Rich Food...

When we heard about the Moringa plant a couple of years ago...

we ordered some seeds and managed to grow a few in pots

we gave a couple of them away to interested parties...

and transplanted the rest into the ground

the small finches love this tree...

and we love eating the leaves off and using the stems for tea brewing

the taste of the leaves is a bit peppery, but good

going out to the tree and snapping off a stem of leaves is my favorite way of eating it

you can click this link to wikipedia...

and you will get some info on it

there are more links to other sites at the bottom of the Moringa Wikipedia page

our French Cashew (aka Malay Apple) tree is flowering, once again...

and it looks like there will be more fruit than the first time it bore

ours were quite sweet...

so am looking forward to having these from off our own tree, again

the flowers are ever so pretty...

and I just love how so pink they are

my husband and our farmhand have been working hard...

getting up a roof over the stairs leading up to the main part of the cottage

it will be quite nice to go up and down without getting thoroughly...

drenched by rain when we need to go in and out for any reason...

while the raindrops are falling

then, there is the Noni fruit someone graciously let us have

she told us to put it in a tight covered jar...

let it seep the juices out for several weeks...

and during that time, it is actually fermenting

then, when the fruit has shriveled up and gone black...

the juice is ready to drink

we are giving it a try

if I can remember to do so...

I'll let you know how it tastes

right now, it still has a ways to go

when I contemplate the abundance of the foods the Lord God gives us...

it causes me to meditate on His promises to His people as shown in the scripture:

On this mountain the Lord of hosts will make for all peoples a feast of rich food,

a feast of well-aged wine,

of rich food full of marrow,

of aged wine well refined.

And He will swallow up on this mountain the covering that is cast over all peoples,

the veil that is spread over all nations.

He will swallow up death forever;

and the Lord God will wipe away tears from all faces,

and the reproach of His people He will take away from all the earth,

for the Lord has spoken.

It will be said on that day,

"Behold, this is our God;

we have waited for Him,

that He might save us.

This is the Lord;

we have waited for Him;

let us be glad and rejoice in His salvation."

Isaiah 25:6-9

Amen!

May your day and night find grace in the Lord.

French Cashew...and Cashew Nut, too...

Our French Cashew, aka Malay Apple, trees are young still...

and although they are now bearing a few fruits...

let me take you down the road just a few hundred feet away...

and to the left of the photo you will see a tree

this is the French Cashew tree which can grow quite tall and thick

(the cow in the photo below, is our Ms. Ruthie Moo-Moo, who was quite curious)

when the French Cashew tree blooms...

well! you get a brilliant bang of hot pink color in your eyes

the flowers are a most curious and interesting puffballs of needle like petals...

that grow along the branches inside the tree and can often be missed until...

they fall to the ground

the needle like flowers develop within a covering of sepals as seen in the left photo below

after the flowers fall, the fruit develops

sometimes the fruit will have creamy yellow stripes with red or...

become fully red in color

the skin develops a waxy feel and look...

the inside is white and crispy, with one marble-like seed in the middle... 

that parts from the flesh easily

the flesh has a rose water flavored apple taste to it, so good, it is

and if there is no one to pick all that beautiful fruit on a tree growing wild...

it becomes fodder on the ground

we missed the harvest on this tree because we forgot to look

a few we could save and salvage for our eating pleasure and health

(I'm sorry for the lousy photo below. It was all I had to show the crispy inside)

now let me tell you that this French Cashew, aka Malay Apple...

is not the Cashew Nut fruit

while the French Cashew does not have the nut...

the Cashew Nut is the fruit with the cashew nut on it

did you know the cashew nut grows on the bottom of a fruit?

while these two fruits have a similar look...

the Cashew Nut fruit is different both in taste and texture from the French Cashew

the nut, which is actually the seed, breaks off from the fruit and is encased in a shell...

however, the nut is not edible until it is properly and carefully shelled by a knowlegable person...

to keep the toxic acid from contaminating the cashew

this is a process I leave to one who knows the right way to do this

while the French Cashew (Malay Apple) is crisp and light...

the Cashew Nut fruit has a softer skin...

and a creamy yellow pulp without a seed in the middle (the nut is the seed)

the taste of the Cashew Nut has undertones of mango, raw green pepper...

and a hint of grapefruit

very good in it's own right

Cashew Nut fruit is most often used for making juice

so now...I hope you are not confused

you can look them both up on the web under their names...

and get more info on these wonderful, healthy fruits

and of the Lord, His word says...

Who in times past suffered all nations to walk in their own ways.

Nevertheless He left not Himself without witness,

in that He did good,

and gave us rain from heaven,

and fruitful seasons,

filling our hearts with food and gladness.

Acts 14:17

May your day or night be fruitful in the grace of God.