Margaret Roach’s excellent blog, A Way to Garden, recently published this interview with Lee Reich about growing two native fruit trees, the pawpaw (Asimina triloba), and the persimmon (Diospyros virginiana).
Someone, somewhere in my distant past grew a persimmon tree. I remember playing with overripe fruit as a child, squishing it in my fingers and throwing it around where it grew–I seem to remember it growing near a creek, maybe–and sucking the sticky juice off my fingers. I’ve never grown a pawpaw, but if, as Reich suggests, it tastes like creme brulee then I can’t see how I can do without one too much longer. Especially if, unlike many other fruits, these plants don’t require much maintenance.
I’m posting this virtual sticky note to myself to remember these when I am installing that orchard I’m dreaming of.
MissingHenryMitchell 
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Paw Paw trees are worth saving a space in your garden to grow them. I would describe the fruit as tasting similar to and having the texture of a banana custard, or sort of like crème brulee as you put it. They not only produce a yummy fruit, but the shape of the tree is nice. We never had to prune ours. How I miss having one and I am determined to mail order at least one this fall.