Cookbook:Guava
| Guava | |
|---|---|
.jpg) | |
| Category | Fruits |
Cookbook | Recipes | Ingredients | Equipment | Techniques | Cookbook Disambiguation Pages | Ingredients | Fruit
The guava, also known as the bangkok apple or guayaba, is a variety of tropical fruit originating in the Americas.[1][2]
Characteristics
[edit | edit source]The fruit is round to oval in shape and varies in size from a small egg to a medium apple.[1][3][4] The thin, edible skin may be yellow, red, purple or nearly black,[1][2][5] and the flesh ranges from green to white, pale yellow, orange, and red.[1][3][5] Depending on the variety, there may or may not be very small seeds,[1][3] typically concentrated in the inner zone.[6] Guava is sweet and aromatic with a tart aftertaste.[3][5][6] The flavor has been likened in various cases to banana, strawberry, and pineapple.[1] Its texture is firm, similar to that of an apple or pear, with a slight graininess.[4][7] The fruits are quite high in vitamin C and pectin.[2][7]
Selection and storage
[edit | edit source]Guava is native to South America but is now commonly grown in California, Florida, Hawaii and most parts of Africa and tropical Asia. Since they do not travel well, fresh guavas are often only available in the region near where they are grown.[1] Canned or otherwise processed guava products may be available throughout the year.[5]
Select fruit that gives to gentle pressure and is unblemished.[4][8] The aroma should be floral.[3][8]
Green, unripe guavas should be stored at room temperature until they become ripe.[4][8] Store ripe guavas in the refrigerator for up to a week[8]—ripe guavas stored at room temperature will spoil quickly.
Preparation
[edit | edit source]The entire guava is edible. However, if you want only the flesh, cut the entire fruit in half and scoop out the center.[3] Then, cut up or process as desired.[3]
Use
[edit | edit source]Guava may be eaten raw or cooked/processed; to be eaten raw, guava needs to be very ripe, but underripe guava may be cooked and sweetened.[6] They are commonly cooked into preserves, pastes, and sauces,[1][2][4][7] which can themselves be eaten as is or served as toppings or alongside cheese.[2][5] Guava juice is a popular beverage.[2]
Recipes
[edit | edit source]References
[edit | edit source]- ↑ a b c d e f g h Friberg, Bo (2016-09-13). The Professional Pastry Chef: Fundamentals of Baking and Pastry. Wiley. ISBN 978-0-470-46629-2.
- ↑ a b c d e f Rinsky, Glenn; Rinsky, Laura Halpin (2008-02-28). The Pastry Chef's Companion: A Comprehensive Resource Guide for the Baking and Pastry Professional. John Wiley & Sons. ISBN 978-0-470-00955-0.
- ↑ a b c d e f g Gisslen, Wayne (2015-03-12). Essentials of Professional Cooking, 2nd Edition. Wiley Global Education. ISBN 978-1-119-03072-0.
- ↑ a b c d e Labensky, Sarah; Martel, Priscilla; Damme, Eddy Van (2015-01-06). On Baking: A Textbook of Baking and Pastry Fundamentals, Updated Edition. Pearson Education. ISBN 978-0-13-388675-7.
- ↑ a b c d e The Culinary Institute of America (CIA) (2011-09-13). The Professional Chef. John Wiley & Sons. ISBN 978-0-470-42135-2.
- ↑ a b c Davidson, Alan (2014-01-01). Jaine, Tom (ed.). The Oxford Companion to Food. Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/acref/9780199677337.001.0001. ISBN 978-0-19-967733-7.
- ↑ a b c McGee, Harold (2007-03-20). On Food and Cooking: The Science and Lore of the Kitchen. Simon and Schuster. ISBN 978-1-4165-5637-4.
- ↑ a b c d Kipfer, Barbara Ann (2012-04-11). The Culinarian: A Kitchen Desk Reference. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. ISBN 978-0-544-18603-3.