Category Archives: Belize

We Have a Big Baby!

July 2, 2015 Munchkin

We have our first big baby weighing in at a formidable 28lbs (14 kgs).

We have had our eyes on this little one for quite a few months and have affectionately called them our jackfruit “babies” because they resemble giant pods that look like they will burst open at any moment and something alive will pop out of them!

This is the first year that our jackfruit (Artocarpus heterophyllus) trees have produced so we are very pleased. Jackfruit can weigh up to about 40 kgs so they give you a lot to eat. We picked this one when it started emitting its characteristic musky fragrance and when the outer shell was pressed, the flesh behind it felt softer.

A word of warning…if you ever get a hold one of these babies, be prepared to spend at least one hour preparing it. Use plenty of newspaper and coat your knives in oil to stop the latex from sticking onto the utensils. Also, wearing rubber gloves (and goggles!) helps so that you are not too immersed in goo and latex. Don’t let any of this worry you…it is definitely worth it!

To prepare, cut the jackfruit into quarters lengthwise. Then cut out the mid-line pith, like so:

The jackfruit is mostly eaten for its delectable arils. Take these out and pop out the seeds. All parts of the jackfruit are edible so do not throw anything out except for the shell. So this is what you get:

The Fruit:

The fruit can be eaten fresh. Our variety is a firm type which we prefer. There are softer varieties which tend to be moist and sweet and have the consistency of snot (still good, though). You can freeze the fruit and eat in the frozen form. They can be used to make desserts such as ice-cream or fruit pie. I really like my fruit savoury, so I am going to stuff some of these with minced pork. Yum! There are plenty of recipes to be found on the Internet; just look up Malaysian, Indian, Ethiopian and Cambodian cuisine to name but a few.

The Seeds:

These can be boiled and eaten as a snack or used as a carbohydrate accompaniment to a meal. They taste like breadnut (also Artocarpus sp.) or chestnuts (if you are from the temperate region). The seeds just need to be boiled for about 20 to 30 minutes until tender and the shell comes off easily.

The Rest:

Don’t throw out the rest of the fruit! A great deal of it is composed of unformed arils which are edible. They tend to be less mature and may have more latex on them. I use this part for cooking in stews, stir-frys and curries. You can also dip them in batter and fry them in oil (like onion rings). Again, this part of the fruit can be stored in the freezer.

We are going to be eating mostly jackfruit…

Belize, Food, Medical Related, Philosophy

Busy Being Doctors!

June 30, 2015 Munchkin

Hi Everyone. Our Internet just came back on…it has been really erratic lately and some days we only have it come on for about 5 minutes at a time when some emails download but no connection to write back. Such is life in Belize. Well, we’ve been busy with medical calls of late. So, all farm and business stuff has been pushed to a minimum until things go back to normal. The rains don’t help either…and, I should also throw in the unhelpful conjunction of the stars for extra measure! Anyone waiting for coconut products is waiting for all our patients to get better, sunnier days and of course, the big stick (for knocking down the coconuts).

Of course, being doctors always comes first and we really don’t mind seeing patients. We just have so many other things that we like to do that it is sometimes hard to fit everything into our lives. For us, seeing patients is our gesture to people, the community and the universe, at large because we put such a huge effort into this work. Not only are our call-outs one hour, they sometimes extend to two hours and we don’t ask for extra money for this. The money that we receive from patients is what we like to view as a “gesture in kind.”

During these hectic, stressful and tiring days, I think to myself that we are so lucky that we can work together as doctors (and in everything else). Due to patient confidentiality, doctors should never talk about their patients to anyone else except to other medical colleagues. In our line of work, this is called “sharing the anxiety” or in more professional terms “de-briefing.” I am really glad that we can share the anxiety together!

It is nice when some acknowledgement comes our way. The last week or so, we have received gifts of fruit from patients’ relatives.

A gift of mangoes. This is great because we have no mangoes growing on our farm.

A gift of kenip fruit. These are fruit with a sweet and acidic flesh…you gnaw on the fruit around the seeds and then the seeds can be kept, boiled up and then roasted to make a nut snack. Gnome really likes this fruit!

