epicuric
Legendary Member
Yesterday we returned to a carob processing unit that we had toured last year, to stock up on carob syrup. It's a sweet, chocolate/caramel tasting syrup made from the pods of the carob tree, a completely natural product and a (allegedly) healthy alternative to sugar. I use it in sauces, usually mustard or mushroom based to go with pork, duck or chicken, but it can also be diluted and drunk as a cure for digestive ailments. It is also said to be good for balancing cholesterol, lowering LDL levels.
The carob industry is very small. No one actually grows carob commercially, but most farmers have a few trees, mainly on roadsides bordering vineyards or groves. Each autumn the pods are harvested by hand and sent to one of three small processors who turn them into syrup, powder or confectionery. It is very much a traditional communal operation with very little money in it - low yield, very labour intensive and limited market for the products.
The carob industry is very small. No one actually grows carob commercially, but most farmers have a few trees, mainly on roadsides bordering vineyards or groves. Each autumn the pods are harvested by hand and sent to one of three small processors who turn them into syrup, powder or confectionery. It is very much a traditional communal operation with very little money in it - low yield, very labour intensive and limited market for the products.
