We have a perennial bushy plant or a small tree near our kitchen. The location is very handy for its many kitchen uses. Filipino palate uses a lot of sour seasoning in many recipes, and the fruit of this plant comes naturally for our use. Both the fruit and the leaves are used as medicinal as well. I searched for these uses and the knowledge will change how i look at "dayap", our local lime, from now on! Scientifically it is called
Citrus aurantifolia.
The peel has a lovely scent that contains a lot of oils, and i realized some of which are good sources of antioxidants and weight loss properties. From now on, instead of using vinaigrette, vinegar or calamansi (
Citrus microcarpa syn. Citrofortunella microcarpa), i will now be using this citrus. That will even give me more savings because our three trees never stop producing a lot of fruits throughout the year.
I never thought that its flower when given particular attention is very delicate and beautiful. This will further change how I look at our "dayap".
These are still immature fruits but can already be used for souring. Mature fruits have slightly lighter green or yellowish green color. The taste doesn't change in maturity, only the volume of juice and ease of juicing change. It is the mature ones that is very handy and readily substitutes for the grapefruit used by many for detoxification.
'Dayap' here i come!
Owoc ma sporo wartości, ale jego kwiat zachwyca swoim widokiem. Pozdrawiam.
ReplyDeleteFruit has a lot of value, but its flower charms with its views. Yours.
Yes Giga, the flower is lovely, but i found its beauty only with the macro lens.
DeleteBeautiful and healthy. Gorgeous shots.
ReplyDeleteThanks for dropping by Poetic Shutterbug. It certainly gave me a new meaning.
DeleteI'm not sure I've ever seen one of those, its flower is certainly pretty.
ReplyDeleteYou know this Al, i just didn't describe it well, but it's all over in the net.
Deletethat is a plant that is new to me, but it is always good to learn something new!
ReplyDeleteThanks for visiting Millie, limes are also seen in supermarkets worldwide.
DeleteLovely!
ReplyDeletedas Blüten-Macro ist dir sehr gut gelungen - einfach wunderschön
ReplyDeletelg gabi
The flower is very pretty.
ReplyDeleteYes Gunilla, the flower photo will be more beautiful in your lens.
DeleteMmmmmmm. I love dayap.
ReplyDeleteThanks capeofdreams, do you have Southeast Asian origins?
DeleteI guess the closest sour fruit we eat is a lemon and I'm not sure it would even compare to your dayap.
ReplyDeleteI think there are a few lemon fruit species around, and somehow there are also hybrids circulating in commerce. Ours is surely native here and fits our cultural recipes and our palate. The rind also gives good scent to leche flan.
DeleteBlogspot does not want to let me say that I think your Dayap is our lime, the stuff of drinks and pie.
ReplyDeleteNellJean, i don't know what your lime is, but this reference is a good one to substantiate my post with our dayap as C aurantifolia. I found this reference at first click, it has a good history too. Our dayap is also the Mexican lime or Key lime, as i infer from the history in this reference. http://flkeylimepies.com/aboutlimes.html
DeleteYum! I love fresh citrus! You're so fortunate to have Lime trees just outside your door. My aunt and uncle have Lemon trees in California, and there's nothing like freshly squeezed lemonade!
ReplyDeleteI think they have two species there in California, and because they have colder climates their limes become yellower when ripe. Color development is very much affected by cold temperatures. Thanks for visiting.
DeleteI love limes and would love to grow them here...how lucky to have them right outside your door.
ReplyDeleteYes Donna, and they are also host to many swallowtail larvae, and the sunbird loves to make its nest on its thorny branches.
DeleteYour dayap and we have the calamansi which we use extensively in cooking and drinks. It is a useful plant to have around, to be plucked whenever it is needed.
ReplyDeleteHi Elsie, we also have calamansi side by side with dayap. Calamansi has more sweetness in it, but dayap's rind has a lovely scent like the lime. They have different uses but can be used interchangeably when one is absent.
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