Chayote or Mirliton Chayote is the squash
that seems least like a squash. It’s the fruit of
a Central American vine, and looks something
like a large pear some 5–8 in/12–20 cm long,
with a single large seed at the center. Its flesh
is finer-textured than the flesh of summer
squashes, takes longer to cook, but is
otherwise similar in its mild aroma and moist
texture. The seed cavity is sometimes stuffed,
and the seed sometimes eaten.
The Bean Family:
Fresh Beans and Peas
Unlike most edible fruits, the fruits of the
bean family were not designed to appeal to
seed-dispersing animals. This group of plants
is often called the legumes, “legume” being
the name for their particular kind of fruit, a
thin-walled pod, dry and brittle when mature,
that encloses several seeds and disperses them
by popping open when they’re disturbed. It’s