Mélange Travel & Lifestyle Magazine APRIL 2019 | Page 606

The Breadfruit
A symbol of
St. Vincent & The Grenadines
Photo Credit: Kristina D.C. Hoeppner
Botanical
Gardens
Breadfruit is grown in many of the
Caribbean islands and is a staple in the
diets of the majority of households
in that region. Originating from New
Guinea and brought to the Caribbean
by Captain Bligh, it once served as
meals for slaves during the plantation
era as it is high in carbohydrates,
low-fat and makes you feel very full
after consumption. Today, it remains
a well-consumed item, with a variety
of creative ways of preparation. It has
to be cooked before eating and be it
ripe or unripe it can be boiled, fried,
roasted, baked, made into a salad or
pie - the preparation is limited only by
the imagination.
On the islands of St. Vincent and the
Grenadines, breadfruit is treasured. Its
importance is so remarkable that their
national dish is roasted breadfruit (and
fried jackfi sh)
Click here for more about St. Vincent
and The Grenadines’ breadfruit history.
Photo Credit: Francine L.
The St. Vincent Botanic Gardens were established in 1765. Its 20 acres consist of a variety of tropical plants
among which is the breadfruit tree introduced to the island by Captain Bligh of H.M.S. Bounty in 1793. Also on
the grounds of the gardens is the St. Vincent National Museum with an array of pre-Columbian exhibits. It is
easy to spend a few hours in these gardens which are the oldest in the Western Hemisphere.
Photo Credit: svg.fl avoursblogspot.com