1 00:00:07,320 --> 00:00:10,280 Speaker 1: Welcome to Savor production of I Heart Radio and Stuff Media. 2 00:00:10,320 --> 00:00:12,880 Speaker 1: I'm Annies and I'm Layin Vogel Bob, and today we're 3 00:00:12,920 --> 00:00:17,400 Speaker 1: talking about jack fruit, yes, which is relatively a new 4 00:00:17,520 --> 00:00:20,720 Speaker 1: thing to me me as well. Yeah, I've only recently 5 00:00:20,840 --> 00:00:23,760 Speaker 1: started seeing it pop up on menus and in like 6 00:00:23,760 --> 00:00:27,319 Speaker 1: like frozen prepared meals and stuff like that. Yeah, A 7 00:00:27,400 --> 00:00:33,120 Speaker 1: couple of listeners have requested it. Um. And I I 8 00:00:33,159 --> 00:00:35,480 Speaker 1: think I don't know if it was like a confluence 9 00:00:35,520 --> 00:00:37,240 Speaker 1: of it was becoming more popular and that's why people 10 00:00:37,240 --> 00:00:39,880 Speaker 1: were requesting it, or if I just noticed it after 11 00:00:39,920 --> 00:00:43,320 Speaker 1: people requested you know what. But I did after a 12 00:00:43,360 --> 00:00:46,280 Speaker 1: couple of people wrote in about it. Um. I actually 13 00:00:46,880 --> 00:00:48,839 Speaker 1: I bought some because I was like, what is this 14 00:00:48,880 --> 00:00:51,880 Speaker 1: thing that I've never tried? And I mostly associated with 15 00:00:52,080 --> 00:00:57,520 Speaker 1: um like a vegetarian barbecue option. Um. And I know 16 00:00:57,600 --> 00:00:59,480 Speaker 1: you can use it for other things, but that's been 17 00:00:59,560 --> 00:01:02,320 Speaker 1: my darience with it, and that's how I've seen it, um. 18 00:01:02,360 --> 00:01:05,759 Speaker 1: Like in I have seen it in my publics recently, 19 00:01:05,800 --> 00:01:09,760 Speaker 1: my local grocery store, and it's like a barbecue thing 20 00:01:09,840 --> 00:01:12,720 Speaker 1: that you just heat up. Oh that's fascinating. Yeah, I 21 00:01:12,760 --> 00:01:15,480 Speaker 1: think that's how I tried it. Yeah, yeah, how did 22 00:01:15,480 --> 00:01:17,560 Speaker 1: you like it? It was good. If it's one of 23 00:01:17,600 --> 00:01:20,520 Speaker 1: those things where the first bite you're like whoa because 24 00:01:20,560 --> 00:01:23,480 Speaker 1: it says pulled pork, but it's like, oh, yeah, that's 25 00:01:23,480 --> 00:01:26,360 Speaker 1: not And so the flavor and or texture was probably 26 00:01:26,400 --> 00:01:28,959 Speaker 1: a little bit different, right, You just have to accept 27 00:01:29,000 --> 00:01:33,000 Speaker 1: like it's it's in that maybe vain, but you got 28 00:01:33,120 --> 00:01:35,240 Speaker 1: to appreciate it for what it is, you know. And 29 00:01:35,319 --> 00:01:37,479 Speaker 1: I did like it. I did. Yeah, I don't think 30 00:01:37,480 --> 00:01:41,479 Speaker 1: I've had it, um, but I'm looking forward to trying it. Especially. Man, 31 00:01:41,640 --> 00:01:45,080 Speaker 1: this is this I got to nerd out about the 32 00:01:45,120 --> 00:01:49,360 Speaker 1: botany part in this one. But let's get before we 33 00:01:49,400 --> 00:01:52,800 Speaker 1: get to that, let's get to our question. Yes, jackfruit, 34 00:01:57,440 --> 00:02:01,640 Speaker 1: what is it? Well, it is a big fruit, yes, 35 00:02:01,920 --> 00:02:09,200 Speaker 1: just like a real big fruit. Botanical classification is Artocarpus heterophylus. Yes, 36 00:02:09,280 --> 00:02:11,480 Speaker 1: I think I got that in one. It is the 37 00:02:11,520 --> 00:02:14,600 Speaker 1: world's largest tree fruit. It can weigh up to one 38 00:02:14,639 --> 00:02:19,320 Speaker 1: hundred pounds or forty five kilo's cookbook author Andrea Aguille 39 00:02:19,360 --> 00:02:22,880 Speaker 1: instead of the jackfruit, a whole jackfruit is a commitment. 40 00:02:23,280 --> 00:02:26,520 Speaker 1: They can be the size of a toddler. I found 41 00:02:26,520 --> 00:02:32,440 Speaker 1: another description calling them big and uncooperative. I love that 42 00:02:32,880 --> 00:02:37,200 Speaker 1: so much. Oh yeah, we need like if you could 43 00:02:37,200 --> 00:02:40,440 Speaker 1: have reviews of food. I can just imagine the jackfruits face. 44 00:02:40,760 --> 00:02:45,440 Speaker 1: Yeah yeah, yeah, like a toddler. It's beautiful, big and uncooperative. 45 00:02:46,200 --> 00:02:49,120 Speaker 1: The trees themselves can reach up to fifty feet or 46 00:02:49,120 --> 00:02:52,280 Speaker 1: about fifteen meters. It takes five to seven years for 47 00:02:52,320 --> 00:02:54,360 Speaker 1: a tree to bear fruit, but once it does, you 48 00:02:54,360 --> 00:02:57,840 Speaker 1: can expect around one dredfty to two hundred fruits. This 49 00:02:57,919 --> 00:03:00,239 Speaker 1: comes out to be per year, per year. Yeah, three 50 00:03:00,280 --> 00:03:03,480 Speaker 1: tons of food per year from one tree. Yeah, and 51 00:03:03,520 --> 00:03:07,880 Speaker 1: they grow year round, so very very productive. Um. And 52 00:03:08,200 --> 00:03:11,760 Speaker 1: the jackfruit is another example of a fruit produced from 53 00:03:11,800 --> 