Part I: Strawberry Papaya or Pink Lady?

The Plaza New York

Growing up in Eastern Canada, I considered autumn one of the most beautiful times of the year. Trees with leaves turning shades of red, amber and gold lining the city streets. The crisp air and people walking at a slightly brisker pace, clad in shades of grey, camel and black, with cashmere scarves wrapped tightly around their necks. The food shops filled to the brim with displays of all things fall: pumpkins, gourds, pears, pomegranates and apples. The fond memory of climbing trees at our favorite orchard to pick MacIntosh apples to take home for baking pies.

Despite my love affair with the magical island of Maui, there are days when I miss those simple familiar fall rituals. When I lived in Canada, I used to start my day with a strong cup of coffee and a crisp apple cut into wedges. Since moving to Maui, I've made a steady diet of strawberry papaya for breakfast. Considered to be the sweetest, most flavorful of all papayas, this salmon-red fruit is a great source of vitamin C and A. But an unchanging diet, of anything, no matter how delicious, can become monotonous, and recently I have felt something lacking.