Here is a recipe straight from the farm using our own green bananas and coconut cream.
Remember that you can buy our freshly squeezed cream at Green Supaul’s in Punta Gorda.
This is a wholesome vegetarian dish made from green bananas and lentils cooked in creamy coconut cream. The green bananas taste like yam and so adds an interesting texture to the taste experience. If you would like to view the recipe, click on this link to Green Banana and Coconut Cream Lentils.
We are pleased to announce that we have a new product: Lime-Sulphur Fungicide For All Plants. This is an organic product indicated for the treatment of plant fungus. For more product details and usage directions click on the link.
This is available at The Farm Store in Punta Gorda, Toledo. If you live outside this region, you can check out ordering information in The Apothecary.
Combat the fungus with Lime-Sulphur Fungicide For All Plants. If you can’t remember the name, just ask for Presidente No.2!!
We have just delivered a fresh batch of our medicinal soaps to Vance Vernon Pharmacy in Punta Gorda. You will find Copal Medicinal Soap for treatment of rash, itch and insect bites:
There is also Jackass Bitters and Neem Soap which is indicated for sensitive and irritated skin.
You will also find our popular White Pitahaya Soap which is a facial soap recommended for acne (here, they call it “bumps”) and oily skin.
If you do not live in Punta Gorda we can post within the country and internationally. Check out The Apothecary section of our website for more details.
Hi Guys, we have delivered a fresh batch of coconut cream to Green Supaul’s in Punta Gorda. This information might be useful to you:
Usage and Storage of Coconut Cream:
Our coconut cream is sold in the frozen state. Store in the freezer. When you are ready to use, simply use it in the frozen state. If you only require a small amount, cut off a chunk with a knife and store the remaining cream in the freezer. The shelf life of this product is 6 months if stored properly in the freezer.
Look at our beautiful coconuts:
The coconuts are grated and then squeezed by hand. All our own hard work to help maintain the coconut plantation.
Freshly Grated Coconuts.
Green Supaul’s; the coconut cream is still in the ice-cream freezer!
Hope you are having an enlightening Good Friday! Well, it’s hot and we are definitely in the midst of dry season which means it is time to tap copal (Protium copal) for the resin. The most popular use for the copal blocks is as incense. To use, just break off pieces and burn over charcoal. Another use for copal is as a skin treatment for rash, inflammation and itch; copal has been used by the Ancient Maya for centuries as a traditional remedy for skin ailments. It also has natural anti-septic qualities so can be used for minor bacterial and fungal infections. Here are some pictures of fresh copal:
Fresh copal has the smell of rainforests with an uplifting resinous scent.
If you are interested in reading more about the medical properties of copal, click on Copal As Medicine.
Here are some products that we make from copal. We recommend these products for skin conditions including eczema, psoriasis, insect bites and as a preventative treatment for skin infections.
If you want to view more of our copal hand-made products please look at The Apothecary. For anyone living in Punta Gorda (Belize!), you can buy our Copal Medicinal Oil and other products at Vance Vernon and Mahong Pharmacy.
For the people of Punta Gorda, we have a fresh batch of coconut cream at Green Supaul’s. You can’t miss it…it’s in the same freezer as the ice cream and the almond Snickers bars. Here is a snapshot to remind you!
You can use the coconut cream for soups, stews and curries. Also try making shakes and desserts with it. Here is a recipe for a cooling coconut dessert for the hot Easter weekend (well, it’s going to be hot here). Haupia is a Hawaiian dessert; if you are using our coconut cream in this recipe, just use half a coconut cream bag mixed in water to make 1 and 1/2 cups (as a substitute for the coconut milk). This is a great recipe for gluten-free people because it is a delicious recipe made from cornstarch.
The sun is back out and we didn’t get any rains the last few days despite the great promises from weather forecasts. I did hear that Punta Gorda and a few other villages got some rains…it is interesting (and infuriating!) that the weather is so regional. Anyway, we must press on and besides, no amount of whining on my part is going to bring the rains on!
Hello Everyone!!! We have the wonderful smell of brimstone pervading through our house since Gnome has made up a fresh batch of Lime-Sulphur Pet Dip for The Farm Store. Ahhh…like the Catholic Gnome that he is he feels spiritually cleansed and renewed with the richly aromatic vapours of sulphur!