Have a good night!!

Amusing, Belize, Farming, Fiction, Pets

Paradise Piggies: Baby Blunder and Condo Cock-up!

June 29, 2015 Munchkin

It’s not all paradise for the piggies at Paradise Pastures presently. Mayor Gnome has found himself in the piggie line-of-fire as a rogue guinea-pig mother gave birth to babies outside of the maternity suite in the late hours of Monday night. In his defence, Gnome says that this mother has had a poor attendance record and had failed to book into the ante-natal clinic. As a result of this, two shivering little piggies were found wandering the streets of Paradise Pastures this morning.

In attempt to quell trouble and potential piggie up-rising, Mayor Gnome improvised immediately by putting the two homeless babies in a quickly constructed Special Care Piggie Unit (SCPU). The Douglas Suite:

Upon release from SCPU, the babies were re-united with their mother in the The Susan B Anthony Maternity Wing:

Mayor Gnome acted quickly. But was it quick enough? There is trouble brewing and this could be the start of something bigger. Mayor Gnome better watch out…there’s a condo shortage and we have an exclusive picture right here:

Not enough condos to house the piggies!! What does Mayor Gnome have to say about this? Destitution in Paradise Pastures…what next??

Mayor Gnome: We need a solution…or YOU ARE OUT!!

Belize, Our Products, Soap

White Pitahaya Facial Soaps.

June 28, 2015 Munchkin

We made another round of soaps today; this time they are the White Pitahaya Soaps which are facial soaps for acne and oily-prone skin. The seeds are rich in nourishing oils; prior to making the soap, we lightly crush the seed and infuse them in coconut oil to allow diffusion of oils. The coconut oil is then used to make the soap.

Pitahaya is also called Pitaya (also, dragon fruit) and is of the Hylocereus sp. They can come in different colours namely red, white and yellow. They are highly esteemed in Belize, Central America and in Asian countries. The seeds, in our soaps, are obtained from the local variety which has a red flesh. Our soaps are called “White Pitahaya” because they are white in colour, not because the seeds are obtained from the white variety.

Here are some pictures:

These soaps are unscented so that they can be used for sensitive skin. They have a natural, subtle coconut smell to them and they produce a lovely creamy lather. The seeds are also mildly exfoliating.

Check out The Apothecary for our full range of coconut oil soaps. Also, if you live in Punta Gorda, you can find the White Pitahaya soap at Vance Vernon Pharmacy on Front Street.

Enjoy your Sunday!!

Amusing, Belize

Adventure, Romance and Frog Spotting!

June 26, 2015 Munchkin

Last-night we had a late medical call-out and ended up coming back home at about 10.30pm. That is late for us considering we are in bed by 8pm usually for our 4am wake-ups. Anyway, that was the adventurous part for us. When we came back home, we were still a bit hyperactive from the night’s events so I made us both a nice hot toddy (with a shot of rum). We sat on the back steps together, side by side, sipping on our drinks in the light of the moon. That was the romantic part. We were already sitting ad-mist an orchestra of incessant ribitting and it was getting louder and louder and louder. So, Gnome stumbled upon the idea of shining a light where-ever we could hear the heavy bass notes of frogs and toads. And so we did. It was amazing…we were surrounded by these tiny little jumping, squishy green creatures that could emit such loud, yet melodic and co-ordinated sounds. That was the frog spotting part.

Cheekily, in my mind I thought of all the email marketing of Rain-forest, Lodge, Romantic Get-aways and thought of the catchy marketing jargon:

Adventure, Romance and Frog Spotting Bliss!!

Come seek the Adventure of a life-time in the beautiful, unspoiled rainforests of Belize. Experience unforgettable romance with your loved one as you sit in the moon-light with the chorus of melodic frogs. Delight in an experience like no other! Share in the adventure…endless love…frog serenades…

Start your adventure now!

Belize, Mushrooms

Mushroom Medicine.

