Last week, Del. Liz Guzman, D-Prince William County, introduced House Bill 415 to designate pawpaw as Virginia’s state fruit.
“This bill is about putting pawpaws back into public consciousness. That’s the first step to get them back into the pantries of Virginians,” said Del. Joshua Cole, D-Fredericksburg, who co-patroned the bill.
Pawpaws are a green-skinned, jelly-bean-shaped fruit with a yellow custardy center that’s packed with nutrients and tastes like a combination of mango, apple, banana and pina colada. Pawpaws predate humans and have been growing in Virginia for thousands, even millions, of years…