Star Apple, Anyone?

Locally we call it kaimito.

It’s best eaten cold from the ref. In the province, neighbors give this for free. Star Apple is a fruit that grows in the tropics including Southeast Asia. We harvest them around March and April. A kilo (around five pieces) costs P70.00.

Aside from being a tasty dessert, it has several health benefits too. It contains vitamins A, B, C, lysine, niacin, thiamin, riboflavin, pantothenic acid, dietary fiber, amino acids, methionine, and protein. It has minerals such as iron, copper, magnesium, calcium, zinc, manganese, phosphorus, and potassium.

Kaimito, anyone?

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You Know It’s Summer When….

Star Apples, along with sweet mangoes,  are the star summer fruits. And you know it’s summer when you can see  them displayed in every fruit stall in the neighborhood. Fruit vendors  sell them for P40.00 a kilo, about four or five pieces depending on the size of the fruit.

Some call the fruit, cainito, caimito, star apple, golden leaf tree or milk fruit but whatever you call it, it’s a perfect  summer fruit dessert. And it is best served chilled.

Back when we were kids growing up in the province, we just go into a neighbor’s yard and bring back a bagful of these. The ripe fruits sometimes  fall off the  tree when the wind is strong but they are better picked by climbing the tree and bringing a bag or by using a long stick with a string basket tied at the end.  Here in the city, I seldom find caimito trees but my son-in-law  often brings us a small bag  when they make a visit. Nissa tells me that the caimito tree in their yard is showing off again, having plenty of fruits for picking.

Caimito, anyone?

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