VOA慢速英语2017 一种被遗忘的美国水果再次流行起来

Paw 1 Paws 2, a Forgotten American Fruit, Become Popular Again

Have you ever heard of a paw paw?

你听说过木瓜吗？

If not, do not feel bad. Most Americans do not know of the fruit, although it is native to the United 3 States.

如果没听过也没关系。大多数美国人都不知道这种水果，虽然它是美国本土出产的。

Once, however, it was one of the most popular fruits in North America.

然而，它曾经一度是北美最受欢迎的水果之一。

Happily, those who love the paw paw are trying to return it to its former position in American foods.

幸运的是，喜欢木瓜的那些人正试图让它重返在美国水果中的昔日地位。

America’s tropical 4 fruit

美国的热带水果

A paw paw is a tropical-like fruit that grows on trees found all over the eastern United States. It’s also the largest edible 5 fruit native to the US.

木瓜是一种生长在树上的热带水果，这种果树在美国东部随处可见。它也是美国本土出产的最大的可食用水果。

It is similar to a typical mango in size. It has a dull green-colored skin, and a soft, almost-creamy orange inside.

它的大小跟普通芒果差不多。它的表皮是暗绿色的，里面有柔软的、近似奶油色的瓜瓤。

Most people agree that the pawpaw tastes like a combination 6 of a banana, an apricot and a mango. Most people are very surprised by its sweet taste.

大多数人都认为木瓜的味道就像是香蕉、杏和芒果的结合。大多数人对它甜甜的口味非常惊讶。

At one time, it could be found as far west as Nebraska. It also grows along the East Coast from New York to Florida. The fruit has a very short harvest season, from two to three weeks in September and October.

曾经一度，在远到西部的内布拉斯加州都能找到这种果树。它还沿着东海岸生长在从纽约到佛罗里达州这片辽阔的区域。这种水果的收获季节是在9到10月的两三周里，时间非常之短。

?A forgotten history

一段被遗忘的历史

The paw paw was an important food for Native Americans and even early European settlers.

木瓜对美国土著，甚至早期的欧洲移民者来说，都是一种非常重要的食物。

Paw paws reportedly were a favorite treat of George Washington 7, the first U.S. president, who especially liked them cold. Thomas Jefferson, the third U.S. president, was also a fan of the fruit. He planted paw paws at Monticello, his home in Virginia. He also sent paw paw seeds to his friends in France. American explorers 8 Lewis and Clark wrote in their journals 9 about the paw paw.

木瓜据说是美国第一任总统华盛顿最爱的美味，尤其是冰镇木瓜。美国第三任总统杰斐逊也是这种水果的粉丝。他在蒙蒂塞洛庄园种植了木瓜，这是他在弗吉尼亚州的家。他还给他的法国朋友寄去了木瓜种子。美国探险家刘易斯和克拉克在他们的杂志上也写到了木瓜。

Today, paw paws remain popular in the Appalachian mountain area.

今天，木瓜在阿巴拉契亚山区仍然很受欢迎。

Not easily commercialized

不容易被商业化

The paw paw has never been sold commercially 11. The fruit requires a very special environment -- low, wet areas that sometimes flood.

木瓜从未被商业化销售。这种水果需要非常特殊的环境，它喜欢生长在低洼、潮湿，有时候会发洪水的地区。

In addition, the fruit is good to eat for only two to three days after harvesting. This makes it hard to sell anywhere distant from the paw paw tree it came from.

此外，木瓜只有在收获之后的两到三天内最好吃。这使得它很难销售到远离结果的木瓜树的任何地方。

Making a comeback

卷土重来

Planters are again growing paw paw trees and harvesting the fruit. In several states farmers have organized “paw paw festivals” to reintroduce people to the food.

种植者再次开始种植木瓜树和收获这种水果。有几个州的农民组织了“木瓜节”，让人们再度认识这种水果。

At such a festival in Maryland recently, farmers displayed different products made with paw paws. There were paw paw jams, pies, gelato, and beer.

在马里兰州最近一个这类节日上，农民们展示了各种木瓜产品，有木瓜做的果酱、馅饼、冰激淋甚至是啤酒。

Michael Judd helped organize the Maryland paw paw festival.

迈克尔·贾德（Michael Judd）协助组织了马里兰州木瓜节。

“It has that energy, and the people here today, there's an excitement, because they are trying something totally new but also exotic 12 that grows here.”

他说：“它有这种能量。今天这里的人们非常激动，因为他们正在尝试一些全新的东西，但是这种异国风味就出产于此。”

Farmers are trying to grow kinds of paw paw that will be easier to ship and sell commercially. Donna and Jim Davis are paw paw farmers in Westminster, Maryland. They told National Public Radio that they purchased their paw paw trees in the 1990s and now sell the fruit at farmers markets and online.

农民们正在试图种植易于运输和商业销售的木瓜品种。唐娜和吉姆·戴维斯是马里兰州威斯敏斯特种植木瓜的瓜农。他们对美国国家公共广播电台表示，他们在上世纪90年代买入了木瓜树，现在在农贸市场和网上销售这种水果。

So, who knows? Maybe the paw paw will show up soon at a market near you.

那么，天知道呢？也许木瓜很快就会在你附近的市场上出现。

I’m Phil Dierking.

Words in This Story

dull - adj. not bright

creamy - adj. smooth and soft

commercial 10 - adj. related 13 to or used in the buying and selling of goods and services

edible – adj. suitable or safe to eat