Fruity as a Bignay Tree

For a long time, our home was nestled in nature. We grew up in a place where we can place with nature. There are so many fruit-bearing trees like atis, mango, santol, calamansi, tamarind, guava, banana, coconut, lime, star apple, duhat, aratiles, and latest addition was a Bignay tree.

I first heard the name of this tree from my aunt. I thought she was only referring to a place in Valenzuela which is located on the upper portion of the city. But it was really the name of the tree.

I first saw the fruits when they harvested them. its has pretty small and round, as big as pearl. Bursting with its red color. My other aunts mistaken it as cranberry. But unfortunately its not. Well, the Bignay fruit has many uses: my aunt used some of the extracts as souring agent for Sinigang of any kind (can be meat or fish..)(before I did my research...hehehe), it can be drink as a juice and can improve digestion or can be eaten raw (the ripe ones with the almost maroon color are the sweetest....). Having been fascinated with the uses of Bignay, not to mention it was already featured on TV including its products, I did my research. It is famous as a wine sold in the Philippines together with other fruit wines. While in some countries it is used as syrup, jellies and jam. I am curious about the wine....hahahaha...

next blog...experiment in making the Bignay wine... ;-)