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.

Belize

The Road Less Travelled.

June 20, 2015 Munchkin 1 Comment

When we drive out of our farm, we usually turn right towards the Southern Highway to Punta Gorda. The road to the left is “the road less travelled” which is called Barranco Road. Here are some pictures as we drive down this road.

Roberts' Ranch Gate. — Roberts’ Ranch Gate.

This is the nearest property…It is called “Roberts’ Ranch.” We believe that “Roberts” lives in the States because over the course of the ten years that we have been here, there have been a series of farm “managers”/ caretakers for the place. This farm is huge…a mile squared so they say and it has chain-link all around the property. This used to be a cattle ranch but as years went by, the cattle slowly disappeared one by one until there was nothing left. There were rumours of cattle rustlers and talk of caretakers trying to settle bills with cattle…who knows? There was a time when everyone was feverish over all the gossip at this ranch so it is difficult to say which stories are true. All we know now is that this place is empty with no cattle or people living on it. Also, the only bit of chain-link fence left is the strip at the front, so we have been told.

About 200 yards down the road, you will reach San Felipe Village. Population is between 200 to 300 and I think that this village was established sometime in the 1970’s. As you can see, most people live in the wooden houses with thatch roofing. There are significant signs of change with more cement house construction and cable satellite dishes in some of the yards.

This is the road as you drive out of San Felipe Village. It is really quite a view (we get so used to it that we don’t even think about it).

There are magnificent Mayan mountains all around as you trundle down the dirt road.

Belize, Farming, Food, Mushrooms

Paprika Stinkhorn Egg with Nori Flakes.

June 19, 2015 Munchkin

Hello Everyone, you are getting two posts almost back to back because our Internet was down for most of the day. The day started off with a thunderstorm and stayed stormy for most of the day; there was also a power-cut for most of the morning.

As promised, I have posted up my recipe with the Witches’ Eggs which I foraged yesterday. I seasoned the sliced immature stinkhorn mushrooms with paprika and white pepper.

The dish actually turned out nicely and Gnome commended me for my efforts. Prior to eating, he had been giving me a sideway neophobic ducky look in preparation for the slimy quality of the mushroom. However, when he did eat it, he looked surprised and likened it to oysters; he said that they should be called “vegetarian oysters” or “faux oysters.”

The toasted nori flakes complimented the “seafood” taste of the mushroom very well. For the full recipe, check out Paprika Stinkhorn Egg with Nori Flakes in Belize Wild Recipes.

At this point, I would like to thank our Chinese friend (real Chinese, not like me!) for emailing us to give us some more information on this fungus.

This is what she said (more or less):

This mushroom is called Zhu Sun in Chinese. The Zhu means bamboo (because it grows on bamboo litter) and it also has the same sound as congratulations. The Sun means smooth and successful. Zhu Sun also means longevity. This mushroom is usually eaten during Chinese New Year but can also be eaten all year round. The Chinese eat the mature mushroom and the recipes are usually found under “bamboo pith” on the Internet.

This information was a great help and we will be collecting some fresh mature specimens to eat. I can’t wait!

Yes, she is right, they do grow on bamboo litter as you can see:

May we all have the pleasure of eating such an auspicious mushroom!

Belize, Our Products

Botanica Belize in Belize City.

June 19, 2015 Munchkin 1 Comment

I would like to dedicate this blog post to Joanna Randolph, of Botanica Belize. She will be taking part in The International Belize Yoga Event this Saturday the 21st of June. It is hosted by the Embassy of India and will be held at Ramada Princess Hotel, Belize City starting at 7am. The purpose of this event is to make people aware of the many health benefits of Yoga.

Joanna will be taking the Botanica Belize products which have been made in collaboration with Casa Mascia Apothecary. Here are some pictures shot on location in the bush!

Pitta, Kapha and Vata Blended Essential Oils.

Good Luck Joanna and we hope that the Yoga Event is a success!!

Belize, Food, Medical Related, Mushrooms

Witches’ Eggs.

June 18, 2015 Munchkin

Hello Everyone. It has been pouring down all day and we are surrounded by big puddles of water. It is dull, miserable and grey and so I naturally gravitated to the kitchen to make some comfort food. I made mochi balls with lotus paste. They definitely hit the spot…at least for the 15 minutes in which we were devouring them. Anyway, these are not the “Witches’ Eggs.”

These are the Witches’ Eggs:

These are the stinkhorn mushrooms in their immature form. If you want to harvest these, you need to go to a spot where you have seen this type of mushroom, get down on your hands and knees and look and feel for these round protrusions above the soil. I found eight of them today and this is a picture of a the mushroom cut in half:

These Witches’ Eggs are edible although I can’t find any recipe on the internet. A lot of information comes from other blogs where people have voiced their disgust over the gelatinous quality of this mushroom. Apparently, this fungus is cultivated by the Chinese and I was surprised to read that it is actually the mature form which they eat. They are dried and then re-hydrated for soups. Apparently, it is a highly esteemed ingredient in Chinese cooking and considered a delicacy. With the promise of delectability, I am definitely getting out there in my rubber boots to collect this for my soup.

I have known about the edibility of the witches’ eggs for a long time since we used to collect them in Scotland. At that time, we were really spoiled for choice with chanterelles, boletes and all manner of freshly foraged mushrooms that I didn’t really make much of an attempt to cook these ones up. Since I am now in Belize and mushroom foraging is less diverse, I have decided to give this mushroom another chance. I will be cooking it tonight so will post up my recipe tomorrow.

The protein content of these mushrooms in the egg form is comparable to that found in meat. Mmmm…something for the vegetarians to consider.

Also, this mushroom contains anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial properties.

Oh, and this one is very interesting…according to a 2001 publication in the International Journal of Medicinal Mushrooms, the smell of the fresh fungus can trigger spontaneous orgasms in human females. Definitely another reason to get the rubber boots out and go mushroom foraging?!

Everything Handmade in Belize.