Eating ackee is an experience none of us want to miss.

How many fruits in the world are parts of a national dish; not many. In many countries, you will find meats, fish, beans, rice, bread, fries, and vegetable being the critical component in countries’ national dishes. But not Jamaica. In Jamaica, it’s ackee and salt fish. However, think about it. Jamaica didn’t want to highlight the salt fish, or they would use the correct name (cod). Jamaica wanted ackee to be the prominent ingredient, so the name given to our national dish is Ackee and Saltfish.

Frankly, I don’t need the saltfish, only the flavor. But give me ackee all day long. It might as well be ackee and salting anyway because ackee goes well with anything brined; salt pork, bacon, salt beef, red herring, shad, or essential salt. My granny said any “thing” salt is “salting,” which means ackee, with any salting, would work for us. So let’s stay with Saltfish. It sounds more stoosh for the International market.

The ackee tree is a tropical evergreen tree that can grow as tall as 40 feet. Its leaves are broad and pinnate; it’s approximately 10-cm wide, and 100-g of the fruit may be colored anywhere from straw to bright red. The fruit splits open while still on the tree to reveal three glassy black seeds surrounded by a thick, oily, yellow aril. (See the images below.) The fruit should be allowed to open and ripen naturally on the tree