TIESARAP-SARAP

TIESARAP-SARAP. We have these beauties just harvested at Tiaong. Quezon. Tiesas, the famous “egg fruit” because of the creamy, mousse-like texture of its flesh and the rich flavor that is reminiscent of an egg custard. A family story goes that when my mother (God bless her soul) had me in her womb, she would test my father’s love for her by asking him to eat over-ripe Tiesas. Easy enough, except that my mother insisted that he eat the fruit after she has repeated squished the Tiesas in her hand and squeezed the mush through her fingers. My father (God bless his soul), poor long-suffering man, would oblige to make her happy. If I have a somewhat sadistic streak, it must have come from the female side of my family.

We have just 20 kilos. Here they are. Unsquished, unwashed, delicious. The last time we had Tiesas, it was from Besao, Mt. Province and we had to buy the picker a pair of shoes. 

Back read the story:

NEW SHOES FOR ALMIN. What we have here are 10 to 20 kilos of CHESA/TIESSA (English Name: Egg Fruit). Not many young people I know this. If you do, you had an amazing childhood—one associated with kindly grandmothers, forced afternoon naps and scraped knees. It’s an acquired taste but I am willing to bet that if you like egg and all derivatives of eggs, you will love this one. Our small stock of chesas/tiessas comes from a young man named Almin Bete who lives in Besao, Mt. Province. 21 years old and no hope of reentering college, he raises a dozen chickens for meat, a goat for milk, and does odd jobs where he can. With the sale of these chesas, see how little he has on the tree, he says he hopes to buy ukay-ukay shoes for himself and a younger brother for Christmas. We shall give him more than that—Rural Rising will give him new shoes, and clothes too.

SNAP BUY: TIESA. We are looking for a few Rural Rising members to support a trip to Sariaya, Quezon with P420. When we get back with Tiesas, your share shall be 3 kilos. FMs get 3.5 kilos.