Macopa/Mountain Apple
Macopa – Syzygium samarangense – is a tropical fruit we enjoy in the Philippines during the summer. The fruit is bell shaped but the name macopa is from the Spanish word copa which means a goblet or wine glass.
Euphorbias
Euphorbias are plants that might be mistaken to be cactus plants because of their thorns but is considered succulents and have milky sap that is poisonous. The one I’m talking about is the species named crown of thorns. I was not interested in these plants before because of the thorns but my cousin who just…
Catch of the Day, Bonito
Once in a while, during my vacation days in the Philippines, I have a chance to see fishermen coming from the whole night’s work of trying to catch a livelihood. It’s an exciting part of the day when you see your husband or your brother coming from the ocean safe and sound and in one…
Mangoes from my hometown
I was born in Iba, Zambales, Philippines and during the summer time when I was growing up, we always enjoy eating mangoes coming from my grandparents farm. They have quite a number of mango trees and different varieties too. We have the big one we call “dinamulag” which literally means ‘like carabao’ because it is…
Coconut and its many uses
Coconut as a whole has been the livelihood of many people in the Philippines. The fruit for eating, the tree for firewood or furniture, the leaves for making hats, and other uses but also to make wraps for sticky rice we call “suman”. The sticky rice, also known as glutinous rice or “mochi” rice, is…