Papaya!

[PDAZ]

We had fantastic papaya at the Princeville resort last month. It was so good that I picked up a papaya at a grocery store in Kauai and brought it back on ship to ripen. I had told the clerk at the store that we had eaten it at a resort, and she said it wasn't the regular papaya -- it was a more expensive type that's more pink than orange. She was right -- the one she sold us was the same as the one we had at the resort, but I can't remember what type it was. Does anyone know?

[kapoho2]

It may have been what is known as a "strawberry" papaya...the flesh tends to be more of a pinkish-orange than other papayas.

[CruisinMK]

sunrise

 

 

I bet you got sunrise

I have a bunch of papaya trees myself :)

[Bucky3]

Please, Mike,tell us more about papayas! Are there many different kinds? I had only seeing them here and there and in every yard when traveling in the islands. Last trip we went to the Puna area, and on the way we saw what must have been thousands growing (orchards? groves?) - what do you call them? We were surprised to see them growing in great numbers. We love papaya but have only had the orangy colored ones, and it is always difficult to tell just when they are at that perfect ripeness for indulging! We always stop at a stand along the rode while touring and get a couple to eat!

 

Thanks for all the information you give us here. Mahalo and Aloha ! Bucky

[PDAZ]

Thanks Kapoho and Mike! I found strawberry papayas at AJ's here in Phoenix, and I believe that's what we had. Very yummy! From searching on the internet, it looks like strawberry and sunrise papayas are the same thing -- yes?

 

Lucky you, Mike! I'd love to have fresh papaya in my yard! We can grow them here (with coddling), but I've only seen the Mexican type do well. Do you know of any company on the islands that ships these papayas direct to customers on the mainland? I've found a few on the internet but they only list "papaya" so I don't know if it's this kind or the regular papaya.

[CruisinMK]

The Kauai papayas are almost all consumed within Hawaii, they grow sunrise, but the mainland doesn't like the red color (expects yellow). Japan likes sunrise but only the big island is setup to export there. If you blindfolded people they'd probably like the sunrise because it is sweeter, but it's not a color many people expect. There is a dwarf variant (sunset) that is smaller and lasts longer, maybe little less tasty. UH has a genetically modified variant for disease resistance, strictly controlled planting.

 

The main yellow one is kapoho solo, lasts a long time for export to the mainland. There is also a much bigger yellow one called Waimanalo, resists disease and insects better.

 

I grow papayas as a black thumb amateur gardener. I don't even prepare the seed, I just throw it around, little dirt on top and pray. I killed a lot of saplings, some kind of mold weakening the base... but about 8 small trees survived. 4 have a lot of fruit hanging right now. Means I have to carry and buy less from the store. I used to grow a lot of other things but mostly killed them all by leaving on long trips. :)

[cmjaffe]

welcome back...

How was your trip?

when's your next?

Carolyn

[CruisinMK]

Went really well visiting family/friends in Oregon/California.

Going to Australia for 5 weeks in a few days.

Hope I don't kill another papaya tree. :)

[cmjaffe]

Australia... think that will be our next "big" trip... not sure if we'll use FF miles etc.. also don't know how Mike will "fare" on the flights.. he was "grumpy" on our return from LIH... would rather do 2 day flights... oh well, he's going to a convention in Feb. and he can do that return then -- since he'd have to leave HNL around 8AM -- know the kids and I would rather have an extra day in the sunshine. Also since Mike will be flying on a revenue ticket he might be "able" to use the upgrade stickies" <lol> He's almost finished w/his Plat. challenge.

Carolyn

[CruisinMK]

Getting frequent flier tickets to Australia is pretty tough and costly (in points).

If you have platinum on AA you can use the qantas lounges when flying them in australia, very nice perk.

Hawaiian airlines flies to Australia believe it or not, my airfare was only $500, a little over $600 after all the taxes added in.

[JNCRUISEBUMS]

WE HAVE BEEN BUYING THEM AT COSTCO HERE IN AUSTIN TEXAS FOR $2.99 A PIECE, THEY ARE HUGE AND ABSOLUTELY THE BEST WE HAVE EVER EATEN!

NANCIE AND JIM