If you haven’t tried a pawpaw yet, now is the chance! This lesser known fruit has a taste most similar to tropicals like mangoes and bananas, but is native to the Eastern United States! The easiest way to enjoy pawpaws is by cutting in half, removing the seeds, then scooping out the flesh to eat by itself. You can find pawpaws from Creasman Farms (Asheville City, Black Mountain, North Asheville, and West Asheville markets) and Wild Goods (Asheville City and East Asheville markets), but they won’t be around for long so act fast!

The fruit can make for an easy replacement for bananas or mangoes in any recipe, and tastes delicious when baked into a bread or blended into a smoothie. This sweet pawpaw jam recipe is a great way to enjoy its unique flavor, and will let you enjoy the often ephemeral fruit (they’ll only last for a few days in the fridge!) for a bit longer. Start by removing the seeds and scooping out the flesh of seven or eight pawpaws, then mashing the pulp with a fork or a blender until smooth. Transfer the pulp into a large mixing bowl, then mix in one cup of sugar, a quarter cup of lemon juice, a tablespoon of lemon zest, and a teaspoon of vanilla extract. Transfer the pawpaw mixture to a large saucepan over medium heat, and bring to a gentle boil. Reduce the heat to low and let simmer until it thickens and achieves a jam-like consistency. Remove from heat, let cool, then enjoy!

Muscadines made their way to markets last week as well! Muscadine grapes are another fruit native to the Southeast, and have long been cherished by North Carolinians for their sweet, tart flavor and soft texture. Although they are a grape, the muscadines you find at farmers markets this week are a little different than the kind you’re used to seeing in an average grocery store. Muscadines are noticeably bigger in size, with a thick skin and large seeds inside. While muscadines and scuppernongs (the white grape variety) are often used to make wine, they can easily be enjoyed when eaten by themselves, added to a charcuterie board, baked into a pie or cake, made into a jelly, or even roasted with a bit of balsamic vinegar and fresh thyme! For now you can find muscadine grapes from Lee’s One Fortune Farm (Asheville City, Black Mountain, East Asheville, North Asheville, River Arts District, and West Asheville markets), but expect more farms to have them in coming weeks!

At farmers markets now you’ll also find corn, apples, Asian pears, eggplant, potatoes, cucumbers, carrots, beets, radishes, mushrooms, and greens like lettuce, kale, and bok choy. Markets are also stocked with a variety of plants, meats, cheese, rice, pasta, bread, pastries, drinks, and prepared foods. Find more details about farms and markets throughout the region in ASAP’s online Local Food Guide.