Santol

After eating Thai food last night, my thoughts drift to the Bangkok Santol tree we used to have in Rich Street many many years ago.  May is santol month, when trees just bloom with tons of either the local variety (smaller, darker, slightly sour) or the Bangkok variety (gold, larger and sweeter).  Someone gave Vicky a kilo of the fruit, and tasting them this lunchtime brings back memories of youth, when my sisters and I would brave the swarms of higad (caterpillars that gave off itchy spores) that would inhabit the santol tree just to pick the ripe fruits.  Tree-climbing was fun, and I even remember that Erica almost fell--she stepped on a branch that couldn't hold her weight!  Nice to reminisce...