So, get your Lime-Sulphur Pet Dip at the Farm Store in Punta Gorda. Guaranteed to work regardless of religion of pet.
Ask Brian at The Farm Store. Use it for the treatment of Mange, Fleas, Ticks and Ringworm. If you can’t remember the cumbersome long name of the product, just ask for “Presidente.” You’ll know why if you look at at our cheap budget packaging.
Hello Everyone!! We went into Punta Gorda today to deliver a fresh batch of coconut cream to Green Supaul’s. Just in case you are wondering, we make it by grating the coconut:
Next, we add some hot water to the grated coconut and squeeze the liquid out. The liquid is then left to sit for some time to allow the cream to separate and come up to the top (the coconut milk is at the bottom). The cream is skimmed off and sold in these bags. One coconut cream bag (about 4oz) is equivalent to one coconut.
This is fresh, organic, vegetarian, gluten-free, locally produced and politically correct in every way! 😉
!Sabor Natural! Ja-Ja!! 😉
Pacaya is in season right now and is being sold in bunches at Punta Gorda Market. Don’t miss out on this delicacy because it is only harvested for a short time. These are the male inflorescences of the palm Chamaedorea tepejilote and are hand-picked in the wild rainforests of Toledo.
To prepare pacaya simply make a slit lengthwise (see upper picture) to reveal the flowers which are the edible part (lower picture).
The Mayans at the market recommend that I chop the pacaya into pieces and cook it with egg. I haven’t tried this yet. I actually boil the pacaya for about 5 minutes and then I drain the water. You can boil it for up to 20 minutes if you would like to remove the bitterness. I like the bitter taste and I think that it is part of the whole culinary experience.
I’ve been eating the pacaya with a dash of soya sauce served with a bowl of miso soup. This food has a crunchy texture with a pleasant bitterness.
I am sure you will find traditional recipes for pacaya on the Internet but if you are used to reading my Blog, you will be aware that I enjoy creating my own dishes. Next on the list is pacaya tempura…ooooh, can’t wait!!
This morning Gnome woke up with a start. He had a furtive look about him like a squirrel and his eyes were kinda bulging as he said,
“I know it! We will find the air-compressor in PG!”
I processed his statement in with a pinch of salt as I tried to shake myself out of my sleepy state. I yawned and then cheekily replied with,
“Oh, Neo Gnome…has the oracle spoken?”
In the back of my mind I was thinking that he was just trying to find any excuse not to take the three hour drive to the city to procure this contraption for our well-pump.
He said it again,
“I know it! It’s at Mac’s!”
I yawned and patiently said slowly,
“How do you know that? Where? We’ve never set foot in that shop before…”
With conviction in his words, Gnome said,
“I can feel it…”
I rolled my eyes with my usual derisive Chinese woman look and thought to myself…oh to live with a sensitive Italian Gnome who can “feel” things…what next. I didn’t believe him but I thought it best to humour him.
And so off we went into town and enroute, I made him go into every hardware store to look for a portable air compressor. I wanted to delay the inevitable…the disappointment and then the long tedious journey to Belmopan. None to be found and the last place was Mac’s Shop which is a little run-down shop selling mostly second-hard hardware. The road was blocked so we had to make it on foot. Guess what we saw as soon as we entered…
Gnome rushed over the machine and said out loud,
“There it is! I told you!”
Well, there it was and there was no denying that he was right. Gnome’s premonition was correct. I laughed to myself and thought…all this solitary time in the bush must be activating secret Gnome powers…Ha-Ha. I’ve been watching too many crappy Super-hero movies!! If Hollywood ever make a film about Munchkin and Gnome, in the bush, developing special powers, I want Maggie Q to play me! Too Funny.
Anyway back to reality…
We now have a portable air-compressor and Gnome is putting together all the bits to make the Air-lift pump..
He has been messing around with PVC pipe, hoses, bits and pieces and stuff (oh, how technical of me) all afternoon:
Nearly accomplished but we are missing a connector. So, watch this space for the next thrilling installment! Will Munchkin and Gnome get their well-pump working again? Will they be able to do it before all the water runs out? Oh the thrills and spills of living on a farm!! Oh, and what if Gnome really has super-hero powers??