Horacio Cambeiro · CC BY 4.0Dulce de mamón
Papaya strips in a thick golden syrup, perfect with a slice of queso Paraguay.
What it is
Mamón (papaya) is cut into strips or cubes and slowly cooked with sugar until the fruit turns translucent and the syrup thick and golden. It is very sweet, so it is balanced with grapefruit or bitter-orange juice during cooking and served with queso Paraguay. It is sold in jars at markets and fairs and makes a good edible souvenir.
Ingredients
History
It belongs to the tradition of homemade sweets that grew up in Paraguay around sugar and cane syrup, when preserving fruit in syrup was the way to make the most of a harvest.
Did you know…?
A sweet with cheese on the side is a classic pairing here, just like the sweet potato paste and cheese of the “postre vigilante.”
When
Dessert, year-round.
Where
Mercado 4, fairs and general stores.
Researched and reviewed in September 2026 with 1 sources. A second reviewer checked dates, coordinates and lodging. Hours and prices may change.