Passion

I have an overriding passion…

For passionfruit.

These innocuous looking little balls,

whether hard, shiny and firm, or wrinkled like an old crones leathery face, are filled with the most wonderfully flavoured, seedy pulp.

According to family legend, a fruit salad without granadilla isn't worth eating. Even the addition of the contents of one puny, undersized fruit perfumes a big bowl of mixed fruit, adding a certain je ne sais quoi.

I was lucky this week as, when I visited my cousin's place in Ness Tsiona, the vines that have completely covered the small gazebo, were filled with a very generous quantity of fruits just calling out to be picked. Admittedly, I attacked the vines with trepidation. Snakes are known to lurk in the area. And, of course there are lots of spiders and all sorts of creepy crawlies.

Nothing attacked me, but I did come face to googly eye with a leaf grey praying mantis. Obviously a very successful female, because she was HUGE, the biggest I have ever seen, at least 8 inches long {20cm}. And I am not exaggerating.

http://www.entomart.be/

Her mandibles were about 1cm wide when opened and I, who am usually quite eager to pick up interesting creatures so I can take a better look, only tried to capture her half-heartedly. She looked like she would have easily taken a chunk out of my finger, maybe not enjoying it as much as decapitating one of her lovers, but still…

Having returned back to my mouse house with a big bag of dusty fruit – they would have been shiny except that the hamsin we were enjoying had lightly coated everything in orangey grey dust, I decided that I felt like a passiflora mousse. Slightly sour, slightly sweet, rich with soft cheese, the perfect accompaniment to a parched and dusty throat.

• 300gr passionfruit juice
• Sugar/sweetener to taste
• Squeeze of lemon
• 750gr 5% neufchatel type sweet cream cheese
• 1 package gelatine + 150ml water