After a short drive along the highway, Lake Snowden appears out of seemingly nowhere. From a distance, all that can be seen are peaks of tents and ant-sized people. An array of activities and art fill the entrance of the tents, all for the 18th annual celebration of the Pawpaw.
The 18th Pawpaw Festival brought lots of excitement and interesting foods to Albany, Ohio this past weekend. Being from Pittsburgh, I have never heard of a Pawpaw, let alone tasted one. But since Pawpaws are native to Ohio I figured I’d go see what they were all about.
As soon as I walked in. I was on a mission to get a taste of the bizarre Pawpaw. I have heard stories about its unpleasant texture and banana-mango-like flavor, but the outside looks like a harmless pear, so I dove right in.
Not as terrible as everyone has described it to me, but not the most pleasant experience either. Alone, the Pawpaw is a weird, almost indescribable fruit. But when mixed with other ingredients it is the perfect complimentary flavor.
Pawpaw banana bread. Pawpaw pico de gallo. Pawpaw-infused syrup. Pawpaw beer. The festival had it all. The lesson here: Pawpaw is a fruit that should be cherished, but in order to do so, it is better to hide it in tasty treats.
It was truly a unique eating experience and I would recommend everyone try a Pawpaw at least once in their lives. It’s something that is hard to describe and you never truly know what qualities it has until you taste it for yourself. Even now, I’m still confused as to what I put in my mouth.
rg599913@ohio.edu
