Breadfruit

Breadfruit is a fast growing tropical tree that can attain 85 feet. It is covered with dense large foliages at the tip of the branches. The... more

by Nicole Jean-Louis

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Price

Not Specified

Dimensions

16.000 x 20.000 x 0.900 inches

Title

Breadfruit

Artist

Nicole Jean-Louis

Medium

Painting - Oil On Canvas

Description

Breadfruit is a fast growing tropical tree that can attain 85 feet. It is covered with dense large foliages at the tip of the branches. The grapefruit sized fruit grows in shelter of 2 or 3. Breadfruit is one of the highest yield food plants. A single plant produces 150 to 200 or more fruits per season.
Originally, breadfruit grows throughout Southern Asia, Northwest Guinea area. In historic time, around 1780, famine hit the island of Jamaica. The British plantation owners in Jamaica appealed to King George III to bring cheap, high energy food sources for British slaves in Jamaica. Britain’s Royal Society sent Capt. William Bligh to Tahiti in 1787 to collect breadfruit specimens to help feed colonies in the West Indies. British later successfully established breadfruit trees in the Caribbean. However, the introduction was not entirely successful, as the slaves refused to eat breadfruit; because it tastes bland when eaten alone. It took five decades for the slaves to develop a taste for it.
Breadfruit is a delicious substitute for starchy root crops like potatoes, rice and pasta. The pulp is white. It has a potato like flavor. It can be baked, boiled, or fried. When cooked, it resembles bread in color and consistency. It can be eaten with fish (bacalao, a salted cod fish), meat, avocado, and vegetable. Delicious quiches can be made with breadfruit.
On a nutritional perspective, breadfruit is high in energy from carbohydrate, 25%; low in fat. It is a good source of fiber. It contains an average amount of minerals (potassium, zinc, calcium, copper, iron, magnesium); thiamine and niacin and some average amount of vitamin C, 20MG/100G.
Breadfruit has different names depending on the region. In Hawaii, breadfruit is called, ”ulu”. In Puerto Rico, it is called, “panapen” or “pana”. In Dominican Republic, it is known as, ”buen pan”, or “good bread”. In Indonesia and Malaysia, it is called, “sukin”. In South Indian state of Kerala and the coastal Karnataka specially on the sides of Mangalore, it is known as, ”kada chakka” or “seema chakka” and “deegujje” respectively. In Belize, the Mayan people call it, “masapan”. In Haiti, we call it in Creole, “lame veritable”.

In some rural areas, Haitians value breadfruit as part of their diet. It provides food security. Who knows? Maybe it will help lessen world hunger, one day. In other locations in Haiti, it is seen as food for the poor or for livestock, pigs for example. The tree also gives shelter to birds. The tree yields a milky juice, which is used in boat caulking. Its lightweight wood is resistant to termites and shipworms, so it is used in boat construction.
In my painting the lady is selling breadfruit. She displays her breadfruits on a table and in a metallic wash basin. Having a breadfruit tree in her yard makes her a consumer and an instant CEO.

Reference: Healthaliciousness.com/ Nutrition Facts for Breadfruit.

Uploaded

November 6th, 2011