|
|
|
Breadfruit was brought to the Caribbean in the eighteenth century as
a staple part of the slaves' diet. Originally, the tree grew in the Polynesian
islands, where it was called "ulu." The slaves didn't like the fruit,
however, and refused to adopt it as a staple part of their food supply until years after
abolition. Today, breadfruit is a standard element in local dishes.
The tree itself easily stands forty to sixty feet tall with
spreading branches. The leaves are large (up to three feet in length) and deeply
lobed, with dark green, smooth upper surfaces and paler undersides with distinct
veins. The fruit itself is roundish, green, and weighs up to ten pounds. The
meat has a slightly nutty flavor.
Captain Bligh and his crew first tried to import the tree in 1787
from Tahiti. According to one source, however, the crew rebelled when the seeders
soaked up more than their share of drinking water and Bligh rationed his men's water
supply. During the rebellion, the dissenters set Bligh, his loyalists, and the trees
adrift in the ocean. Bligh and his followers survived to make the trip
again--successfully-- in 1793.
|
