This is the famous Antipolo church in Antipolo city in the Philippines. People from different parts of Metro Manila go here to hear mass, which is why it it almost always crowded on Sundays. Because of the number of people who hear mass, the receiving of holy communion is allowed on the church grounds where lay ministers go around with the Sacramental bread for the faithful to accept. It can be hot, especially in summer, but the trip for Catholic worshipers is worthwhile.
In the street that fronts the church, vendors sell all sorts of sweets and fruits. There are lots of cashew nuts being sold and a few vendors even sell fresh cashew apples. Antipolo is one city in the Philippines where you can find cashew nuts and fruits in abundance and . Elsewhere, you may find cashew nuts (which can be expensive), but rarely cashew apple fruits, which do not sell well.
Cashew Trivia
Unknown to many people, the cashew apple is only a pseudo fruit and is essentially just the enlarged portion of the branch that holds the fruiting organ. It can be eaten raw when ripe. It's fruit acid is highly astringent in the mouth but it is high in Vitamin C. It's not usually used for cooking, but by the taste of it, it may be a good substitute for
kamias or
kalamias as it is called in some parts of the country. The cashew apple may be turned into a sweet preserve or wine, which is popular in Africa. The cashew apple is rich in
tannins which cause it to ripen quickly after picking.
The cashew nut is extracted from the bean-shaped shell (which is really the actual fruit) by burning the fruit in hot coals. Be warned that the oil and fumes from the shell of the nut (not the apple) is toxic and can cause allergies in people. The smoke reportedly readily kills fowl. DO NOT INHALE CASHEW SHELL NUT FUME OR ALLOW IT TO COME IN CONTACT WITH YOUR SKIN. Also, do not touch the oil from the shell because it can cause skin irritation. Wash your hands thoroughly if this happens.
In spit of the toxicity of the oil in the cashew nut shell, the oil from the edible nut itself can be used to treat warts and other skin growths. If you chew some raw cashew nuts and place the resulting poultice on a pesky wart regularly, you will discover that your wart will dry up and fall away eventually. Do exercise caution when chewing, because if you chew for too long, the inside of your mouth may experience the same drying and exfoliating effect of the cashew nut oil. DO NOT MISTAKE THE CASHEW SHELL FOR THE CASHEW NUT (which is inside the shell). THE CASHEW SHELL IS POISONOUS; THE CASHEW NUT, ON THE OTHER HAND IS THE ONE THAT'S EDIBLE.
If having to deal with the toxic cashew shell is too much for you, then you can just use the sap from the cashew apple on your skin. You can slice the cashew apple thinly and use the slices to massage your face with. The juice will serve as a mild astringent to your skin. But again, exercise caution and do not overdo it. Try the sap on a small patch of skin on your arm first for a few days before trying it out on your face. See if you do not have any allergic reactions.
It's a fact that some people are allergic to cashew sap and you could be one of them! Also see if the sap produces discoloration or darkens your skin as a result of its
tannins that darken when exposed to air. Generally, the sap should give a mild tightening and exfoliating effect on your skin. But use it at your own risk! It's always better to consult a dermatologist than to experiment with topical things you know nothing about.
Here in the Philippines, a popular fruit that's usually harvested after summer during the rainy season is avocado. The scientific name of the avocado is Persea Americana. The avocado tree is plentiful in the country but it is not native to the islands. It was introduced here by explorers of the 16th century - likely Portuguese and Spanish sailors who had visited South America in the New World (where the avocado originated). The avocado fruit is delicious with a soft green flesh that's mild and creamy. It's high in protein and fat, which is amazing for a fruit, and is ideally eaten right off the skin or used for salads and shakes. So many products now contain avocado or are inspired by the avocado. Ever heard of avocado ice cream? Traditionally, Filipino families use the avocado fruit to make ice candy in small tubular plastic bags. Kids and adults always get a kick out of it! But mind you, it doesn't have to be artisanal. In the Philippines, there's also avocado ice cream available in local supermarkets and grocery stores. If you're lucky, you may also order salads with avocado as the star ingredient from select restaurants.
The avocado fruit has grown in popularity as a health food and is now a preferred fruit by exercise enthusiasts and yoga practitioners as a a vital ingredient for smoothies and all sorts of recipes from canapes to fritters. The fruit is easily recognizable with its gourd-like or pear-like shape. It can be elongated or blunt; deep violet or green; wrinkly or smooth. However it might look like, the avocado is iconic when it's split in half. With its big roundish seed in the middle of the bulbous part, it's an unforgettable sight, and, oh, did we already mention that the brown skin of the seed is rich in healing antioxidants? You can even boil and eat the seed if you want to. Cooked, it has the texture of water chestnuts and is used primarily as an anti-fungal and antibacterial medicine. More research is being done by scientists to determine that actual benefits of the avocado seed, but so far, all the results seem to show that it has practical medicinal properties. The avocado fruit is definitely in the spotlight these days, but the avocado tree has more to give apart from its fruit.
Unknown to many people, the leaves and bark of the avocado tree (left) can be used for the easing of coughs, sore throat, and fever pains. All one has to do is to clean at least three leaves and then boil them in a pan for a few minutes. The reddish tea that results has a fine, sweet, and soothing taste that's relaxing as much as it is physically healing. You can reboil the leaves for a much thinner tea, the next time you require a cup. Drink a cup of avocado tea at least once a day for a few days or until you feel much better. You can add sugar or your preferred sweetener, like Stevia, if you want to, but it's not needed, especially if you are on a diet or avoiding sugar. Drink the tea one sip at a time and let its warmth sooth your insides. You can drink it with extras, if you wish, and while you're at it, why not invite your friends over and have an avocado tea party?
