Today I planted an ackee tree that I got from Ken Love’s nursery. Originally brought to Jamaica from Africa on slave ships, this tropical fruit is highly toxic if not prepared correctly. The unripe fruit and seeds contain hypoglycin A which can disrupt blood glucose production which can cause coma or death. Because of this ackee is never really sold fresh in our markets and the FDA allows only a handful of corporations to export canned ackee to the US.
When fully ripe the fruit opens up and exposes the fleshy yellowish arils which is the part you can eat. It is first par boiled and has a nutty and creamy soft texture similar to scrambled eggs. It is great at absorbing flavors.
The national dish in Jamaica is Ackee and Saltfish which is a stir fry of ackee, onions, peppers, chiles, scallions, garlic and salted cod which was traded in from North American waters since the late 1800s as a cheap source of nourishment.
Since Ackee and Saltfish is usually served in the morning or for brunch, I decided to plant the tree in the breakfast orchard next to the egg fruit, coffee trees and sausage tree.
Originally posted on 2021-09-21, part of the daily planting journal behind Ha’a Chocolate’s food forest on Hawai’i Island.