00:03:16,359 Speaker 1: a huge cluster of flowers and inflorescence. So so a 54 00:03:16,440 --> 00:03:20,399 Speaker 1: jackfruit is made up of hundreds or thousands of fruits, 55 00:03:20,880 --> 00:03:24,040 Speaker 1: little individual fruits, all clustered together. The girl like this. 56 00:03:24,600 --> 00:03:28,640 Speaker 1: So on a jackfruit tree, these oblong spikes grow and 57 00:03:28,639 --> 00:03:31,720 Speaker 1: and they'll break out into thousands of flower buds. Um. 58 00:03:31,720 --> 00:03:35,280 Speaker 1: There will be male clusters and female clusters. When pollen 59 00:03:35,320 --> 00:03:39,000 Speaker 1: from a male flower reaches a female flower, the single tiny, 60 00:03:39,080 --> 00:03:43,600 Speaker 1: little female flower will grow a fruit. As you do, Um, 61 00:03:43,720 --> 00:03:46,960 Speaker 1: this happens hundreds or thousands of times on a female 62 00:03:46,960 --> 00:03:50,920 Speaker 1: cluster to create a jackfruit, all supported by that fibrous 63 00:03:51,040 --> 00:03:53,280 Speaker 1: spike that the flowers grew on, and not all the 64 00:03:53,280 --> 00:03:56,080 Speaker 1: female flowers will get pollinated, but that's okay. Those will 65 00:03:56,120 --> 00:03:58,480 Speaker 1: just remain in the mature jackfruit as a kind of 66 00:03:58,520 --> 00:04:02,440 Speaker 1: like stringy connective tissue. Perhaps a hundred or a couple 67 00:04:02,520 --> 00:04:04,920 Speaker 1: hundred of the fruits in the cluster will develop seeds, 68 00:04:05,560 --> 00:04:08,560 Speaker 1: and when a jackfruit is mature, it'll be sort of 69 00:04:08,880 --> 00:04:12,520 Speaker 1: ovular but lumpy and have a sort of greenish leathery 70 00:04:12,600 --> 00:04:15,880 Speaker 1: skin that appears as spiky or pebbled. And that's because 71 00:04:15,880 --> 00:04:17,960 Speaker 1: you're looking at the butt end of like thousands of 72 00:04:18,000 --> 00:04:23,839 Speaker 1: tiny fruits. I love it, um. You may remember inflorescences 73 00:04:23,839 --> 00:04:27,400 Speaker 1: from our episode on figs. Jackfruit are in the same 74 00:04:27,440 --> 00:04:30,520 Speaker 1: family as figs. The trees also, and jackfruit trees, like 75 00:04:30,600 --> 00:04:35,640 Speaker 1: fig trees, produce a latex like sap. Research into how 76 00:04:35,680 --> 00:04:40,839 Speaker 1: they pollinate is super fascinating for an admittedly particular definition 77 00:04:40,880 --> 00:04:44,760 Speaker 1: of the word fascinating. Um. Just as some figs are 78 00:04:44,760 --> 00:04:47,680 Speaker 1: pollinated by tiny wasps that carry out their weird life 79 00:04:47,680 --> 00:04:52,320 Speaker 1: cycles largely inside figs, jackfruit are sometimes pollinated by tiny 80 00:04:52,360 --> 00:04:56,240 Speaker 1: midges can can we go on a short midge aside? 81 00:04:58,360 --> 00:05:02,560 Speaker 1: So okay, okay, they're super cool. Thing about figs is 82 00:05:02,600 --> 00:05:05,359 Speaker 1: that um is that the flowery parts are on the 83 00:05:05,400 --> 00:05:07,960 Speaker 1: inside and hard to access. That's not the case with 84 00:05:08,080 --> 00:05:10,920 Speaker 1: jack fruit there on the outside. It's okay, um, But okay, 85 00:05:11,000 --> 00:05:15,040 Speaker 1: So the male inflorescences on a jackfruit tree tend to 86 00:05:15,080 --> 00:05:19,640 Speaker 1: develop this type of fungus after they create pollen um, 87 00:05:19,720 --> 00:05:23,440 Speaker 1: and this fungus is a thing that midge larva really 88 00:05:23,440 --> 00:05:26,680 Speaker 1: like to eat. So the female midges will lay their 89 00:05:26,720 --> 00:05:31,200 Speaker 1: eggs on male jackfruit flower clusters. But I mean, if 90 00:05:31,240 --> 00:05:33,240 Speaker 1: if that was where the story ended, then no pollination 91 00:05:33,240 --> 00:05:36,960 Speaker 1: would happen. But jackfruit is tricksy. It's male and female 92 00:05:36,960 --> 00:05:39,720 Speaker 1: flowers smell pretty much the same too, midges, So female 93 00:05:39,760 --> 00:05:42,599 Speaker 1: midges will visit both male and female flower clusters in 94 00:05:42,640 --> 00:05:46,320 Speaker 1: their search for a good egg laying spot. This transfers 95 00:05:46,320 --> 00:05:49,800 Speaker 1: the pollen from the mail to the female flowers. So 96 00:05:50,000 --> 00:05:58,040 Speaker 1: the jackfruit does no jack hey oh my goodness. Yeah, 97 00:05:58,440 --> 00:06:00,240 Speaker 1: you know, I don't know, like wind probably all has 98 00:06:00,279 --> 00:06:01,840 Speaker 1: something to do with it. You can also just like 99 00:06:01,920 --> 00:06:05,200 Speaker 1: straight up like take one of the male cones of 100 00:06:05,240 --> 00:06:08,080 Speaker 1: flowers and kind of like brush it on a female 101 00:06:08,160 --> 00:06:10,320 Speaker 1: cone of flowers, and it will do more or less 102 00:06:10,360 --> 00:06:14,720 Speaker 1: the same thing. But man midges and fungus so good. 103 00:06:15,240 --> 00:06:18,440 Speaker 1: Uh but yeah, so so yeah. The mature jackfruit is 104 00:06:18,480 --> 