June 25, 2015 Munchkin

I guess I shouldn’t complain about the rains when lots of very interesting mushrooms are coming up on our farm. It is amazing that we have found such a wide variety, each within a few yards of each other.

The Lingzhi mushroom is worth its own post because it is a fungus which has been recognised for its medicinal properties by the Chinese for 2000 years. In addition to this, medical scientific research has shown that it boosts immune function and it has been explored as a possible adjunctive therapy with patients undergoing chemotherapy.

The lingzhi mushroom (Ganoderma sp.), in Traditional Chinese Medicine, is used to strengthen the heart and improve the memory and is viewed as a medicine for longevity. It is seen as a divine, sacred and en-lightening mushroom by the Chinese.

These polypore mushrooms are very easy to spot because they have a shiny surface and when fresh, have a soft cork-like consistency.

The mushroom can be prepared by thinly slicing, or pulverising (when dry) and then boiling it in water for a couple of hours to make a tea.

About a couple of years ago, I noticed that there was a sudden surge in interest in this mushroom as an anti-cancer tea in Belize. It appeared that someone was actively bringing in sachets of this “mushroom tea” made by a natural herbal company in the States. I saw them everywhere…in the pharmacy in Punta Gorda and in the main supermarkets in Belize City. And, they weren’t cheap too…something like a $100 for a pack. I could not believe that this stuff was getting imported at such an exorbitant price and it was growing in our own back-yards!

This one is definitely a fungus to go hunting for. When we conducted our foraging tour at Belcampo Lodge, we also spotted it growing in the bush:

Belize, Our Products, Soap

Neem and Jackass Bitters Soap.

June 24, 2015 Munchkin

Hello Everyone!! We have been making soap…yes, it is raining again so we have decided to do a soap marathon. The Neem soap is back by popular demand and this time we have added jackass bitters to the formula. The neem leaves are dried in the shade and then infused in coconut oil which is used in the making of the soap.

Neem is known for its anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, anti-helminthic and anti-viral properties. In Aryuvedic medicine, neem has been used to treat skin diseases such as eczema and psoriasis.

The jackass bitters plant is a well-known herb of Belize which is used in treating ulcers and cold-sores.

A perfect combination for a gentle soap with soothing properties for problem skin. It is also a wonderful “everyday” anti-bacterial coconut oil soap. We will put it in The Apothecary once the soaps are cured and ready! Here are some pictures to entice you.

Stacks of Neem and Jackass Bitters Soaps.

Have a good night!!

Belize, Farming, Fermentation

Making Passionfruit Melomel

June 23, 2015 Munchkin

The days are getting sunnier and drier and so we are able to get up at 4am and finish all our work by 10am. Gnome has been cleaning up the coconuts and brush-mowing all the tall grass and small trees in that area. We have managed to use up all the fallen coconuts so presently, we are unable to process any coconuts until Gnome procures a big stick (20 feet or 6 metres) to knock them down. Gnomes do not possess the character trait of scaling heights (unless in emergency situations) so anyone waiting for our coconut products needs to wait for the big stick. He would rather have his feet firmly planted on the ground…Gnomes are kinda earthy creatures.

During the midday heat, we are (romantically) reading the Chinese Herbal Medicine: Materia Medica textbook together (thank-you Ted Berlin for your generosity in sharing such wonderful works). I read out loud whilst Gnome makes occasional comments on the specific herbal monographs that we read about. Interestingly enough, it takes him less time to understand the Traditional Chinese Medicine model. I still have my feet firmly (somewhat) entrenched in “anglo-thinking” whilst Gnome understands Chinese concepts better since he grew up in Asia. To put it in his terms: I am a “banana”; yellow on the outside and white on the inside and he is an “egg”; white on the outside and yellow on the inside. It is so funny because he thinks he is more Chinese than I am and I am Chinese but happen to have been brought up in Scotland.

Yes, you have guessed it…we are closet encyclopaedia readers and we are “coming out” with it. Well, I suppose that is how we became doctors…by reading copiously.

