Where do I start? Today was mind boggling in many ways. I’ll try my best to keep it as short and compact as possible.
Up in the Hill is a permaculture farm, that produces cacao among other things and is located on the highest point of the isle Bastimentos.
The permaculture farm Up in the Hill is eleven acres and founded around 2000 by Javi and his ex-wife. What used to be a grassland for cows was turned into a diverse jungle, that not only produces the owners with all the needs to live, but also brought back the famous red poison frog to the area and many other animals.
Next to the visual appealing aspects of the farm, there is all kinds of edibles to enjoy. From a cinnamon tree, passion fruits, jackfruits, bananas, ginger, lemongrass, kaffir lime, coconut, chaya and so on, to katuk a plant, whose leaves taste like raw peanuts. As a plants and food loving person it was nothing short of paradise.
The taste of the different cacao fruits was the first culinary highlight on the farm and the reason I barely took any more pictures – how could I, if the other option was eating that delicious fruit?
The sweetness of the fruit plays an important role for the final product – the cacao, as the seeds are being fermented with the pulp on it and therefore affected by their sweetness. Similarly to coffee, they then get sun dried and roasted.
The next highlight was the lunch they prepared with the ingredients seen on the permaculture farm.
Delicious… but the best was yet to come. One of which was the frozen jackfruit, often referred to as fruit of seven tastes. The difference in taste, when fully matured before harvesting it is insane. The taste changed between: mango, kiwi, watermelon, cinnamon, banana and pineapple.
However, the most mind boggling experience was the berry from synsepalum dulcificum, better known as miracle fruit. As the latin name already implies, it makes everything taste sweet, for about thirty minutes after eating one sole berry. It made us chew on a lime as if it was ice cream. The lime no longer tasted sour in anyway but sweet. My mind was blown and the faith into my taste buds forever lost.
Wizard Beach
A sweaty hike down the hill and across the isle brought us to the Wizard Beach, known for its huge surfing waves. My mind however, was still processing all the flavors and informations received at the farm. The beach was recommendable but my mind is still blown dreaming of the miracle fruit.
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