soursop

It was a day for fruit: 3 pineapples, cherries and a big fat soursop. The soursop is slightly bigger than an American football and a lot heavier. I heard it fall with a satisfying thud and got to it before anyone else could. Strange fruit. It’s a pretty tree, like a laurel, with shiny green leaves and odd flowers with thick custard coloured petals which come straight out of the trunk. There are 3 outer petals which open to reveal two more sets of three within. I’m not sure what pollinates them but did see one positively pulsate with custard coloured beetles the other day, the like of which I’ve never seen before. The fruits are green with short soft spikes. Inside there are a very juicy series of fleshy envelopes most enclosing a pretty, shiny, black flattish seed which is toxic. The trick is to remove all the seeds. Soursop can be eaten as is and it’s very tasty, but it’s so big that unless one throws a party, it can’t be finished. Luckily it makes a good jam and a nice sorbet. I’ll make jam in the morning.
Between rain and the garden being full of ants today – when they move they really do move – I didn’t get much done except the weeding and twisting chayote tendrils round trellis. Picked some pumpkin leaves for dinner. I’ve cleared away all the first generation pumpkins and the second generation is still rather young so I’m without flowers for the first time in 3 months. The leaves are great though and I use them just as I would spinach or chard. The leaf stalks are hollow and look just like penne pasta. I have to use them like that some time. I also picked some ginger.
I’m going to Mr Eddy’s tomorrow and made him some ginger beer. Mr Eddy is an older Jamaican who went to university in England and now runs a couple of cabins from his front yard by the beach. He has a great garden: mango, avocado, cinnamon, lime, orange, lemon, manzana de agua, black pepper, lemongrass, citronella, malanga, cassava, sugar cane, ylang-ylang, jasmine, datura, juanilama, pineapple, papaya, coconut and I’m sure I’m forgetting others. I saw him at Moreno’s yesterday and he said he was looking for a gardener. I’m interested. I don’t think I have time but I’m interested. Mr Eddy knows a lot, it would be a pleasure to learn from him.

banana/pumpkin/sweet potato/carrot cake

Banana, pumpkin, sweet potato, carrot Bread
An easy and tasty way to use up the last of that glut of produce.
When making bread with pumpkins first boil the pumpkin with some grated nutmeg and mash before adding it to the bread mix. With sweet potato I do the same, but use cinnamon instead. For bananas use the ripest you can find and mash, with carrots grate finely and add powdered cinnamon.
2 cups brown flour
½ stick of butter or 1/3 cup of oil
A good ½ cup of brown sugar, to taste
2 eggs
Bananas or pumpkin or carrot or sweet potato
Nutmeg or cinnamon depending on produce
Salt if desired
Soaked raisins, walnuts or almonds if desired

Cream together the sugar and fat. Add eggs and beat again until thoroughly mixed. Fold in a cup and a half of flour. Add produce and mix well. Check consistency of your mix, if it’s loose add more flour until the consistency holds together well but drips from a spoon. Pour into a greased bread pan and cook at 225 or thereabouts for 30 minutes. The bread is ready when an inserted knife comes out clean. Very nice served warm with cream cheese.