "It pairs especially well with berries."

“The papaya easily blends with other fruits such as melons, apples, even citrus,” Ostlund said. “Papaya takes these fruits to another level."