Hymenaea courbaril L.
From Piauí to north of Paraná, these magnificent leafy trees up to 65 feet high produce hard shelled brown pods of about 15 centimeters in length, which enclose an edible, sweet pulp of yellowish color and mealy consistency. It can be cooked with milk or passed through a sieve to obtain a flour with several uses, as an ingredient in cookies, meringues, cakes, breads and custards. In folk medicine, the leaves and stems are used in infusions to heal bronchitis. Together with other 27 Brazilian products, the fruit is part of Arca do Gosto (Ark of Taste), a Slow Food movement to preserve and popularize ingredients in danger of extinction.