00:06:21,400 Speaker 1: this big old, spiky thing with leathery skin, and if 105 00:06:21,440 --> 00:06:24,479 Speaker 1: you cut it open, you'll see that thick fibrous core 106 00:06:24,880 --> 00:06:29,080 Speaker 1: surrounded by yellow or green fruit clustered around these big seeds, 107 00:06:29,320 --> 00:06:32,160 Speaker 1: and you can pull sections or bulbs of fruit out. 108 00:06:32,320 --> 00:06:36,040 Speaker 1: They look sort of like a big, colorful, peeled pieces 109 00:06:36,040 --> 00:06:41,239 Speaker 1: of garlic neat. Yeah. Yeah. Unripe fruit is often used 110 00:06:41,279 --> 00:06:45,760 Speaker 1: as a meat substitute and stews, stir fries, curries, other dishes. Um, 111 00:06:45,839 --> 00:06:48,080 Speaker 1: and the ripe fruit often shows up in dessert or 112 00:06:48,279 --> 00:06:52,159 Speaker 1: on some when not slathered with barbecue sauce. The flavor 113 00:06:52,240 --> 00:06:56,120 Speaker 1: is sometimes described as similar to juicy fruits or twoty 114 00:06:56,120 --> 00:06:59,359 Speaker 1: fruity yeah um yeah, well juicy fruit. The gum right 115 00:07:00,080 --> 00:07:03,599 Speaker 1: fruit is what is tutti fruity an ice cream? I 116 00:07:03,680 --> 00:07:09,960 Speaker 1: think it candy two fruity episode in the future. Yeah yeah, 117 00:07:10,000 --> 00:07:12,000 Speaker 1: I know, we've talked about it somewhere before. We have 118 00:07:13,240 --> 00:07:17,920 Speaker 1: very odd anyway. Anyway, it's usually pretty firm. When unripe, 119 00:07:18,040 --> 00:07:21,000 Speaker 1: one might say, meat like like a pulled chicken her pork, 120 00:07:21,360 --> 00:07:24,880 Speaker 1: but can ripen to have a custard like texture. It 121 00:07:24,960 --> 00:07:27,680 Speaker 1: reminds me of Durian when I was reading descriptions about it. 122 00:07:27,800 --> 00:07:32,040 Speaker 1: The jackfruit has an odor as well, although not as pungent. 123 00:07:32,240 --> 00:07:35,520 Speaker 1: Sure No, I've I've read it described as a sort 124 00:07:35,560 --> 00:07:39,679 Speaker 1: of musky and onion like when the fruit is ripe. 125 00:07:40,240 --> 00:07:46,720 Speaker 1: M m yeah, I've heard the flavor described as a 126 00:07:46,720 --> 00:07:50,720 Speaker 1: cross between a pineapple and a banana, or or as 127 00:07:50,800 --> 00:07:56,880 Speaker 1: like a tart pineapple plus bubblegum. Oh okay, I read 128 00:07:57,040 --> 00:08:02,120 Speaker 1: mango okay, mangoes all right? Sure um. Aside from the 129 00:08:02,120 --> 00:08:05,920 Speaker 1: differences in ripe versus unripe fruits, there are two main 130 00:08:06,200 --> 00:08:09,640 Speaker 1: varieties of jackfruit that are grown that range from softer 131 00:08:09,800 --> 00:08:15,160 Speaker 1: and sweeter to crisper and less sweeter m okay. And 132 00:08:15,360 --> 00:08:18,200 Speaker 1: because they are so big, you probably would not go 133 00:08:18,280 --> 00:08:21,160 Speaker 1: to a market and just buy a whole one, especially ripe, 134 00:08:21,160 --> 00:08:24,040 Speaker 1: because once they're ripe, they go off really fast. Um. 135 00:08:24,120 --> 00:08:26,640 Speaker 1: Vendors will hack off a section for you by weight, 136 00:08:26,840 --> 00:08:29,040 Speaker 1: or you can like with a machette, or you can 137 00:08:29,120 --> 00:08:31,920 Speaker 1: buy um pulled sections of the fruit, fresh or frozen 138 00:08:32,080 --> 00:08:36,960 Speaker 1: or canned The name probably comes from the Portuguese word joca, 139 00:08:37,120 --> 00:08:40,240 Speaker 1: which most likely was inspired by the Southern Indian name 140 00:08:40,280 --> 00:08:43,679 Speaker 1: for the fruit choca pium. In South India it is 141 00:08:43,720 --> 00:08:46,400 Speaker 1: known as the poor man's fruit, whereas in North India, 142 00:08:47,080 --> 00:08:49,880 Speaker 1: jackfruit curry is a popular wedding food, so it's known 143 00:08:49,920 --> 00:08:53,960 Speaker 1: as the rich man's curry. Some estimates say that about 144 00:08:54,679 --> 00:08:58,680 Speaker 1: of the jackfruit grown in India goes to waste. Um. 145 00:08:58,720 --> 00:09:01,640 Speaker 1: The Bengal word for the fruit translates to tree mutton 146 00:09:02,080 --> 00:09:06,120 Speaker 1: or meat which grows on a tree. It's the national 147 00:09:06,160 --> 00:09:10,640 Speaker 1: fruit of Bangladesh. Oh yeah, cool. If we look at nutrition, 148 00:09:10,760 --> 00:09:14,319 Speaker 1: there's lots of potassiums of protein, lots of vitamin B 149 00:09:14,600 --> 00:09:18,640 Speaker 1: running you about calories for half a cup. Uh yeah, it's. 150 00:09:18,640 --> 00:09:21,439 Speaker 1: It's sugary, but also contains fiber and a bit of 151 00:09:21,480 --> 00:09:23,560 Speaker 1: fat and protein. It'll fill you up in the short term. 152 00:09:23,640 --> 00:09:26,559 Speaker 1: I wouldn't say it's like super sustaining, but yeah, it's. 153 00:09:26,559 --> 00:09:29,440 Speaker 1: It's got a lot of vitamins, minerals, other micronutrients, and 154 00:09:29,600 --> 00:09:33,960 Speaker 1: is definitely less carby and