Anyway, enough about us. I am sure that you just wanted to know about the Passion fruit melomel! Well today, I sieved out the pulp and juice of 10 passion fruit:

I added water to the pulp (an extra 2 litres or 2 quarts). We then added about 750mls (3 cups) of honey to get a specific gravity of about 1.09 to 1.1 which translates to a 12.5% alcohol content. I then sterilised the solution by boiling it up. Next, I poured it all into a 1 gallon carboy and sealed it with an air-lock.

The last step is to “pitch the yeast” which just means adding the yeast once the mead has cooled down. And then you wait for the bubbling (fermentation) to commence…Blub Blub Blub!! Wait a while, wait a little longer and when you can not possibly wait any longer, you drink it! How easy is that? Munckin Magical Melomel!! Try to wait out at least 3 months!!

Belize, Food, Medical Related, Plants, Saving Money

Get Bizzy With the Kola Nut.

June 22, 2015 Munchkin

Hello Everyone. Happy Solstice to y’all!! I want to show you some pictures of the fresh kola nut…here in Belize, they call it the “bizzy nut” because it keeps you busy. The tree is of the Cola sp. and it is originally from West Africa. It really gets you moving (and buzzing) as it contains 2 to 3.5% Caffeine, 1 to 2.5% theobromine and theophylline. All of these are known stimulants and theophylline is of particular medical importance because it is used therapeutically for chronic obstructive airways disease, asthma and infant apnoea.

It is used in West African cultures in social gatherings, spiritual practice and to prevent hunger pangs. From our own observations, it is mostly the Garifuna (originally from West Africa) who chew on the bizzy nut here in Belize. They have been known to consume this nut during all night drumming sessions especially around National Garifana Day.

From our personal experience, one nut is equal to a triple espresso and it really gets you talking. It is good for social events and as a substitute for coffee or mate. It is very good for people with asthma and definitely a good drug for “where there is no doctor.” It is also a good natural diuretic. Gnome says: It is good if you like to entertain (but, are also cheap) because it gets everybody talking and at the same time, nobody eats any food because it is an appetite suppressant and so you save money! Our place is Boca-free!!

This kola nut was the original ingredient for Coca-cola although, now in present times it has apparently been omitted from this popular drink.

The dried nuts are available in Punta Gorda; I have mostly seen it stored in a jar at the local pharmacy priced at 25cents (one shilling) each. Cheaper than a coffee ($2 to 3) and twice the potency of coffee!! The other thing is to befriend someone with a kola nut tree because the trees are prolific producers and you can get bags and bags of it (to eat like a busy little squirrel). They are usually taken in the dried form and in this state, they are really hard in consistency…hard enough to break your teeth.

This is the fresh pod:

There are between 6 to 12 nuts (seeds) in each pod. We have eaten the aril around the fresh seeds and found it pleasant tasting…it is a bit like the mace in nutmeg but a bit more substantial in texture with a bland, sweet taste.

Fresh Kola Nut:

Get Bizzy tonight (or not…since there is nothing to do living in the middle of nowhere!).

Belize, Farming, Food

Cooking with Cashew Fruit.

June 21, 2015 Munchkin

I have discovered the wonders of cooking cashew fruit and Ioving it! I have managed to get most of the tannic properties out of the fruit by peeling them. At first, I thought that I would peel them llike tomatoes (boil them, take them off the heat quickly and then peel) but when I actually got down to peeling the raw fruit, it wasn’t that difficult. So, here is a picture of the peeled fruit:

Here is a picture of the chopped fruit:

For all you vegetarians out there, this fruit has the texture of chicken breast so you could use the following recipe but omit the sausage. It has a good enough texture to give a satisfying bite.

My recipe is: Pork Sausage and Cashew Fruit Casserole.

I used some curry leaf in the recipe. The Curry plant actually grows very well here in Belize:

We were both very pleased with the cooked cashew fruit! The only problem is that that every single fruit is getting gobbled up by the paca (gibnut) community and as soon as one drops from the tree, it disappears. Gnome says that this is fair exchange for eating two gibnuts a year.

Casa Mascia Apothecary