Tuesday, March 25, 2014

Fruit of the day: Marañon

On a recent trip to Managua, I met the sweetest, oldest fruit vendor on the planet, and she gave me several "new to me" fruits to try, and explained many recipes and preparations for each of them. One of the most interesting was marañon. Unfortunately--soft tropical fruits and a day of bumping around in a hot van in Managua equals nothing but a smear on the van floor and an odor you don't really want to know more about. So, I was doubly delighted when my friend Caryn dropped by just to bring me a weird fruit she had come across. You guessed it: marañon!



In English they are called cashew apples, and yes, that weird little tumor on the end is a cashew nut.


In what is beginning to feel like a theme around here, I found once again that the flavor and the aroma of the fruit (or should I say "pseudo-fruit") are completely unrelated. This thing does not smell good. Once you cut it open, there is a distinctly sweet I-think-I-smelled-that-before-when-the-trash-bag-leaked-brown-water-everywhere kind of smell. The kind of smell that makes you not want to take a bite.

But you can't ask people to bring you weird foods and then not eat them--so I tried it, and it was not a bit like the smell. The flesh is very fibrous and almost sticky. You can't cut a slice from it very easily--it is both mushy and tough at the same time--the stringy bits are surrounded by slimy bits that kind of re-congeal together when poked with a knife. It tastes sweet--but not in a familiar fruity way--maybe more like the aftertaste of pudding? The most striking thing about the taste is how astringent it is. That's the dry-your-mouth-out feeling that can be kind of a strange experience when you aren't expecting it. Imagine a very very strong black tea: that drying feeling it leaves behind in your mouth is the most prominent part of the tasting experience.


Another important note: it says here that due to their very thin and delicate skin cashew apples don't travel well (I know, Managua van ride) and that they only last at room temperature about a day. How true, because by the time I was finished with my tasting/photo shoot, the fruit which had been perfectly beautiful an hour before was already molding.

OK: I know. You're dying to know about the nut itself. Maybe you've even heard about how dangerous it is. (No? Well, think to yourself, have you ever bought unshelled cashew nuts? No? there's a reason for that)

The nut (or more properly seed) is incased in a double shell with a framework of cavities which are full of a dark resinous oily stuff, that evidently is a really bad thing unless you are a chemical manufacturer of commercial lubricants, and stuff.

I was worried that opening was going to be one of those "Indiana-Jones-villians-open-the-ark-against-all-advice-and-their-faces-are-immediately-melted-off" kind of moments. But I am happy to report that I opened the shell and 0% of me was melted.


this was not me


I had previously read that normally the shell is roasted to de-activate all the caustic, slimy, goo. But I was determined to  just bust the thing open and see it in all it's natural glory.


Look at that gigantic cashew inside! I wonder if roasting them makes them shrink, because I've never seen one that big in the Planter's can.

Now, I read that the wet slime in side the hard black shell is technically called urushiol oil and is in the same family of chemicals as poison oak and poison ivy. Here I am valiantly touching the slime and thinking of two dear friends with severe poison plant allergies who would literally fall over dead if they knew I was doing this.



And then came the best part of all: eating a raw cashew! I mean, this is not an opportunity available to everyone. So, I peeled off the papery husk on the nut...


Yum! Raw cashew! It tasted...you know, like a cashew. I tried and tried to get Jonathan to taste it with me. He was convinced I hadn't read carefully enough about appropriate handling procedures, and other stuff about "fool-hardy self-poisoning". Which seemed not only melodramatic, but an over use of hyphenation for one sentence.  In the end, he insisted he needed to stay away from the cashew, in case I suddenly needed medical assistance. Or, as he put it, "To explain your demise to your mother when you suddenly keel over at the keyboard."

How silly. I explained that there was no real dang.. jkloiou    uuugpoisdjkk

Oh.

Wednesday, March 12, 2014

Fruit of the Day: Chocolate

A) No, it is not cheating to call it a fruit (or even a vegetable or a berry depending on the discipline you choose to ask to define it.)
And also part 2) It is not cheating to post about chocolate when I already have. Think of this post as a a prequel.

So--chocolate!
Well, O.K. cacao actually. You see, there is no physical way that with the equipment available to me I can turn

 this   into this



But that doesn't mean cacao is not interesting and sort of delicious in it's own way. Just don't expect "chocolate" and you may be quite pleased with what comes from this strange pod.

