Papaya

Try these as appetizers, as a salad (on a bed of greens) or as a light dessert.

Wonton wrappers are used for these samosas instead of traditional pastry dough. Betelnut Pejiu Wu in San Francisco serves them with a tropical chutney.

Subscribing to the theory that epicurean cooking should, ideally, be easy and inexpensive, I submit this recipe, which I obtained during the summer I taught school on Guam. It's for a dressing of mine that is excellent on fruit salads and even makes an outstanding dressing for coleslaw as part of a summer picnic. Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

These versatile quesadilla can be passed as hors d'oeuvres, or offered at dinner as a first course or at lunch as the entrée.

Fragrant smoke from the mesquite wood chips makes a fine counterpoint to the sweetness of the lobster in this salad. Finish the meal with lemon ice drizzled with tequila, and pass a plateful of sugar cookies.

At the Princeville Hotel on the Hawaiian Island of Kauai, a mixture of dried and fresh fruits is used to fill the pork. Begin preparing this dish one day before serving.

The recipe for the coconut pudding is adapted from Mexican Light Cooking by Santa Fe-based chef Kathi Long.

Light, refreshing and very sophisticated. Asian pears have a crisp texture, a round shape, and a sweet and floral aroma that's quite unlike that of the more familiar buttery "pear-shaped" pear.

Made from yuca (pronounced "YOO-ca"), pearl tapioca can be found at Asian markets and specialty foods shops. Active time: 2 hr Start to finish: 2 1/2 hr

(Batido) This milk shake is a Puerto Rican and Cuban favorite; Palacio de Los Jugos on Flagler Street in Miami specializes in jugos and makes great tropical-fruit batidos. The fruit combinations are endless — try a mixture of strawberry and kiwi or guava and pineapple — and you can even use coconut milk instead of whole and spike with a shot of rum.

Look for Gold or Strawberry papayas. Their sweet flavor complements this tangy crab salad beautifully.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

This recipe was created to accompany <epi:recipeLink id "11847">Grilled Teriyaki Pork Chops with Pineapple Papaya Relish</epi:recipeLink>.</a> Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less but requires additional unattended time.

There's a rich cream cheese base in this simple yet sophisticated dessert.

Also nice over vanilla frozen yogurt.

Fruit simmered in cinnamon syrup is a typical after-dinner treat throughout Mexico.