The Right Way To Eat Guava Is Also The Easiest

When I was a kid, my siblings and I spent almost every school break at our grandparents' house in the Colombian countryside. If we weren't trying to drown each other in the pool, we'd be running around the property, climbing trees, dipping our toes in the cold creek, and biting into whatever food we found, whether that was raw coffee beans (not a great idea) or guavas that had fallen to the ground (absolutely a great idea). We'd pick up the round tropical fruit, smell its fragrant green skin, and then bite into it, feeling its grainy exterior give way to soft, juicy flesh that almost melted in our mouths. I still think this is the best way to eat a deliciously sweet guava.

When my family moved to Miami, we were thankful to have access to fresh fruit like guava. We might not have been running around the mountains anymore, but a simple bite of guava could take us back to those moments. Now that I'm older and less feral, I usually wash guavas before eating them, but I've never once sliced one open. Guava skin is edible, and can be much softer than that of apples, so knives are absolutely unnecessary (unless you're hosting). Skip the slicing and just check if the fruit is ripe: It shouldn't be too hard, nor too soft, and your fingers should slightly sink into it. When you're sure it's ready, all you have to do is take a bite. Why dirty dishes when you have teeth?

Even an advocate for eating a guava like an apple has to admit that it's not the only way to enjoy the fruit. Guava juice, for instance, only requires the flesh to be blended with water or milk. The fruit is also used to make jam, as well as a thick paste that Colombians call "bocadillo." Because we're obsessed with putting cheese on everything (including hot chocolate), one of our most popular snacks is "bocadillo con queso," or guava paste and cheese. To make it, buy a block of guava paste at the supermarket, cut a portion depending on how much you want, and sandwich it between two equally-sized portions of fresh cheese. When you want something a bit more special and elaborate, try making a guava cream cheese sherbet. This refreshing dessert provides a heavenly sweet-and-salty flavor, as well as a creamy texture.

Guava grows in warmer, tropical regions like Central and South America, Mexico, and South and Southeast Asia. (It's also commercially farmed in Hawaii, Florida, and Puerto Rico.) If you're ever traveling in one of these areas and find yourself suddenly surrounded by the strong, sweet fragrance of a guava tree, look to see if you can find any fallen fresh fruit. If you do, pick it up, check for any wormholes (though worms are a good source of protein), and take a big, juicy bite. I promise it'll be the best guava you've ever tasted.