I know they look beautiful, but I always thought papaya tasted like vomit. Until I was told to eat it with a squeeze of lime juice. It's even better if you slice or dice it, spritz it with the lime, then leave it overnight in the fridge to marinate. Add sugar if you wish.

And don't dismiss those shiny black seeds. Backpacking through South America with a stomach jumping like the bus on the road to Atitlan, I was advised to chew on the seeds in lieu of finding a loo.

If you use papaya as a salsa - it's great with grilled pork, or as alternative to melon with Parma ham, or paired with crab in a phenomenal and luscious-looking salad - throw in a few of those gleaming beads. They're spicy, with the pepperiness of a good arugula or watercress. Plus, they add to the beauty of a glorious presentention, black against apricot pink.