Monthly Challenge/ Harvest and Food/Travel

Strawberry And Mulberry-Filled Stories

Get acquainted with strawberry, its versatility and my mulberry tree-to-be

It was in January of 2011 when the weather in Baguio City was predicted to hit 8C. Everyone in the lowland had a dream of experiencing that kind of weather. And so were we. We spent our weekend in the city of pines.

Though it was only 10C on the night we stayed there, what’s there to complain? With a temperature of 30C everyday in Manila, 10C is a bliss.

The next morning, we visited the La Trinidad Strawberry Farm in the town of La Trinidad which is also in Benguet ( Baguio is in Benguet). La Trinidad is known as the Strawberry Capital of the Philippines.

The Benguet State University leases up to 80 hectares of land to local farmers for cultivation. The annual harvest of the 660 farmers is around 1775 metric tons of strawberries.

The strawberry farm is the most visited place in La Trinidad, for every visitor can experience strawberry picking. The price per kilo of picked strawberry is higher than the selling price in the market. It’s reasonable for the fact that every picker has the option to pick whatever he/she wants.

There is no entrance fee. The farm is open every day. The strawberry picking season is from November to May. Unless the town is not hit by a typhoon (which is so frequent in the Philippines) or by a frost (whenever the temperature dips on the months of December to February), a good harvest welcomes every visitor.

The strawberries for picking were not that much. It was a Sunday and the farmers were the first ones to harvest for the market day and Baguio’s visitors.

The versatility of the strawberry

The locals of Benguet, particularly the restaurants and food businesses in Baguio City, have come up with few delicacies to promote the versatility of the strawberries. From strawberry ice cream, pie, beer, crinkle, cake, jam, syrup and wine, they have it.

Strawberries are added to some local dishes such as Sinigang, Adobo, to the sweet version of Lumpia called Turon, to the tofu-based custard called Taho and to the sweet porridge called Champorado.

Strawberry is not a berry?!

Strawberries are the only berries that are always in the local market. The other berries are either imported, frozen or missing in action in supermarkets.

But did you know that strawberries are not true berries? A very berry disappointing fact. Having read that — “botanically speaking” bananas and grapes are berries, is more disappointing. Botanists call the strawberry a false fruit.

Another berry that is not a real berry is Mulberry

Mulberries are slowly getting into our land and local market. One time, my cousin who lives in my mother’s hometown Bulacan, sent a photo of her mulberry tree . Finally, after years of waiting it bear fruits. And she sent some for us to taste.

The taste? Some are sweet, some are sour. They are of various shapes but look like silkworms. The color ranges from white, red, black and purple.

Last July we went there. I asked for a few mulberry leaves. I wanted to try if I can make a good tea out of those leaves. Aside from the leaves, she gave me a small cutting from the mulberry tree and planted it in a small pot. It has 5 leaves at that time.

After a week I transferred it to a bigger pot. After a month, it grown in height and in the number of leaves. I don’t know how far it can go and grow in that setting. It should be transferred to a wider place after four months. Everything is of cement and concrete in our place. Maybe, it will be — return to sender.

As for the leaves, I steeped the leaves in hot water. All I got was a bland taste. I tried boiling it with water, same result. I’ll try to dry and grind them someday. I hope, I’ll get a good result.

Though I wish to do it now, I feel guilty cutting off some leaves from the few leaves my tiny mulberry-tree-to-be has. Yeah, patience is a virtue.