It was in April that I was first introduced to this fabulous dessert. My husband works for a very large company, which held its annual incentive trip in the Bahamas. That was a really nice place for a business trip, but there were some 2,000 people in our quaint little group. This usually means buffet style meals, which have never been my favorite. So, one night I convinced him to go out to a nearby restaurant, where we were able to order off a real menu. The meal was good, but the dessert was sensational!
Guava Duff, a dish I had never even heard of before this trip, is a dessert that tastes sort of like a cobbler, but instead of fruit on the bottom with dough on top, the dough is rolled out with the fruit tucked inside and then rolled up like a jelly roll cake. It is then steamed and topped off with a delicious butter-brandy sauce!
My mission for the remainder of the trip was to discover how to make this delightful dish. So, I asked nearly every waitress and hotel personnel I encountered, to see how they make their version. And, trust me, every Bahamian family has its own version of this popular dessert!
I felt very well informed on how to make my own rendition of Guava Duff, and planned to make it at my dinner party the next weekend. But as I quickly discovered, guavas are not to be found in northern California until sometime in mid-summer. Rats! Undeterred, I decided to make "Mango" Guava Duff, minus the guavas! Guava juice afforded the guava flavor, and it turned out beautifully!
Since then, we have made "Mango-Papaya" Guava Duff, and I plan to make peach and nectarine versions when the crops are ripe. If I ever find fresh guavas this summer, well, I will definitely make a real Guava Duff!
Guava Duff, a dish I had never even heard of before this trip, is a dessert that tastes sort of like a cobbler, but instead of fruit on the bottom with dough on top, the dough is rolled out with the fruit tucked inside and then rolled up like a jelly roll cake. It is then steamed and topped off with a delicious butter-brandy sauce!
My mission for the remainder of the trip was to discover how to make this delightful dish. So, I asked nearly every waitress and hotel personnel I encountered, to see how they make their version. And, trust me, every Bahamian family has its own version of this popular dessert!
I felt very well informed on how to make my own rendition of Guava Duff, and planned to make it at my dinner party the next weekend. But as I quickly discovered, guavas are not to be found in northern California until sometime in mid-summer. Rats! Undeterred, I decided to make "Mango" Guava Duff, minus the guavas! Guava juice afforded the guava flavor, and it turned out beautifully!
Since then, we have made "Mango-Papaya" Guava Duff, and I plan to make peach and nectarine versions when the crops are ripe. If I ever find fresh guavas this summer, well, I will definitely make a real Guava Duff!
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Lamorinda Weekly, Moraga CA