more nutritious than um staple 155 00:09:34,200 --> 00:09:37,960 Speaker 1: grains like rice or corn. It is a good source 156 00:09:38,000 --> 00:09:41,199 Speaker 1: of antioxidants, which under some circumstances can help your body 157 00:09:41,200 --> 00:09:45,160 Speaker 1: prevent some diseases. Extracts made from jackfruit seeds are being 158 00:09:45,200 --> 00:09:49,320 Speaker 1: investigated for potential anti cancer therapies. Studies and animals have 159 00:09:49,320 --> 00:09:52,040 Speaker 1: shown that jackfruit seeds may help lower l d L 160 00:09:52,120 --> 00:09:54,880 Speaker 1: cholesterol that's the bad kind, and raise your HDL or 161 00:09:54,960 --> 00:10:00,400 Speaker 1: good cholesterol levels in not yours specifically, but in million 162 00:10:00,720 --> 00:10:04,040 Speaker 1: bodies stays and mice and rats are being conducted. Yeah, 163 00:10:04,640 --> 00:10:08,600 Speaker 1: like most things, people have abscribed all kinds of medicinal 164 00:10:08,640 --> 00:10:12,240 Speaker 1: benefits to the jackfruit. My favorite that I found has 165 00:10:12,280 --> 00:10:14,800 Speaker 1: to be this one out of China that jackfruit is 166 00:10:14,880 --> 00:10:19,240 Speaker 1: quote useful in overcoming the influence of alcohol in the system. 167 00:10:19,360 --> 00:10:25,120 Speaker 1: Yep yea hangover here. And I also saw the roasted 168 00:10:25,200 --> 00:10:32,679 Speaker 1: seeds listened as an affrodisiac all everything somewhere. The pith 169 00:10:32,800 --> 00:10:36,880 Speaker 1: is believed to induce abortion in some cultures, and there 170 00:10:36,920 --> 00:10:41,800 Speaker 1: have been instances of allergic reactions to the latex like SAP. Yeah. 171 00:10:41,840 --> 00:10:44,640 Speaker 1: In one case, patient had a reaction from eating the fruit. 172 00:10:44,800 --> 00:10:48,000 Speaker 1: Although yeah, like the whole tree and the skin and 173 00:10:48,080 --> 00:10:51,920 Speaker 1: like kind of interconnective tissue within the fruit contains this 174 00:10:52,040 --> 00:10:54,800 Speaker 1: latexi SAP. So if you do have a very strong 175 00:10:55,040 --> 00:11:00,280 Speaker 1: latex allergy, then then maybe maybe avoid the jackfruit. UM. 176 00:11:00,280 --> 00:11:04,240 Speaker 1: But yeah, yeah, researchers think that uh, it might contain 177 00:11:04,280 --> 00:11:07,559 Speaker 1: proteins that are similar similar enough to latex that have 178 00:11:07,760 --> 00:11:12,520 Speaker 1: triggered that reaction UM. Preliminary studies, though, have shown that 179 00:11:12,600 --> 00:11:16,520 Speaker 1: some extracts from the leaves and bark of jackfruit trees 180 00:11:16,800 --> 00:11:20,960 Speaker 1: may help. Again, mammalion bodies control blood glucose levels UM, 181 00:11:21,080 --> 00:11:24,760 Speaker 1: which could be rad for helping treat diabetes, but bodies 182 00:11:24,760 --> 00:11:27,679 Speaker 1: are complicated and more research needs to be done. The 183 00:11:27,720 --> 00:11:32,800 Speaker 1: saver motto rolls off the tongue. It does, it does. 184 00:11:33,800 --> 00:11:37,040 Speaker 1: Numbers wise, India produces the highest number of jackfruit at 185 00:11:37,040 --> 00:11:40,400 Speaker 1: one point for million tons a year. Bangladesh comes in 186 00:11:40,480 --> 00:11:45,040 Speaker 1: second with nin six tons. It's also grown in West Africa, 187 00:11:45,160 --> 00:11:49,160 Speaker 1: Northern Australia, and parts of South America. In Brazil, outside 188 00:11:49,160 --> 00:11:54,280 Speaker 1: of jackfruit plantations, it's considered an invasive species. Apparently monkeys 189 00:11:54,320 --> 00:11:56,160 Speaker 1: are really fond of the fruit and will spread the 190 00:11:56,200 --> 00:12:00,160 Speaker 1: seeds and it is like a huge problem. Um. Yeah. 191 00:12:00,360 --> 00:12:04,439 Speaker 1: There has been, by the way, serious research into how 192 00:12:04,520 --> 00:12:09,239 Speaker 1: invasive jackfruit trees in forests affect the local rat populations. 193 00:12:10,080 --> 00:12:13,160 Speaker 1: Oh my goodness. Small mammals are an important part of 194 00:12:13,200 --> 00:12:17,680 Speaker 1: the ecosystem. True story. True story. On the other hand, 195 00:12:18,360 --> 00:12:22,679 Speaker 1: in the US, there are a dozen a dozen or 196 00:12:22,800 --> 00:12:27,080 Speaker 1: so jackfruit trees in South Florida um sort of curiosities, 197 00:12:27,600 --> 00:12:31,480 Speaker 1: and a few planted at the San Diego Zoo. Before 198 00:12:32,679 --> 00:12:35,560 Speaker 1: you could find them growing throughout Hawaii, but nowadays they 199 00:12:35,559 --> 00:12:41,280 Speaker 1: are fairly rare. There there's one growing in Chicago's Botanic gardens, 200 00:12:41,320 --> 00:12:44,320 Speaker 1: just the one, Just the one. So there aren't many 201 00:12:44,440 --> 00:12:48,000 Speaker 1: in the US. Is the point of that. Um From 202 00:12:49,640 --> 00:12:52,720 Speaker 1: sales and the alternative meat market, of which jack fruit 203 00:12:52,800 --> 00:12:55,920 Speaker 1: is largely a part of in the US anyway, specifically 204 00:12:56,440 --> 00:13:00,320 Speaker 1: rose from sixty nine million to one hundred and nine million. Huh, 205 00:13:00,920 --> 00:13:02,679 Speaker 1: And yeah, you can eat it in all kinds of ways, 206 00:13:02,720 --> 00:13:06,239 Speaker 1: of stud and soups, roasted, dried, and juices and ice cream. 