El Campo: Eating Off the Trees

Yesterday boyfriend and I spent the day with his parents at their land out in the "country".  It is a natural food lover's paradise - you can just pick off the trees whatever you feel like munching on (which is probably why I love going there).  Imagine a farm with a beautiful, crystal clear, freshwater river to swim in, lots of animals to look at, and fresh food all around you.  This is where we were.

{River where A swam growing up}

Boyfriend's mom and I walked around as she pointed out to me all the exotic fruit that surrounded us.  Of the more obvious ones, from corn to mangos, from tropical fruit to peas and starchy veggies, there was everything within a 15 minute walk.

Did you know that this is what tamarind looks like?  

{Mushy plum-sized fruit}

I've never liked tamarind flavored anything, but eating it fresh was actually delicious.  It tastes like small dates with a tangy kick.  

And this, this is where carob comes from.

{Looks like green toothpaste}

These oversized pods weren't ripe enough, so the green pulp was pasty.  Over time, the pulp turns into a powder which is what becomes the carob powder that you can now find at health stores as a baking alternative for cocoa powder. 

This is the heart of the banana tree.

{Pretty heart}

The heart hangs off the tree, and as it matures, the layers peal back like flower petals and the banana bunches grow underneath of them.  Some cultures call this the apple of the tree and eat it, too.  I wonder what it tastes like.

{Mandarins, Oranges, Lemons}

Everything we ate yesterday [except for the rice] was grown within 0.25 miles of us.  I must say, I didn't like seeing the feathers and head come off of the chicken we were about to eat, but somehow I managed.  And the fruit - it was much tastier than any overpriced organic fruit I've ever bought in a supermarket.  

And of course, I drank the juice of two coconuts and scooped out all the flesh with my makeshift coconut shell spoon.  My favorite.

{Don't bother me when I'm with my coconut}