Why is jicama waxed

Until it cures after several months, new crop Jicama has a very tender skin that bruises easily and tends to dry out as the thin skin allows the tuber to lose moisture quickly. To seal in freshness and protect it from excessive scuffing, our Jicama will be coated with a food grade paraffin wax from October to late February or March, depending on the skin condition of the new crop as it matures in storage.

While even the young skin of new crop Jicama is inedible and must be peeled before using, the difference in appearance and fresh taste of waxed over non-waxed Jicama during the first half of each season is decidedly superior. Choose Jicama that is heavy for its size with no skin bruising. Young tubers taste better than larger, older, fibrous tubers.

The smaller and younger the jicama, the sweeter the flavor and the finer the texture. Jicama will keep 2 to 3 weeks in the frig after harvest. Wash and pull off the easily removed skin with a knife; then slice, shred, or grate and use raw or cooked, according to the recipe. I will be growing Jicama for the first time this summer and would like to know what the best companion plants are for it. I live in north west Oklahoma where the summers can be very hot and very windy.

Do you have any suggestions? Thank you! Jicama is a sub-tropical, warm-season, vine that can grow to 20 feet or more in length. In warm climates it will grow as a perennial, but in Oklahoma is likely to grow as an annual. Jicama can be grown on arbors and fences and in large containers—the bulbous root can reach 8 inches in diameter. The jicama prefers moist and tropical conditions between 75F and 95F and takes at least 4 months to come to harvest.

Given these requirements, hot dry winds will work against the success of jicama. For optimal conditions, shield the plant from wind: companion crops of tall growing corn and sunflowers planted to shield the jicama may help. Cactus—Opuntia ficus indica—is a good companion crop cultivated for its fruits. Share your post with your fan club! O'Shaughnessy When the usual pie lineup feels boring and uninspired for your dessert repertoire, you've got to make Sign up for our newsletter to receive the latest tips, tricks, recipes and more, sent twice a week.

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