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Breadfruit
Samoan missionaries introduced breadfruit into tropical north Queensland in the late 1800s. In 1788, Captain Bligh transported large quantities of breadfruit plants from Tahiti to the West Indies on the Bounty. It is native to South East Asia, but has been cultivated extensively throughout the Pacific, where it is a staple food. Together with the coconut, breadfruit is synonomous with the Pacific lifestyle. Characteristics Breadfruit is round to egg-shaped, about 20 cm in diameter and can weigh up to 4 kg. It has a thick, warty, green skin and white, starchy flesh. In cooking, the fruit is best used when hard and green. When ripe the flesh is soft, sweet and yellow. In seeded varieties, such as breadnuts, the seeds taste like chestnuts when roasted. Mature breadfruits on the tree are characterised by a white sappy exudate. The trees have deeply lobed, dark green leaves that are very distinctive and attractive. Taste Sweet when eaten ripe, with a bread-like texture when baked. Buying and Storing Choose firm breadfruit free from blemishes. They can be stored in the refrigerator for up to a week, but the skin will darken. Preparing and Serving Breadfruit can be peeled and then boiled, roasted or fried like potatoes, baked whole in the oven or barbecued. Ripe breadfruit pulp is used on its own or mixed with flour to form dough for dessert dishes. The various stages of the ripening process of the fruit are critical to any recipe containing breadfruit. Availability January to February Varieties Noli, Cannonball, Solomon Yellow, Samoan, Breadnut. Acknowledgement The information about avocados is mainly sourced from the Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries Queensland publication Tropical Tastes - Fruits, Foods and Flavours of North Queensland and is reproduced with due acknowledgement and authority.
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