Kalumpit: Don't pop that cherry

It's June! It's kalumpit season!

Here in Manila, few are aware of what a kalumpit is. This is why a kalumpit tree and its fruits are sometimes left to rot in the ground. Kalumpit is a cherry-like fruit that is popular in Batangas but I knew it from growing up in Nueva Ecija (there are lots of kalumpit there, particularly in Cabanatuan). My grandmother would regularly prepare sweetened kalumpit for us, so mama became fond of it.

Kalumpit (looks like duhat, right? HAHAHA)

I have actually mistaken a duhat for kalumpit because I am more familiar with kalumpit than duhat. 

Going back, mama asked me to accompany her to UP Diliman because she wants to pick some kalumpit. Not surprisingly for mama, she does not remember where the kalumpit tree is since it was long ago when she last picked some. She told me that she first started picking kalumpit in UP when she was still in college.  

Finding the tree wasn't an easy task, especially because the people didn't know what kalumpit is. We had to describe it as cherry-like/berry-like/duhat-like/ubas-like fruit that stains red when popped. Fortunately, a security guard was aware of it, he said that there was a time when a fruit like what we've described has fallen and stained his uniform.

Fast forward to present, we found the tree! GYAHAHA, it gave me an OMG yes! kind of feeling, like I've found some hidden treasure that nobody knows. Besides that, DO YOU KNOW HOW MANY TREES THERE ARE IN UP DILIMAN? I mean come on, you gotta give us some credit  for finding it!

Kalumpit tree

I mean really, can you spot the kalumpit tree here?

Alright, now that we have found the tree, we need to find the fruits. I am honestly unsure if it was an easier task or not. The popped ones are easy to locate because it colors the grasses red but we need the "unpopped" ones. Be careful not to pop that cherry because...well, it would be a waste...

Can you find the hidden kalumpit? 

Good thing, I had my glasses on so I was of some help to mama. Overall, it was a nice experience and a sweet dessert :) But don't forget to boil the kalumpit for some time because, chances are, there are worms inside those little red berries, but that's normal :)

I could get used to finding this :) 

Mama, desperately looking for some. I wonder if she ate one, look red lips :)

Mama said that the pinker ones are unriped, while the plummer ones are riped

Is this how (hunting and) gathering felt like during the ancient times? I guess not, but I had fun.

See you around!
Arlet