Pawpaw

The pawpaw is the fruit of Asimina triloba, a small deciduous tree native to eastern North America, ranging from New York and Ontario south to Florida and west to Nebraska and Texas, and is the largest edible fruit native to the continent apart from squash. The ripe fruit has soft, custard-like yellow flesh studded with large dark seeds, and a flavor often compared to a blend of banana, mango, and cantaloupe. It is usually eaten fresh, chilled or at room temperature, and its pulp is also folded into ice cream, baked goods, and pancakes as a banana substitute, though its very short shelf life of only a few days at room temperature has long kept it out of ordinary grocery stores despite historical popularity among Native American communities and early American figures such as Thomas Jefferson.