Guava

The guava has the sweet flavor of a strawberry or banana or pineapple or all three. You can eat the guava out of hand or sliced or cubed and served in a tropical salad or puréed and strained to flavor poultry or pork sauces or as flavoring for mousses, ice cream bases, whipped cream or custards.  The guava is a large plum sized tropical fruit with yellow, red or purple-black skin. A guava can be round or pear-shaped and look a bit like a quince. The guava stands 2 to 3 inches tall. Its sweet, aromatic flesh can be yellow or bright pink or red and is moist and sometimes embedded with small, hard edible seeds. The rind softens to become fully edible but can be peeled away when the fruit is firmer.

Nutrition:  Low in fat, saturated fat free, cholesterol free, sodium free, good source of potassium, folate, fiber, Vitamin A, excellent source of vitamin C.

How to Select:  Select guavas that give to gentle pressure and are unblemished.

How to Store:  Ripen guavas at room temperature until they give to gentle pressure. Refrigerate ripe guavas immediately, and use within 4 days.

Serve:  Slices on pancakes or waffles in the morning. In the evening, pair guava slices with a mild white cheese for dessert. You can even put guava slices in a baggy and send them to school or work in place of a candy bar.

Did you know?  There are many varieties of guavas with skins of yellow, red or purple, and flesh that is yellow, pink or red. Eat everything including the seeds. They make delicious drinks and jelly.