A calamansi fruit tree towering more than 15 feet over the front yard of Linda Hale’s New Iberia home is not just for ornamental purposes. The fruit, indigenous and widely cultivated in the Philippines, reflects much of Hale’s cultural cuisine.

Hale, a native of the Philippines, left her country 33 years ago to come to the United States and like most Filipinos she remains true to many of the native dishes that she and her family enjoyed, but readily admits that Cajun cuisine has influenced a great deal of the traditional Filipino dishes she now prepares.

Just as many other Filipino cooks, Hale is accustomed to preparing dishes with contrast and distinctive flavors. She appreciates the subtle flavors that come together with a variety of foods that are slowly sautéed or stewed together. The bitter, sour and sweet flavors are very much part of the Philippine cuisine. The combination of garlic, onion, brown sugar, soy sauce and fish sauce offer a distinct flavor for marinades that sets the food apart from any other.

Calamansi, the versatile citrus fruit often called a calamondin or Philippine lime, is the secret ingredient to many Filipino delicacies, Hale said, which explains why the large fruit tree is planted on her front lawn.

Many of the dishes, dipping sauces and marinades call for calamansi juice to create a sweet and sour taste, she said.

For that added touch of zest, Hale also has a Japanese lime tree planted along the side of her home.

The fruit is available year-round in the Philippines and is usually seen in its unripened green state. When fully ripened it turns to a tangerine orange color and has a fragrant smell of a fresh orange, said Hale.

“I call the calamansi my ‘mean lime’ because it is very sour. When it is at the green state, it does taste more like lime. When ripened and the skin has turned orange, it has a similar taste to a lemon,” said Hale.

If calamansi cannot be found, the juice of a lemon or lime can be substituted in a recipe, she said.

Although the taste of the fruit is sour, the peel which is sweet and distinctive, is often used as a zest in many Philippine dishes or can be dehydrated and used with salt and sugar as a gourmet flavoring.

Hale said her trees have an abundance of fruit, but the fruit is never wasted.

“I like to share with family and friends. The juice of the fruit can be extracted and frozen as ice cubes for future use. It makes a flavorful drink similar to lemonade,” she said.

Calamansi halves can be served along the side of ice tea and lemonade for added flavor. The fragrant fruit can also be served as a garnish and can be squeezed over seafood and meat dishes to create a unique flavor.

Hale said the juice of the calamansi is perfect to add to a marinade or dipping sauce to accompany chicken or seafood.

“The combination of the lemon-lime flavor with soy can really set the flavor of a dish. It is especially good with fish,” she said.

It is not unusual to find a touch of Cajun in many of Hale’s native dishes. Hales’ Adobong Okra recipe includes calamansi juice, soy sauce and Cajun seasoning.

“I often get teased by my friends when I include Cajun with some of my Filipino dishes, but if you live in Cajun country you’ve got to use the seasoning,” she said.