207 00:13:06,320 --> 00:13:09,240 Speaker 1: You eat the seeds either boiled, roasted, ground up into 208 00:13:09,280 --> 00:13:12,000 Speaker 1: a flower. I read of a dessert of boiled seats 209 00:13:12,040 --> 00:13:14,360 Speaker 1: and sugar in India. Yeah, you can use that flower 210 00:13:14,400 --> 00:13:17,200 Speaker 1: to make noodles or whatever you want. The seeds can 211 00:13:17,240 --> 00:13:20,400 Speaker 1: also be fermented and then roasted to produce a chocolate flavor. 212 00:13:21,880 --> 00:13:30,000 Speaker 1: Bacteria what um, jackfruit wine you can make that. That's 213 00:13:30,280 --> 00:13:34,960 Speaker 1: very popular in India, Vietnamese and Filipino cuisines, and increasingly 214 00:13:35,000 --> 00:13:37,719 Speaker 1: more and more popular for vegetarian vegan options. As we've 215 00:13:37,760 --> 00:13:41,040 Speaker 1: been kind of discussing. It recently started appearing in grocery 216 00:13:41,040 --> 00:13:44,080 Speaker 1: stores near me, so that's something. And I tried some 217 00:13:44,240 --> 00:13:49,400 Speaker 1: at a barbecue restaurant, like a very popular barbecue restaurant, 218 00:13:49,480 --> 00:13:53,120 Speaker 1: and I was kind of like, Oh, there you go. 219 00:13:53,240 --> 00:13:57,240 Speaker 1: You're making it to the big times. Jack for there 220 00:13:57,280 --> 00:14:00,439 Speaker 1: are hundreds of varieties, or at least of genetic strains 221 00:14:00,520 --> 00:14:03,560 Speaker 1: grown around the world. The food industry is looking into 222 00:14:03,600 --> 00:14:06,800 Speaker 1: extracting starches from the seeds to use in processed foods. 223 00:14:07,200 --> 00:14:09,800 Speaker 1: And uh. The wood is also nice. It's a kind 224 00:14:09,800 --> 00:14:12,240 Speaker 1: of rich orange brown, and it's used in furniture and 225 00:14:12,240 --> 00:14:17,040 Speaker 1: for other woodwork. Yeah. Um. However, in spite of all 226 00:14:17,080 --> 00:14:21,920 Speaker 1: these positives we're describing in these parts, jack fruit is 227 00:14:21,960 --> 00:14:25,600 Speaker 1: still kind of rare. Take this quote from ow Barrett 228 00:14:25,720 --> 00:14:30,160 Speaker 1: circa The jacks are such large and interesting fruits, and 229 00:14:30,200 --> 00:14:32,680 Speaker 1: the trees so well behaved that it is difficult to 230 00:14:32,720 --> 00:14:37,200 Speaker 1: explain the general lack of knowledge concerning them. Huh yeah, 231 00:14:37,400 --> 00:14:41,640 Speaker 1: yeah um. And we'll get into that the knowledge that 232 00:14:41,720 --> 00:14:44,840 Speaker 1: we do have and the history. But first we're going 233 00:14:44,920 --> 00:14:46,280 Speaker 1: to pause for a quick break for a word from 234 00:14:46,320 --> 00:14:59,520 Speaker 1: our sponsor, and we're back. Thank you, sponsor, Yes, thank you, 235 00:15:01,200 --> 00:15:04,960 Speaker 1: and whoop. The history for this one is pretty scarce, 236 00:15:05,040 --> 00:15:08,560 Speaker 1: gotta say, um, and most of it is close about 237 00:15:08,560 --> 00:15:15,560 Speaker 1: how people didn't like it, which I do kind of enjoy. Um. 238 00:15:15,680 --> 00:15:20,520 Speaker 1: But yeah, here, here we go. The jackfruit most likely 239 00:15:20,560 --> 00:15:24,360 Speaker 1: originated in the rainforest in the western Ghats mountains of India, 240 00:15:24,400 --> 00:15:27,000 Speaker 1: where it quickly spread to other parts of Southeast Asia, 241 00:15:27,320 --> 00:15:31,640 Speaker 1: the Philippines and Indonesia. It might have been in Malaysia first, 242 00:15:32,240 --> 00:15:38,400 Speaker 1: but yeah, probably mountain range in India. Probably for thousands 243 00:15:38,400 --> 00:15:42,080 Speaker 1: of years. Buddhist monks have used die derived from the 244 00:15:42,160 --> 00:15:45,000 Speaker 1: jackfruit tree for their robes. Yeah. You know that kind 245 00:15:45,000 --> 00:15:48,120 Speaker 1: of orange red color, that like really iconic orange red color. 