A little of each town’s story

Breadfruit

A green breadfruit among the leaves

The fruit of the breadfruit tree, named for its texture when moderately ripe fruit is cooked: like freshly baked bread. Today it is grown widely across the tropics, from South and Southeast Asia to the Pacific and the Caribbean. In the Philippines it is called rimas in Tagalog and kolo in the Visayan languages. What I was given was breadfruit from the garden of my stay, fried with sugar.

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

This moment in the journey

Breadfruit from the garden

Time passed lazily around my stay. An orange tabby was curled up on a white plastic chair. Bunches of bananas and a basket hung from the eaves, a small shop was open by the road, and a barbershop stood with its red-and-blue striped pole. In the garden of the house, pink bougainvillea was in bloom.

I received a gift from the mother of the house owner: sweets made from breadfruit that grows in the garden. I was told they are made by putting the breadfruit and sugar straight into the frying oil. The outside was crisp like caramel and the inside soft and fluffy. Nothing like bread at all; a little closer to Japanese candied sweet potatoes.

I learned about breadfruit from the adventure stories I read as a child, and ever since, I had wanted to try it someday. I made coffee and even had seconds. My childhood dream came true unexpectedly.

Watch this scene on YouTube5:18

Read this scene in the full journey