Averrhoa bilimbi

Known as camias (kamias) in the Philippines and bilimbi, tàling pling, belimbing assam and many other names elsewhere, it is indigenous to the Asian tropics. The fruits grow in bunches on a small tree of 5-10 m. high, are greenish yellow to light yellow when ripe, 6-9 cm. long with 3-4 flat, light brown seeds. They are succulent (very juicy indeed!) and taste tart to very sour.

However, there is another variety which has smaller, rounded and sweeter fruits which seems known only to the Philippines. I have personally seen and tasted this variety but it has been at least 15 years ago. Another one on the search list, I suppose.

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Yikes! And I thought drinking fresh orange juice (Citrus sinensis) was healthy!

Whether in the country or abroad, at home, in hotels or restaurants, every chance I get, I try to have my fill of orange juice, preferably freshly squeezed or at least the pure and unsweetened product in cartons and cans.

Aside from loving the sour, sweet and tart taste, I think of all that Vitamin C. A glass easily provides me my recommended daily allowance. What cola/soda can be more refreshing and more natural?

Apparently, my beloved beverage is a wolf in sheep’s clothing. To paraphrase Leo Hickman:

The manufacturing process is harmful to the environment: for every glass of Brazilian orange juice, 22 glasses of processing water and 1,000 glasses of irrigation water were required. To produce 10 glasses of juice, one glass of crude oil is needed. More water and energy is required if the juice is pasteurised, concentrated, frozen, shipped, then rehydrated at the destination country.

Then there are pesticides. The residues may not permeate the flesh and are left on the peel but then again, that’s where I get my marmalade! Gasp!

Read the complete article from the Guardian: Is it OK … to drink orange juice?

Perhaps I should just stick to the juice of calamansi / calamondin (Citrofortunela microcarpa).

Photo sourcing and doctoring compliments of Mike at lafang.

How did this tradition of harvesting unripe rice begin? Could it have been an experiment during the early period of agriculture? Traipsing along the fields one stormy day in early November got me thinking it could have been a similar time centuries ago when the rice plants had to be saved from wrathful weather way before harvest season.

The town of Santa Rita, Pampanga is known for its turrones de casoy, sans rival and other sweets but towards the end of the year, starting in November, everything is eclipsed as the town anticipates the Christmas season with the sweet smell of duman in the air. A delicacy once known only to a few has now caught a lot of attention during the Duman Festival, partly to revive a vanishing tradition and partly to celebrate life after devastation.

Duman is a seasonal rice cereal still produced the old way in our town. This may have been in existence in pre-Hispanic Capampangan society since duman was already mentioned by Fray Diego Bergaño – “El grano del arroz tierno cerca de madurar” – in Vocabulario de la Lengua Pampanga originally published in the 1700s. It could have happened other towns produced duman in the olden days but Sta. Rita’s is what has endured.
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