Peach Gum

Don't know who brought up the topic of peach gum. I'd just finished my lesson and had gone back to my desk in the staff room when I heard my colleagues talking about peach gum. Huh? Peach gum? I'd not heard of peach gum before.

So out came the mobile phones, and photos of peach gum were flashed around. My colleagues were talking enthusiastically about where to buy them and how to cook them. I listened intently, but I did not say anything. After all, I'd not heard, not seen and not eaten peach gum ever before.

Peach gum was in fact the natural resin of the peach tree. The gum was in a form of dried amber crystals. One had to soak it and then clean it and then cook it with red dates, goji berries, lotus seeds and rock sugar.

My colleague ME said it was good for the knees. She said she would bring some for me when she cooked them over the weekend. And came Monday, kind ME brought a thermos jar of peach gum and red dates in broth. On the same day, my other colleague, M, brought 2 tumblers of peach gum that she'd cooked! Lol! So much peach gum to share around in one day. I drank the hot one and found peach gum to be really pleasant to eat. It was like jelly, and the hot broth flavoured with red dates and rock sugar was really soothing.

M even gave me some dried peach gum to cook. Back home, Mom soaked them for 24 hours ... and then cooked them with red dates, white fungus and rock sugar ...

Yummy and soothing .... 

I liked it hot ... but Dad preferred it cold. I wanted Dad to eat it cause Dad had bad knees .... so peach gum which is rich in collagen was good for him. Otherwise, peach gum was good for the skin, in that it was said to improve its elasticity and moisture. Which is just what I need because the skin on my face is feeling tight and dry again ..... not as serious as what happened in July, but still irritated me nonetheless.