246 00:15:48,120 --> 00:15:52,760 Speaker 1: That's it. Yeah, that's jackfruit. Ther Frostis was probably talking 247 00:15:52,800 --> 00:15:57,120 Speaker 1: about the jackfruit in when he wrote there's also another 248 00:15:57,160 --> 00:15:59,640 Speaker 1: tree which is very large and has wonderfully sweet and 249 00:15:59,720 --> 00:16:02,600 Speaker 1: large fruit is used for food by the sages of 250 00:16:02,640 --> 00:16:09,080 Speaker 1: India who wear no clothes. Probably jack fruit, Oh dear, 251 00:16:09,240 --> 00:16:16,240 Speaker 1: oh history, Okay, yes, indeed, but skipping all word to 252 00:16:16,400 --> 00:16:19,760 Speaker 1: the sixteenth century, as sixteenth century Mughal emperor described the 253 00:16:19,800 --> 00:16:26,280 Speaker 1: fruit as unbelievably ugly and bad tasting. Well, snap right, okay, 254 00:16:26,680 --> 00:16:28,640 Speaker 1: I like it though again I like this, like the 255 00:16:28,680 --> 00:16:33,080 Speaker 1: reviews we could collect for jackfruit. You've got two spectrums 256 00:16:33,080 --> 00:16:37,360 Speaker 1: going on. I really like that. Garcia de Ortas fifty 257 00:16:37,480 --> 00:16:43,360 Speaker 1: three book Colloquius Still Simply India contained the first recorded 258 00:16:43,440 --> 00:16:47,000 Speaker 1: use of the Portuguese name Joca. The Orta was a 259 00:16:47,040 --> 00:16:50,360 Speaker 1: Portuguese physician, and yeah that the book was a treatise um, 260 00:16:50,360 --> 00:16:53,560 Speaker 1: perhaps the first in Europe, about the culinary and medicinal 261 00:16:53,600 --> 00:17:00,760 Speaker 1: plants of India. Much later, botanist Ralph Randall's doers would 262 00:17:00,760 --> 00:17:04,200 Speaker 1: suggest that the jackfruit was named for eighteen century Scottish 263 00:17:04,240 --> 00:17:10,080 Speaker 1: botanist William Jack. Well, you know, people can say whatever 264 00:17:10,080 --> 00:17:16,840 Speaker 1: they want. I suppose. So throughout the fifteen hundreds, Portugal 265 00:17:17,119 --> 00:17:20,160 Speaker 1: was colonizing parts of Africa that were important to their 266 00:17:20,160 --> 00:17:23,680 Speaker 1: trade routes, and also parts of the America's, especially what's 267 00:17:23,680 --> 00:17:27,280 Speaker 1: now Brazil. They would introduce the jack fruit to these areas. 268 00:17:28,119 --> 00:17:30,800 Speaker 1: I'm guessing is a potential staple food. They're like, this 269 00:17:30,880 --> 00:17:33,040 Speaker 1: is a tree that produces a lot of food. Let's 270 00:17:33,040 --> 00:17:37,000 Speaker 1: just plant it where it'll grow. Yeah. Andrake von Red 271 00:17:37,080 --> 00:17:41,080 Speaker 1: recorded the malaya alum name for jackfruit in the Hortus Malabaricus, 272 00:17:41,200 --> 00:17:46,200 Speaker 1: a comprehensive encyclopedia about India's western GHT, sometime between sixteen 273 00:17:46,240 --> 00:17:50,320 Speaker 1: seventy eight and sixteen ninety three. In seventeen eighty two, 274 00:17:50,400 --> 00:17:53,280 Speaker 1: a friendship on its way to Martinique was captured and 275 00:17:53,320 --> 00:17:56,880 Speaker 1: the jackfruit on board was taken instead to Jamaica, where 276 00:17:56,920 --> 00:18:01,119 Speaker 1: the tree is now common. Humm. The tree appeared in 277 00:18:01,160 --> 00:18:04,440 Speaker 1: Florida somewhere around the eighteen eighties. We know this from 278 00:18:04,440 --> 00:18:09,080 Speaker 1: a seven U. S. Department of Agricultural report describing a 279 00:18:09,240 --> 00:18:12,560 Speaker 1: single young tree in Orlando. I just love that so much. 280 00:18:13,119 --> 00:18:15,760 Speaker 1: There's a jackfruit trip down in Orlando. No, I thought 281 00:18:15,800 --> 00:18:22,320 Speaker 1: we'd include it in this report. Jack fruits adoption into 282 00:18:22,359 --> 00:18:26,280 Speaker 1: the US vegan vegetarian community as the new hip protein 283 00:18:26,720 --> 00:18:30,840 Speaker 1: happened sometime in Yeah. They started to get headlines about 284 00:18:30,840 --> 00:18:36,960 Speaker 1: like it's the new Kale. What sorry, Kale posthumously mad 285 00:18:37,000 --> 00:18:40,119 Speaker 1: about this. That's not the right word, but you know 286 00:18:40,160 --> 00:18:48,639 Speaker 1: what I mean. Retroactively, I am a ghost ghost Annie, 287 00:18:48,840 --> 00:18:51,760 Speaker 1: I've got a ghost, I've got a clone, I've got 288 00:18:51,760 --> 00:18:55,600 Speaker 1: a sleep ragent, all kinds of things. It's the multiverse. 289 00:18:56,200 --> 00:19:03,639 Speaker 1: I'm just a vampire. That's it. That's so far. Good point. Okay. Anyway, 290 00:19:04,000 --> 00:19:07,320 Speaker 1: getting back to the jackfruit, organizations around the world believe 291 00:19:07,359 --> 00:19:09,440 Speaker 1: that the jackfruit could fill a space in the food 292 00:19:09,480 --> 00:19:12,200 Speaker 1: world when it comes to world hunger, but also drought 293 00:19:12,240 --> 00:19:15,240 Speaker 1: and other natural disasters if they kill off important crops 294 00:19:15,280 --> 00:19:17,960 Speaker 1: or it becomes more difficult to grow. I think I 295 00:19:18,000 --> 00:19:20,080 Speaker 1: read there's like forty main crops that most of the 296 00:19:20,119 --> 00:19:24,280 Speaker 1: world pretty much lives off of. Yeah. Yeah, it's um 297 00:19:24,320 --> 00:19:28,040 Speaker 1: really common staple crops. A lot of those grains, corn rice, 298 00:19:28,240 --> 00:19:31,360 Speaker 1: stuff like that, um, wheat do not do well when 299 00:19:31,440 --> 00:19:35,320 Speaker 1: high temperatures and droughts happen. But jackfruit trees can totally 300 00:19:35,320 --> 00:19:37,800 Speaker 1: withstand that kind of thing. Um, so yeah, they like 301 00:19:37,880 --> 00:19:41,760 Speaker 