Guavas

Sweet-smelling and fragrant, and enjoyed with sweet maple syrup or warming spices, guavas are a fitting end to winter's bounty.

DID YOU KNOW

• Although guavas originated in Central America, it was the Portuguese who distributed them around the world, including to South Africa.
   
• The first commercial guava orchard in South Africa was planted in Paarl in 1890.
   
• Guava skin contains 10 times more antioxidants than the pulp.
   
• Guavas boast five times more vitamin C than oranges.

CHOOSE sweet-smelling guavas. If the skin is a green-yellow colour, the guava is unripe but can be ripened at home.
 
If the guava yields to a gentle squeeze, it is ripe and ready to eat. A small amount of discoloration on the skin does not mean the fruit is bad, but avoid guavas that are badly damaged or very soft.

STORE ripe guavas carefully as they bruise easily and are highly perishable. Guavas may need to be ripened at home and will do so well if placed on straw. They can be kept at room temperature until they are ripe.

USE ripe guavas within two days when they’re at their most flavoursome.