Babaco
Inventory, lb : 0
This item was last sold on : 09/28/07
Seasons/Availability
Babaco's peak season is during winter months.
Description/Taste
Babaco is similar to a large papaya and ranges from green to bright yellow when ripe. Star-shaped, the fruit may reach a length of one foot. Normally seedless and having a soft skin, the entire fruit may be eaten. Pale apricot in color, the tender juicy pulp is mild and has a delicate fragrance. Faintly acidic, the babaco offers an unusual flavor that deliciously blends lemon, banana and pineapple.
Nutritional Value
Rich in vitamin C, two slices of babaco provide the daily requirement. Eating five daily servings of fruits and vegetables lowers the chances of cancer. A recent study found that eating nine or ten daily servings of fruits and vegetables, combined with three servings of low-fat dairy products, were effective in lowering blood pressure.
Applications
Sliced or cubed, this delightful fruit is excellent added to fruit salads and may be eaten raw. Delicious stewed as a compote, babaco is a perfect choice for making excellent preserves. Use as a flavoring for ice creams. Add a sprinkle of sugar or a touch of honey to enhance the flavor. Because of its perky, cleansing flavor, babacos make an ideal refreshing dessert after a rich meal.
Ethnic/Cultural Info
In Ecuador, babaco is liquidized to make a superb and popular breakfast drink.
Geography/History
Until recently, babaco was found only in Ecuador but is now cultivated in New Zealand, Europe, and as far north as the Channel Islands. In fact, a special babaco cookbook has been produced in the Channel Islands in honor of this wonderful fruit. Babaco is also available in North America. Not known in the wild, botanists suggest that the babaco plant may be a hybrid cross of the mountain papaya and another fruit of Ecuador.
