Enjoy our state’s largest native fruit at the WVU Core Arboretum this weekend
Shelf life is everything when it comes to fruit. That’s why we can eat the flesh of a kiwi or mango almost any time we want, but many of us have rarely or never tasted the exquisite native fruit that grows right here in town.
You can get your fix—or, if you’re a pawpaw virgin, your first taste—at the third annual West Virginia Pawpaw Festival from noon to 5 p.m. on Saturday, September 25, at the WVU Core Arboretum.
Pawpaws have a smooth, creamy texture and a tropical flavor that can evoke banana, mango, and pineapple. They don’t last long after they ripen, but enough of them grow wild at the arboretum to supply several tasting parties and the festival each year.
At the festival, you can sample and purchase varieties from pawpaw breeder Peterson Pawpaws in West Virginia’s Eastern panhandle. Try pawpaw dishes prepared by local chefs, including longtime pawpaw proponent Marion Ohlinger of Hill and Hollow. If you’re inspired to learn more, attend a talk by a pawpaw expert—or just visit the WVU Insect Zoo, play lawn games, grab a meal from a food truck, and enjoy live music in celebration of our short-lived pawpaw season.
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