Pixbae, as Bactris gasipaes is called here in Panama is a delicious but somewhat difficult to cook species of palm native to the tropical forests of the South and Central America. You can read a ton about it here in Wikipedia. It is a mean looking tree but it produces some delicious food. The tree has spines on it which are like long needles and are not something you want to encounter in a body part. The fruit of the tree comes in season once a year. The natives cook it in boiling salted water and then use it like a potato. We have taken things to the next level. We take the fruit, cook it in the boiling salted water, and then peel it and puree it. Once pureed, we use it as you would use sweet potato or pumpkin. We have made a pie, ice cream, salad, and a delicious bread. When one of the trees falls, we take advantage of it and use the heart of the palm in salads. Yummy! Here is the link for the bread we make here at Tranquilo Bay.

Tags: vegetable, bocas del toro