I think Papayas are kind of intimidating. Which is relatively ridiculous since it's super easy to work with, but for some reason I have always been kind of scared to buy one. Well, here we go. This one I picked up from a street fruit truck near my apartment, I love how easy it is to get fresh fruit when the sun comes out in NYC.
So, a papaya is ripe when it feels soft like an avocado and is a yellow-ish color. I cut it in half and scooped out the seeds. Then, peeled the skin off with the knife. The skin comes off quite easily. Then I cut it into chunks... delicious and easy. The flavor is kind of sweet/musky. It's a little like a cross between pineapple, peach, and cantaloupe with a slight foot taste. The foot taste kind of goes away as you're eating it, so don't give up after the first bite.
Papayas are really good for you. They have more Vitamin C than oranges, are very good for your eye sight, are a good source of lycopene which is considered to prevent some cancers, are beneficial for people with heart disease, asthma and arthritis, and have quite a bit of fiber. They are especially good for aiding in digestion and cleansing the digestive tract. They are also very good for those who are dieting as they provide a tremendous amount for very few calories and boost your metabolism. One word of caution however, they are also a folk remedy for contraception and abortion... so, if you're knocked up and want to keep it, it's probably best to stay away from papayas. I can't make any guarantees but consider this your "heads up"... big kiss, xxtbone
