Charmaine Hepburn, home economics officer for Hanover, shows off breadfruit tea bread. - photos by Barbara Ellington/Lifestyle Editor

Rotund and substantial, the breadfruit, with either its 'yellow heart' or 'white heart', fills the bellies and memories of many Jamaicans.

Not one can mistake the distinct smell of breadfruit roasting over an open flame. Modern inventions have moved the round beauty from the woodfire and coal stove to the gas burner and the oven.

Closely eyeing and weighing the fruit are all in an attempt to select the perfect one. A 'turn' breadfruit (slightly ripened) gives a sweet taste when roasted or a green breadfruit when roasted gives the consistency and the taste of well, bread.

Other traditional methods of preparation include boiling and frying the breadfruit.

But the 'breshay', as many call it, is remarkably diverse. No one knows this better than Charmaine Hepburn, social services and home economics officer at the Rural Agricultural Development Authority office in Hanover, who whipped up 24 breadfruit recipes for this year's Denbigh Agricultural Show.

"To be honest I just love the creativity of it," Hepburn said of the recipes which spanned drinks, breads and desserts. Some foods prepared were ripe breadfruit fudge, breadfruit donuts (assorted flavours), candied breafruit sword, breadfruit cookies, breadfruit wine, breadfruit ginger bread, breadfruit tea bread and breadfruit honey cake.

Hepburn tailored the breadfruit to the dish she was making, selecting a ripe breadfruit which was mashed to a desired consistency or otherwise the green breadfruit was boiled and mashed.

It's hard to imagine a time when breadfruit was not a staple. It actually took many years before Jamaicans would eat the fruit.

History

Breadfruit is in season now, and as we say in Jamaica, they are enough to stone dog. But there are many street-corner vendors who will roast them for you. The only trouble is, you don't know whether you are getting white or yellow heart.

The first attempt to introduce the starch to the island was unsuccessful. In the 1780s the island experienced five hurricanes between 1780-6 which ravished the food source. The American War of Independence restricted imports from that country and a drought also contributed to the food shortage.

Planters in the West Indies heard of breadfruit and offered a hefty reward for the ship captain who successfully brought the plant to the island. William Bligh took on the challenge, but before he could make it to the island his crew mutinied, threw him overboard along with his prized plants. It is said the crew was frustrated as they were left thirsty at the expense of keeping the plants alive.

Bligh survived that ordeal and in 1793 gave the expedition a second try. He succeeded in bringing the plant to Jamaica and St Vincent. His first stop was Port Royal and then it was off to Port Morant. The first trees were planted at Bath Botanic Garden in St Thomas.

Additional info taken from A-Z of Jamaican Heritage by Olive Senior

sacha.walters@gleanerjm.com

Breadfruit pudding

Breadfruits have a smooth, brownish colour when roasted (baked) in the oven. To save on gas or electricity, wait till you have other food to bake.

Breadfruit chips, one of 24 items made by the people of Hanover.