1: you couldn't move jackfruit trees into cold climates because they 302 00:19:41,800 --> 00:19:45,800 Speaker 1: can't withstand frost, but in terms of terms of global warming, 303 00:19:45,840 --> 00:19:52,679 Speaker 1: they do great, right, And yeah, the government of India 304 00:19:52,720 --> 00:19:57,080 Speaker 1: in particular has several initiatives in place to promote jackfruit 305 00:19:57,160 --> 00:20:00,239 Speaker 1: canning and processing and kind of like a return of 306 00:20:00,640 --> 00:20:03,679 Speaker 1: better consideration of the jackfruit in the parts of India 307 00:20:03,720 --> 00:20:06,640 Speaker 1: where it has fallen out of fashion, as we discussed above, 308 00:20:08,160 --> 00:20:12,760 Speaker 1: and yeah, this as you can tell from our pretty 309 00:20:12,840 --> 00:20:15,359 Speaker 1: like sparse history section, there just isn't a much on it, 310 00:20:15,400 --> 00:20:17,280 Speaker 1: and what there is on it is like, why isn't 311 00:20:17,280 --> 00:20:20,800 Speaker 1: there more on it? Because it's this hardy tree that 312 00:20:21,160 --> 00:20:24,960 Speaker 1: nobody really seems super into eating, um like the fruit 313 00:20:25,040 --> 00:20:29,640 Speaker 1: from or rather, uh, no one from Europe has been 314 00:20:29,880 --> 00:20:34,200 Speaker 1: It's it's definitely a major part of cuisine throughout Southeast 315 00:20:34,240 --> 00:20:38,000 Speaker 1: Asia and um, and it's it's pretty iconic in Brazilian 316 00:20:38,119 --> 00:20:41,359 Speaker 1: cuisine too. So yeah, it was interesting to read because, 317 00:20:41,400 --> 00:20:43,480 Speaker 1: like we said at the top, a lot of stuff 318 00:20:43,520 --> 00:20:46,760 Speaker 1: I read um about about it India is like it's 319 00:20:46,760 --> 00:20:48,359 Speaker 1: all going to waste. Why is it going to waste? 320 00:20:48,400 --> 00:20:51,320 Speaker 1: But then it seems like that's just in certain parts 321 00:20:51,320 --> 00:20:54,040 Speaker 1: of India and other parts of India are totally totally 322 00:20:54,080 --> 00:20:57,120 Speaker 1: into it. Yeah, it's also just a lot of I mean, 323 00:20:57,480 --> 00:21:00,400 Speaker 1: it is such a big fruit and it like once 324 00:21:00,440 --> 00:21:03,280 Speaker 1: it goes, it goes. So I can see that there, 325 00:21:03,359 --> 00:21:06,879 Speaker 1: you know, especially if there's been wavering popularity of it 326 00:21:07,000 --> 00:21:10,040 Speaker 1: in various areas, I could see how it could quickly 327 00:21:10,080 --> 00:21:12,720 Speaker 1: turn into a thing that goes to waste. Yeah. Yeah, 328 00:21:13,400 --> 00:21:15,440 Speaker 1: And I feel like a lot of what I read 329 00:21:15,480 --> 00:21:21,119 Speaker 1: about Westerner's reaction to it was that like, this isn't 330 00:21:21,160 --> 00:21:24,360 Speaker 1: something we're used to and just kind of like like 331 00:21:24,359 --> 00:21:26,520 Speaker 1: like holding hold like like holding their hands out like 332 00:21:26,560 --> 00:21:28,480 Speaker 1: a like a cat that isn't really sure that it 333 00:21:28,520 --> 00:21:33,439 Speaker 1: wants to be held. Um. But that's a great visual 334 00:21:33,960 --> 00:21:36,240 Speaker 1: thing that I don't think that just worked here on it. 335 00:21:36,600 --> 00:21:40,240 Speaker 1: But I'm going to keep it, you know. I mean 336 00:21:40,320 --> 00:21:44,760 Speaker 1: it's like a it's an uncooperative toddler too currently does 337 00:21:44,840 --> 00:21:48,160 Speaker 1: in the West. Um, but that is changing, and there 338 00:21:48,280 --> 00:21:51,320 Speaker 1: seems to be a lot of this more recent stuff. 339 00:21:51,920 --> 00:21:56,200 Speaker 1: Um Like there was even a big conference I kept 340 00:21:56,240 --> 00:21:58,520 Speaker 1: reading like the jack fruit had a conference about trying 341 00:21:58,520 --> 00:22:00,440 Speaker 1: to get more people to eat it. Yeah yeah, And 342 00:22:00,760 --> 00:22:03,960 Speaker 1: I and I think I hope um that that as 343 00:22:04,480 --> 00:22:09,200 Speaker 1: you know, people's palates continue to develop and as people 344 00:22:09,600 --> 00:22:13,919 Speaker 1: continue to be uh more open to trying more in 345 00:22:14,000 --> 00:22:16,800 Speaker 1: different things that yeah, because I mean it's it's it 346 00:22:16,880 --> 00:22:23,919 Speaker 1: seems great. Yeah. Yeah, you know I still have that 347 00:22:24,240 --> 00:22:30,199 Speaker 1: um and dry and ice cream there is it like 348 00:22:30,320 --> 00:22:33,160 Speaker 1: drill this this must be deeply upsetting to you, Okay, 349 00:22:33,200 --> 00:22:35,359 Speaker 1: all right, we'll get that social video. We'll get that 350 00:22:35,400 --> 00:22:37,879 Speaker 1: social video done. I'm so sorry. I had forgotten about 351 00:22:37,880 --> 00:22:45,720 Speaker 1: it every time I opened my freezer, Like, okay, all right, 352 00:22:45,760 --> 00:22:49,080 Speaker 1: we'll get on it. Yeah. Yeah, but I would love 353 00:22:49,440 --> 00:22:53,720 Speaker 1: um if listeners want to if your experiences with Jackford, 354 00:22:54,040 --> 00:23:00,359 Speaker 1: absolutely yeah, please please right in. Yeah. Um And speaking 355 00:23:00,400 --> 00:23:03,080 Speaker 1: of we do have some listener mail for you. Um. 356 00:23:03,080 --> 00:23:05,480 Speaker 1: But first we're going to take one more quick break 357 00:23:05,520 --> 00:23:16,960 Speaker 1: for a word from our sponsor. And we're back. Thank you, sponsor, Yes, 358 00:23:17,000 --> 00:23:23,840 Speaker 1: thank you, And we're back with listener low gotta go 359 00:23:24,040 --> 00:23:30,719 Speaker 1: big or go home on the Jackfruit. I see me wrote. 