From Kentucky State University: "The Pawpaw is the largest edible fruit that is native to the United States. Pawpaws are indigenous to 26 states in the U.S., in a range extending from northern Florida to southern Ontario and as far west as eastern Nebraska. They have provided delicious and nutritious food for Native Americans, European explorers and settlers, and wild animals. They are still being enjoyed in modern America, chiefly in rural areas."

"The unique flavor of the fruit resembles a blend of various tropical flavors, including banana, pineapple, and mango. The flavor and custard-like texture make Pawpaws a good substitute for bananas in almost any recipe. The common names, ‘poor man’s banana,’ ‘American custard apple,’ and ‘Kentucky banana’ reflect these qualities."

The easiest way to eat a Pawpaw is to cut the ripe fruit in half across the middle, squeeze the flesh from the skin into your mouth, then spit out the seeds.  Do not eat the skin or seeds.

Our favorite way is to cut the fruit in half, grab a spoon and scoop out the custard like pulp.

From webmd.com

Nutrition

The pawpaw is a nutritious fruit. Overall, it packs almost the same amount of calories and dietary fiber as a banana. It has more protein and fat than an apple or an orange, but it’s considered to be a low-fat fruit. In terms of protein, it contains all the essential amino acids.

The pawpaw is a good source of:

• Vitamin C

• Vitamin A

• Riboflavin

• Niacin

• Potassium

• Calcium

• Iron

• Zinc

• Magnesium

• Phosphorous

• Copper

• Manganese

Nutrition Per Serving

One small pawpaw fruit contains:

Calories: 80

Protein: 1.2 grams

Fat: 1.2 grams

Carbohydrates: 18.6 grams

Fiber: 2.6 grams 

Health Benefits of Pawpaw Fruit

Possible uses and benefits include:

Cancer-fighting properties. The pawpaw contains a type of phytochemical called an acetogenin in its twigs, bark, and leaves. This chemical is known to lower the production of adenosine triphosphate (ATP) in cells. ATP is a cell's source of energy. But it can also promote the growth of tumors once they've formed. Some experts believe this could have some effect against cancer cells.

But there isn’t enough research to support pawpaw’s safety and effectiveness against cancer. Studies done in mice have had mixed results, and it hasn’t been tested in humans.

Remove head lice. Acetogenins from the pawpaw fruit have also been found to kill head lice. In one small study, experts found that 16 out of 21 people who used an herbal shampoo with pawpaw extracts were able to fully get rid of head lice and nits.

While I think pawpaws are best eaten fresh you can use pawpaws in recipes like you would bananas.

Pawpaw Ice Cream:

• 1 1/2 cups mashed paw paws, about 4 or 5 paw paws

• 2 cups cream

• 2 cups milk

• A scant 1 cup sugar

• 1/2 a vanilla bean, or 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, scraped

• 5 egg yolks

INSTRUCTIONS 

• Start by making the custard for the ice cream. Heat the cream and milk and sugar in a pot over medium heat to the steaming point, about 165°F. If you are using a real vanilla bean, add it to the mixture now. If you are using extract, wait a bit.

• Beat the egg yolks in a bowl. Stirring the eggs all the time, add one ladle of the hot cream mixture into the eggs. Do this a second time -- this is tempering the eggs so they don't curdle in the hot cream. Pour the egg mixture into the pot.

• Stir the custard often and heat it back to the steaming point. When it thickens -- it should coat the back of a spoon -- turn off the heat and pour the custard into a bowl. I like to set the bowl into a larger bowl filled with ice to cool the mix down quickly. Stir in the vanilla extract if that's what you are using.

• When the custard is cool, whisk in the mashed paw paws until they are well combined. You can put the mixture into your ice cream maker now, or you can push it through a fine-meshed strainer to remove any stray bits; you'll need to fish out the vanilla bean if you used that anyway. Run through your ice cream machine and eat!