The Breadfruit [ artocarpus altilis ], or kolo [ in Tagalog ], is the cousin of jackfruit and marang [ marang tarap ]. Growing up in the province, I ate loads of the latter two – either as dessert [ jackfruit ], or as a viand [ marang ] cooked in coconut milk.

Breadfruit is a staple food in many tropical regions and is part of many South Pacific legends. They apparently evolved in Indonesia’s Sunda Archipelago and became the staple diet for islanders throught the tropical Pacific Islands. They were propagated far outside their native range by Polynesian voyagers who transported root cuttings over long ocean distances.

In the green stage, the fruit is hard and the interior is white, and somewhat fibrous. When fully ripe, the fruit is somewhat soft and the interior is cream coloured or yellow. The breadfruit measures up to 200mm in diameter, almost spherical and can weigh up to 4 kilos. The breadfruit tree can grow up to 20 meters tall.

Like potato and banana, the breadfruit is starchy, and they are roasted, baked, fried or boiled before being eaten. When cooked, the taste is potato-like or similar to a freshly baked bread, hence the name.

In Dumaguete City, where I had my first encounter with the breadfruit, it is peeled, steamed or fried, and eaten with latik [caramelized coconut cream], either for breakfast or merienda [snack].

Goofing around a breadfruit tree with Yvette Lee, in Barangay Talay, Dumaguete City.

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