Breadfruit Vibes

All is right in the world with a roasted breadfruit and two knobs of butter.  All was not right in the world when breadfruit was transported to the West Indies.  Historically, the forebears of numerous present-day islands disliked the fruit and actively boycotted consumption of the green globes which have since become integral to our diets.

For those of you who do not know about breadfruit, it is that tree that releases fruit like a cannonball that hits the ground with a heavy thump!  Pray not to be under one when it happens.  To avoid this, someone (usually an agile youth) would climb the tree with a sharp blade attached to the end of a long stick, to saw at the stalk of the fruit for a controlled fall to a good catcher on the ground.  These trees can reach heights of up to 50 feet and bear fruit throughout the year. Although classified as softwood—resulting in lightweight branches that may pose climbing risks—the wood is highly valued in furniture production and residential construction for its notable resistance to termites and exceptional durability. Additionally, the inner bark has traditionally been utilized by local communities to produce a lightweight, breathable fabric.

The fruit has a bright green, thin outer skin that can range from neon green to yellow-green or dark green, with an off-white, creamy interior and a firm, spongy core. When ripe, the aroma is vegetal and green, developing into a more pronounced and slightly sweet scent as it ripens further. The flesh when young and firm is mild, and almost raw almond flavour that pairs well with various added flavours, sauces, and stews commonly used in Barbadian cuisine. Dishes such as saltfish gravy, beef stew, pickled accompaniments for pudding and souse, red herring sauce, and steamed flying fish in tomato and onion gravy are all traditionally served with breadfruit, whether it is steamed, fried, or mashed.  As it ripens it goes through a stage of a fragrant, slightly floral, hint of grass to a rich, highly floral, hot mashed potato aroma. Overly ripe, yet ready for pudding is almost cloyingly sweet especially when left to rot in the open air.

Breadfruit has not always been highly regarded in the Caribbean. For many years, local populations considered it primarily as animal feed, a perception rooted in its introduction during the era of slavery when its unfamiliarity and bland taste contributed to its low status—plain roasted breadfruit was often found unappealing. Historical accounts suggest that enslaved peoples may have resisted consuming breadfruit, aware of the considerable efforts made by slave traders to transport it to the region.

  The initiative to introduce breadfruit began with Sir Joseph Banks, a prominent botanist and adventurer who later played a key role in developing the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew in London. In 1768, at the age of 25, Banks joined Captain Cook's expedition to the South Pacific, partly to observe the transit of Venus for advanced astronomical calculations. His primary motivation, however, was related to personal scientific pursuits, and he was accompanied by a team dedicated to documenting, illustrating, and caring for collected specimens. Of the 3000 flora and fauna specimens taken from Pacific Islands, breadfruit was of particular interest after viewing how the Tahitians revered the tree.

Some years later when West Indian plantation owners constantly complained about the increasing costs of feeding their slaves amidst the American Revolution (whilst reaping significant profits and importing their own foodstuffs), a call was made to the English parliament to help them attain this wondrous breadfruit tree they had heard about seen in Ha’waii and the islands of the southern seas.  Banks sided with the planters and used his connection and friendship with King George III to pronounce this would indeed be a good idea.  His principal machinations were entirely economic, for if England could establish new colonies, transport food-bearing plants from around the world to their colonies to feed the slave populations and the armies stationed in India, incredible wealth would follow.  Slaves would work more, produce more and the profits from those plantations could be taxed more.  This shift in trade economics set the path helped create the British Empire.  

Joseph Banks convinced the British Crown to commission 3 ships, one of which was renamed HMS Bounty, and appointed Capt. William Bligh to spearhead the journey in 1787 to the island of Tahiti.  There are several hundred species of breadfruit, and many cultivars were taken and carefully transplanted and arranged in special containers all over the hold and cabins of the ships.  It is said that a combination of pinching water rations to feed the saplings over the soldiers, as well as some sailors who were disgruntled at having to leave the sunny tropical island, idyllic life and quickly formed relationships, compounded to the infamous mutiny on the Bounty.  Despite losing ships, inventory, men, time and money, the project was renewed, with new ships ready to set sail from England in 1791.  The second time around was a success and in 1793 the surviving breadfruit saplings arrived in St. Vincent and Jamaica.

Breadfruit may have been an unwilling participant in a laborious effort for an enslaved population, and it may have been scorned by said population, but it has more than paid its dues in nutritional and medical value and culinary versatility.  Yellowed breadfruit leaves can be brewed into a tea that is traditionally used for high blood pressure and asthma. Burning the flowers has been used as an insect repellent, while green leaves are burned and applied for skin conditions, among other traditional practices. The flesh contains antioxidants, potassium, fibre, calcium, and various other nutrients, and it can also be dried to produce gluten-free flour.   

In regions where breadfruit is cultivated, local communities have created a wide range of products that reflect advances in culinary methods and innovation. These include chips, crisps, taco shells, croutons, breads, flours, mixes, cakes prepared with various seasonings and flavourings, as well as dumplings and croquettes—both plain and filled with meats or cheese.  Western capitalist commercial attention has activated its focus on breadfruit, a member of the Moracae (Jackfruit) family, designating the global rotational marketing stigma of 'superfood' upon it – highlighting its nutritional value of containing all the amino acids.

  The irony of historical lobbying to transport this starchy fruit solely to feed captive masses on the cheap, to promotion on a global level as a healthy, low fat, gluten free food is not lost. As the earth’s temperatures rise, scientists are dedicated to studying tropical staple crops, such as breadfruit, for their possible adaptability to temperate zones.  For the islanders of the Pacific regions and of the Caribbean, breadfruit is much more than a trendy staple, it is part of their cultural identity.