Do these chilly, rainy days inspire in you dreams of a warm, tropical land far away? Perhaps you are picking up your greens and root vegetables at the market, when you realize you crave something...out of the ordinary? Luckily, nature provides us with a remedy for the Bay Area winter blues, and that medicine is guavas! 

These small, rounded to oval, light green fruit with deep pink (or white) centers can transport us to that distant land with one bite. This fruit is eaten around the world and used in such dishes like juices, marmalades, candies, dried fruit, desserts, and more. They have moderate levels of folic acid and are full of vitamin C and dietary fiber. Guavas originated in Central America and then distributed throughout the Caribbean. Guavas are now cultivated in tropical and subtropical regions, and fortunately for us, southern California. Brokaw Ranch  farms are located in Monterey and Ventura county and are known not only for their avocados, but their specialty citrus and subtropical tree-fruits. You can find Brokaw Ranch at our Tuesday and Saturday markets. Come take advantage of this tropical sweetness brought right here to Berkeley. 

Easy Eating:  Guavas for breakfast? Why, yes. Besides eating them raw, you can make a delicious breakfast guava bread to pair with your cup of coffee. Try a sweet take on grilled cheese with this guava and queso fresco grilled cheese sandwich for lunch. Some afternoon cheese and crackers go nicely with this   guava jam recipe . For dinner, use some guavas to make a delectable baked guava chicken . Finally, dessert can be the perfect time to use this tropical fruit. You won't regret trying out this recipe for Cuban  pastelitos de guayaba . 

Storage Tips:  Leave guavas on the counter until they are ripe. They should have a strong fragrance and be soft to the touch to know that they are ripe. To speed up ripening, place them in a paper bag. Once ripe, place them in the crisper in the refrigerator. 

Zero Waste:  You can freeze guavas, if you are concerned about t hey becoming overripe. Simply peel the skin and put in an airtight container, like a Stasher bag from the Ecology Center Store . To preserve the flavor longer in the freezer, pour simple syrup (half parts water, half parts sugar, and boil). Be sure to cool the simple syrup before pouring on the guava.