When you come to jamaica ask about these fruits

ACKEE (Blighia sapida). Whilst not indigenous to Jamaica, this fruit has remarkable historic associations. It was originally imported from West Africa, probably brought here on a slave ship, and now grows luxuriantly, producing each year large quantities of edible fruit.

The tree was unknown to science until plants were taken from Jamaica to England in 1793 by captain William Bligh (of ‘Mutiny on the Bounty’ fame), hence the botanical name ‘ Blighia sapids’ in honour of the seafarer. One of the earliest local propagators of the tree was a Dr. Thomas Clarke, who introduced it to the eastern parishes in 1778.

Jamaica is the only place where the fruit is generally recognized as an edible crop, although the plant has been introduced into most of the other Caribbean islands (Antigua, Barbados, Barbuda, Grenada, Trinidad and Tobago) and Central America, and even Florida, where it is known by different names and does not thrive in economic quantities.

The fruit borne by this tree is a hybrid, meaning a new plant made by a cross between two or more plants. In this case the tree are the grapefruit and the tangerine. Ugli was bred at Trout Hall in the parish of Clarendon.

The fruit was named ‘ugli’ because it was thought that its uneven and lumpy shape makes it look ugly. It is larger than a grapefruit, with loose skin. The juicy flesh, that has the combined taste of the two fruits from which it was bred, is divided into segments.

Ugli can be eaten in much the same way a grapefruit is, sliced crossways and eaten with a spoon, or the peel removed and the segments eaten separately. A variety of drinks and desserts can be made with this fruit.

Coffee

Jamaica’s Blue Mountain coffee is known around the world for its quality and flavour. It is believed to be the best in the world. It commands the highest price on the world market. Most of the coffee produced in Jamaica is exported. The coffee tree is small and has white flowers and green berries which turns red when ripe. These red berries are dried and processed to make the coffee use to make the coffee beverage. Coffee is also used as flavouring for other beverages ,sweets, ice-cream and cakes and other desserts.

learn more about Jamaica coffee

Ortanique

Ortanique is another hybrid created by crossing orange with tangerine. The name ortanique was formed from the word orange ,tangerine and unique. The ortanique was first bred in Manchester . The fruit is shaped like a tangerine but has a circular form because of the influence of the orange. The skin on the outside has the colour of the tangerine . It is segmented just like its parents and has more juice than both.