Pawpaw Cookies

How many of you say that catchy little tune about picking up pawpaws and putting them in your pocket as a child?  I did.  Always wondered what a pawpaw was.  Last year on the Great Outdoors Day, Michael and I tasted some pawpaw bread at the Cincinnati Nature Center.  Then we found out how to recognize a stand of pawpaw trees.  I've been checking the trees every time we go to the Nature Center.  Nothing.  So I emailed Rue, my friend that lives down the road from Cedarmore Farm (our CSA provider) and asked him if he had any on his property, or if he knew of Andy and Lizzie had any that I could come out and pick.  Next thing I know there is a little container of them in our CSA box.

(before watching the video go to the bottom of the page and mute the music so you get the full effect)

Catchy little tune, right?  I known, now that little ditty will be stuck in you head all day long.  Sorry.

They smell so sweet.  They aren't real petty to look at. They look a little like a cross between a cucumber, yellow squash and maybe a pickle. When they cam on Tuesday they were the prettiest green color.  Now they are a little more ripe and really not so pretty. The skin is so soft...good for peeling.  I wish you could smell them.  I think I might try to keep them in the fruit basket year round...natural room freshener.

These are the seeds that came out of my 6-8 paw paws.  they are thicker than pumpkin seeds.  And the pulp is a little more slick that pumpkin pulp. Sorta like an avocado but more wet. I guess they are just going to have to dry out before I can store them.  Who knows I might just put in a paw paw patch.

This is the seed that I saved from our Nature Center trip last year.

You really could just mash the pulp with a fork and be just fine.

Four out of five taste testers give the cookies a two thumbs up.  I hope they were truthful.  I like them.  As a matter of fact I am having just a few for breakfast as we speak.  Cookies and coffee...can't beat that kind of breakfast.

I found a great website...so go there and learn more about pawpaws.

Pawpaw Cookies

1 1/2 cup pf pawpaw pulp

3/4 cup pf shortening

1 1/3 cup of sugar

1 egg

3 cups of sifted flour

1 Tablespoon of baking soda

1 teaspoon of salt

1/4 teaspoon of ginger

1/2 teaspoon of allspice

1 teaspoon of nutmeg

1 teaspoon of cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350.ream shortening and sugar.  Add well beaten egg and pulp to creamed ingredients.  Stir in dry ingredients that have been sifted together.  Mix well.  Form small balls, smashing them with the bottom of a well greased drinking glass.  Bake for 15 minutes.  Store in an airtight container to keep the moist.

Hey family...guess where I am taking you next year!  Mark your calendars now!  Looks like tons of fun...check out this years festival here