Just look at it! Isn't it exotic and weird?


It grows sticking straight out of the side of a tree like creepy alien insect race deposited it there.


Then you bust it open to find all of this  mess:



From previous experience jaunting around the internet, I knew that the next phase in commercial chocolate production was a process of fermenting and drying the slimy stuff off of the cacoa beans.
Here's a nice short summary of the chocolate making process.

In further internet wanderings, I read that the pulp of the fruit is also edible.

Note: "edible" means you won't die if you eat it, not that you should eat it. I need to remember that there is probably a reason that for hundreds of years people have been eating cacoa seeds and you never ever ever hear of people eating any other parts. Yep. There's much to be learned from history.

Alright, it wasn't like, disgusting or anything. But four or five tastes into it, I decided it wasn't that bad of an idea to just spit the thing out. That's when I noticed that the under all that slimy stuff, the un-dried, un-fermented bean is not a rich chocolate-y brown/black like I expected, but...are you ready?...purple!



If you just eat the bean in all its fresh, raw, purple glory, it tastes like a nut and leaves the faintest bitter aftertaste of coffee or chocolate in your mouth. I was very surprised at how different in texture, flavor, and of course color, the fresh cacoa beans are from the dried beans I have played around with before.




For more chocolate adventures: read this old post. (I mean sequel).






Wednesday, March 5, 2014

February Update

Hello all:

February was a change for us. It was mostly good with some minor disappointments, but a reminder  and understanding that God is still in control.

Benny Baker, our executive director, and his wife Donna, returned after being out about 6 weeks for surgery. It is good to have them back as our work load has been lightened. Thank God for his successful procedure and healthy return.

Our trip to Managua for a couple days of R&R before a very busy March was welcomed and included what we hoped would be our final trip to the immigration authorities. Turns out they enjoy our company so much they would like for us to return again on 14 March. This was disappointing, but we see it as minor. Maybe next time...

Sheila and I have been looking for a house to rent as we prepare for what is next here for us. While the convenience of the mission apartment is great, we need to be looking ahead. We would love to have some things we are missing by living in the mission apartment: fresh air, some neighbors, windows that look outside instead of to hallways and other offices, less bus honking, a garden so Sheila can grow cilantro, to name a few. There are good options, but they come and go quickly so being ready with the right timing to pull the trigger is everything.This is an area where we have seen some additional minor disappointments, but we know it has been for the best. The search continues. We are hoping to rent our home in Georgetown soon in a way that covers our costs a little better. 

Our house in Georgetown has had several issues which have hit our savings account fairly hard. We were fortunate to have enough savings to address the issue. The work is almost done. We are down to needing to re-insulate the attic. 

We were treated by a group of wonderful people, based out of Center, Texas to a few days at the beach in Montelimar, south of Managua. Not only was the time relaxing and rewarding, but the bonding of friendships was even more valuable. These folks were here almost two weeks and are a great reminder that work ethic is everything - something that we all need reminding of frequently.



We are blessed to have so many supporters who believe in what we are doing here. We are grateful to have you first and foremost as prayer warriors who have directed prayers to our Master, who in return has blessed us exceedingly. Secondly, we have been provided for financially. Although there are times when finances are tight, we still are taken care of and still have so very much more than those around us. Thank you for all you do. We can't say this more sincerely.

The young preacher in the Apanas community, Juan Carlos, with whom I have been helping in the development of a children's program, has registered 185 children for Sunday school. Talk about blessings! This is requiring a complete shift in how we have been doing things in the development and direction of the program. REALLY seeking God's continued guidance in this! 

This month's themes for your concert of prayers:
  • Completion of the immigration process and receipt of our Nicaraguan ID's on 14 March
  • Completion of the application step in the adoption process 
  • Sale of the truck in Georgetown to replenish savings account
  • Successful rental of the Georgetown house after the work is completed
  • Success of finding a house to call home outside of the mission
  • Effective work this month with the 100+/- guests coming to serve along side us
  • Continued blessings as we evaluate and re-evaluate each project and process of the work being done by Mision Para Cristo
  • Effective teaching of the importance of transparency and honesty among work and workers of Mision Para Cristo
  • Juan Carlos and I as we work with the children of the Apanas community