Strawguava: The King Of Fruit Hash

Strawguava is famous for an aroma that blends fresh strawberries with tropical guava, and its story stretches from a rare plant treasured in Los Angeles and Colorado to a dazzling debut in the Mojave Desert, a famous award mix up, an unexpected victory in the mountains of Northern California, and a loyal fan base that spread across America and beyond. What’s covered in this video: How a rare tropical plant called Papaya, descended from a plant called Mango by a creator known as KC Brains, began its long journey through California. How Papaya made its way from Los Angeles thanks to a team called PinkHouseBlooms, and how it eventually found a new home in Colorado. Why the people who knew Papaya treasured it as something truly special. How a California creator named Dave Crockett set the stage for a famous fruit favorite called Strawberry Banana, better known as Strawnana. Why Strawnana became known for an aroma like fresh strawberries, and why fans were always hunting for the very best version of it. How Colorado enthusiasts known as GuyForget and Thesilentambassador found a standout they called the Fourteener, a nod to the towering peaks of the Rocky Mountains. How Harry Palms, already celebrated for a famous orange flavored favorite, teamed up with a partner known as Oni Noodles under a company called Oni. How Harry Palms brought the Fourteener and Papaya together, and why the result seemed to capture the very best of both. How a famous festival in Victorville, California, out in the desert between Los Angeles and Las Vegas, became the stage for its debut. How Kenn Wall, a Denver chef turned craftsman, teamed up with Harry Palms, and why their entry carried the unusual working name Strawnana Gou Papaya. How their entry won over the judges, landing on the podium and earning a top honor for the richest aroma in its entire division. Why the name eventually became Strawberry Guava and then simply Strawguava, and how it shares its name with a real tropical fruit. Why a famous Northern California competition gave a similar aroma honor to someone else that December, and how that detail sparked a myth that would follow Strawguava for years. How Papaya earned top honors of its own at that same famous Northern California competition, showing the world where Strawguava’s remarkable character came from. Why a new generation of artisans began treating their craft like fine cooking, and why Strawguava arrived at exactly the right moment. Why Harry Palms went his own way and started a new company called Bloom, and why some people credit Oni while others credit Bloom. Why artisans praised Strawguava for being so generous, and why its fresh fruit character stood out from everything around it. What makes Strawguava so eye catching, with a bright color and sometimes a faint pink tint inherited from Papaya. How Strawguava claimed a top prize in Oregon, a state famous for its fiercely independent creative spirit. How writer Jimi Devine created a competition called the Transbay Challenge, and why it became the stage for a memorable upset. How Terry Mines and a brand new company from Trinity County, California beat a field of decorated veterans in its debut with a version called Honey Strawguava. Why Jimi Devine called Honey Strawguava off the charts, and how a major national website honored it that fall. How the descendants of Strawguava began earning honors of their own as far away as Maine. How a magazine in Oregon praised its real fruit character while repeating the famous award myth. How the award myth crossed the Atlantic and spread across Europe. How Strawguava traveled to Michigan, Massachusetts, New York, Maine, Canada, Austria, and Germany. How Michigan fans fell in love with Strawguava, and how the Detroit Metro Times named it among the best in the state. How a descendant called Melted Strawberries and the original Strawberry Guava each earned monthly honors from West Coast magazines. Why Keith Healy’s memory of discovering it at that desert festival earlier than any other record remains a small mystery. How Strawguava and its descendants were celebrated side by side, nearly a decade after its debut in the desert. Why Strawguava remains the plant so many others are still measured against. Mentioned in this video: Strawguava, Strawberry Guava, Papaya, Mango, KC Brains, PinkHouseBlooms, Los Angeles, Colorado, Dave Crockett, Strawberry Banana, Strawnana, GuyForget, Thesilentambassador, the Fourteener, Rocky Mountains, Harry Palms, Oni Noodles, Oni, Victorville, California, Mojave Desert, Las Vegas, Kenn Wall, Denver, Strawnana Gou Papaya, Bloom, Oregon, Jimi Devine, Transbay Challenge, Terry Mines, Trinity County, Honey Strawguava, Maine, Europe, Michigan, Massachusetts, New York, Canada, Austria, Germany, Detroit Metro Times, Melted Strawberries, Keith Healy