Matamis na Bao (literally ‘sweet coco shell) or sweet coconut jam evokes the many good things about the lowly coconut.
The jam is only one of the many side products made from the coconut and one can fill up a long list of useful coco by-products. Coco jam is a mainstay ingredient in or accompaniment for many native Philippine desserts.
Unrefined cane sugar and coconut milk are the main old-fashioned ingredients to make the jam’s caramel-like sweetness. Before Western-styled chocolates has invaded the Philippine dessert table, a typical breakfast or snack in bygone years used to be the pan-de-sal filled with coconut jam.
Bao is the shell of the coconut and a natural packaging material for the jam. Glass jars, of course, have replaced natural packaging materials such as the bao, but somehow the named has sticked around.
Dip your fingers to a sticky bowl of coco jam and experience finger-licking ecstasy (not the crystal or powdered sort)!
Mabuhay ang Coco Jam!
yes, pan de sal with coco jam, miss ko na!!!
“The jam is only one of the many side products made from the coconut and one can fill up a long list of useful coco by-products.”
Along this line, maybe you can feature the Coconut Tree itself as the “Tree of Life” – as we call it in PI. From the roots to the leaves – and everything in-between, something can be made out of. More especially, the Copra wherein we extract coconut oil and in which the Philippines is the largest exporter (still?!?).