360 00:23:31,119 --> 00:23:33,200 Speaker 1: I stopped in the grocery store on my way home 361 00:23:33,240 --> 00:23:36,080 Speaker 1: in Dublin, Ireland this evening after listening to your Cool 362 00:23:36,119 --> 00:23:40,239 Speaker 1: Mint episode and gave into chip related temptation since I 363 00:23:40,280 --> 00:23:43,080 Speaker 1: hadn't had these in a while. These are locally made 364 00:23:43,240 --> 00:23:47,439 Speaker 1: small batch kettle chips flavored with actual shamrock. I'm not 365 00:23:47,560 --> 00:23:51,280 Speaker 1: sure what shamrock actually tastes like, but these chips are 366 00:23:51,320 --> 00:23:54,480 Speaker 1: like a sweeter version of mild sour cream and onion chips. 367 00:23:55,320 --> 00:23:58,000 Speaker 1: They were originally released a few years ago as a 368 00:23:58,040 --> 00:24:01,240 Speaker 1: limited edition for St. Patrick's Day before becoming part of 369 00:24:01,280 --> 00:24:05,520 Speaker 1: the regular product line, and she sent pictures and I 370 00:24:05,560 --> 00:24:11,440 Speaker 1: love the front of his like a cow eating share. Yeah. Yeah, 371 00:24:11,480 --> 00:24:15,920 Speaker 1: because it's the shamrock and sour cream flavored um goodness. 372 00:24:16,760 --> 00:24:22,960 Speaker 1: Huh who new? Yeah, I mean shamrock shamrock chips. Stephen 373 00:24:23,000 --> 00:24:27,520 Speaker 1: wrote meat Raisin, and attached is a picture of a 374 00:24:27,640 --> 00:24:31,040 Speaker 1: very fluffy kitten. M m M. I'd say he's not 375 00:24:31,119 --> 00:24:34,440 Speaker 1: as demonic as he appears, but he eats all unattended 376 00:24:34,520 --> 00:24:38,440 Speaker 1: human food he comes across. And there's this story. After 377 00:24:38,480 --> 00:24:41,200 Speaker 1: moving to a new home, my deeply Catholic mother invited 378 00:24:41,200 --> 00:24:43,480 Speaker 1: a priest over to bless up the place. While the 379 00:24:43,480 --> 00:24:46,520 Speaker 1: priest was sprinkling holy water in the dining area, Raisin 380 00:24:46,640 --> 00:24:49,440 Speaker 1: leaped from the back of a chair onto the priest's back, 381 00:24:49,760 --> 00:24:53,200 Speaker 1: startling the priest and knocking over the chair. He's been 382 00:24:53,240 --> 00:24:58,240 Speaker 1: my demon kitty ever since. That's so fantastic. It is. 383 00:24:58,320 --> 00:25:00,680 Speaker 1: It is a very fluffy kitty. And and the but 384 00:25:00,840 --> 00:25:11,919 Speaker 1: the eyes, the eyes are piercing, They are very piercing. Yeah. 385 00:25:13,040 --> 00:25:15,679 Speaker 1: Oh again. We'll go back and see if we can 386 00:25:15,720 --> 00:25:18,760 Speaker 1: get permission to post it this on social um and 387 00:25:18,840 --> 00:25:22,280 Speaker 1: I maybe I'll actually post the other things on social 388 00:25:22,320 --> 00:25:23,800 Speaker 1: that I said that I would. It's a it's a 389 00:25:23,880 --> 00:25:29,680 Speaker 1: vague possibility, but it might happen. Vague possibilities. Yep. Yes, 390 00:25:30,040 --> 00:25:33,840 Speaker 1: but we have been receiving many excellent pet photos. Oh yes, 391 00:25:34,000 --> 00:25:37,399 Speaker 1: thank you, Thank you keep sending those and if you 392 00:25:37,440 --> 00:25:40,800 Speaker 1: would like to send those via email, and thanks to 393 00:25:40,880 --> 00:25:43,919 Speaker 1: those two who emailed us. You two can email us. 394 00:25:43,920 --> 00:25:47,159 Speaker 1: Our email is Hello at saber pod dot com. We 395 00:25:47,240 --> 00:25:50,400 Speaker 1: are also on the aforementioned social media. You can find 396 00:25:50,480 --> 00:25:54,359 Speaker 1: us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram at savor pod. We 397 00:25:54,440 --> 00:25:57,760 Speaker 1: do hope to hear from you. Savor is a production 398 00:25:57,760 --> 00:26:00,720 Speaker 1: of I Heart Radio and Stuff Media form our podcasts 399 00:26:00,720 --> 00:26:03,040 Speaker 1: from I Heart Radio, visit the I Heart Radio app, 400 00:26:03,119 --> 00:26:06,040 Speaker 1: Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to your favorite shows. 401 00:26:06,520 --> 00:26:09,480 Speaker 1: Thank you as always to our super producers Andrew Howard 402 00:26:09,520 --> 00:26:11,840 Speaker 1: and Dylan Bagan. Thank you to you for listening, and 403 00:26:11,880 --> 00:26:20,920 Speaker 1: we hope that lots more good things are coming your way.