In man's quest for good health and longevity we are witnessing a new awareness and appreciation for the healing power of Nature's plants. The shift in our consciousness and the many benefits derived from herbs indicate that like conventional medication it will always have a place in civilizations that believe Nature is indeed the backbone for the restoration of our physical condition. Many of us enhance our meals, use herbal drinks and body boosters, sometimes oblivious to the nutrients or the healing properties they contain and which plants are to be found in our backyard gardens. Many Herbal practitioners suggest using the following herbs in conjunction with healthy food and exercise: - CELERY - Improves appetite and helps in lowering high blood pressure CHADON BENI - Used for Fevers, Flu and Constipation ROU COU - Assists hair growth and controls dandruff ANNATTO - Can reduce stress ROSEMARY - Helps to stimulate circulation and digestion, detoxifies the liver and soothes menstrual cramps Things Natural stock a wide variety of herbal medicines, grown organically in Tobago.

In1687, Sir Hans Sloane, a wealthy London doctor and collector of books and natural specimens, worked in Jamaica for 15 months as the then Governor's physician. While there he noticed that the local people brewed a bitter drink from cocoa beans. Finding the taste "nauseous", he added hot milk and sugar to the concoction and licensed these preparation rights to the Cadbury Brothers upon his return to England, thereby popularizing drinking chocolate as a beverage with medicinal sedative properties. In his Will, his collection of books, plants and animal specimens were left to the Nation and these formed the basis of the first British Museum from which the Natural History Museum evolved. Sir Hans Sloane was also a Member of Parliament and the picturesque Sloane Square situated at the bottom of London's trendy Kings Road is named after him as his family owned the surrounding lands. Go see Tobago's Cocoa Estate in Roxborough - a great experience.

Swampy Nurseries The crab you find in your 'crab & dumpling' would have been caught in the mangrove swamp.
Mangroves thrive in mud - they are often found in coastal areas behind off-shore coral reefs. Their prop or stilt roots are their most noticeable feature as well as their ability to germinate in salt water. Crustaceans like oysters, mussels, barnacles and conch are permanent residents of this habitat. Herons, Egrets and Ibis feed on crustaceans on the ground, while above in the tree canopy you'll find the Iguana, tree-boa snakes and various spiders and insects.
The Caiman alligator can also be found. Lobster, Shrimp and some fish species use the mangrove to breed and raise their young. Mangrove swamps protect the land from erosion by reducing the tidal currents and can act as a buffer during storms and is a major filter system for water entering the sea. Wetlands are under pressure from development, over hunting and over fishing and today it is claimed that less than 1% of Tobago is covered by wetlands.
Swampy Nurseries
The mangrove is an ideal place for a nature tour or wild life photography. There are four major wetlands in Tobago at Petit Trou, Kilgwyn, Bon Accord and Buccoo, but others can be found at Courland Bay, Friendship, Louis D'or and Parlatuvier. Petit Trou at the Tobago Plantations has a wooden walkway through the mangrove which is great for photos and close-up views of these unusual plants, without getting muddy feet. With thanks to Environment Tobago

The unique, bizarre shapes of plants known as succulents are the result of adaptations which allow these plants to withstand long periods of drought.

Fleshy leaves, stems and roots act as water storage tanks and characterize all succulents including cactus plants. The barrel' of the stem collects water, while the spikes (modified leaves) ward off thirsty animals. Evaporation is reduced and limited through the shade provided by its natural shape and the thick waxy surface minimizes water loss. The Prickly Pear cactus' seeds were dried and ground into flour by Native American Indians while the edible paddles are today sold in supermarkets in the U.S.A. for use in Salsa preparation. The most common local usage for the cactus variety found in many backyards in Tobago is as a natural shampoo due to its soapy qualities when peeled and lathered.

Whether indulging yourself at breakfast, dessert or poolside with the ubiquitous Pina Colada, the pineapple is very much part of the Caribbean vacation experience. Just a few varieties of pineapple are actually sold in the global market place as whole fruits, while enormous numbers of slices and chunks are consumed from cans world-wide. . They're harvested on almost every island, a consequence of the migratory habits of the indigenous Carib Indians who bartered them on their travels. The armour-like shell and ground level growing position make the pineapple a more suitable candidate for hurricane survival than papayas or bananas. The Royal Botanical Gardens at Kew, on the outskirts of London, played a major role in cross breeding plants to improve their sweetness and then returned the new hybrids to various locations throughout the Caribbean.
The dominant variety in the Caribbean is the Red Spanish, which also goes by other names i.e. Antiguan Black, Guyana Joe, Dominica Green to name a few. You will find that the sweetness of this most fragrant and juicy fruit is enhanced when stored in the fridge and served cold. Pina Colada anyone? How to make a delicious Pina Colada: - 1 ½ ozs. Light or Dark Rum 2 ozs. Tinned Coconut Cream 2 ozs. Pineapple Juice 1 Cup Crushed Ice Pour all ingredients into a blender and blend until smooth. Serve with a slice of pineapple and a maraschino cherry.

They're a natural backdrop to Tobago's lush shore lines and are to be seen in abundance on many former estates where they were harvested and sold in Trinidad for the production of coconut oil and other by-products including soap and margarine. Like cocoa and sugar cane their production and export potential eventually became uneconomical, but even so, coconuts remain the most commonly used floral resource as every part of the tree has some human usage. Buoyant when dry, growing easily in sandy soil and found throughout the tropical world ,they are spread great distances over the seas by maritime currents; exposure to wintry conditions is usually fatal.
"Get your coconut water, It's good for your daughter, Coco got a lotta iron, Make you strong like a lion." The refreshing coconut water from the green nut is a popular long, cold drink and a favourite mixer for rum. You can usually purchase the 'water nuts' at the Scarborough Market or in plastic bottles to take home from vendors. The dry nut produces the most widely used cooking ingredient - coconut milk which is produced by squeezing the concoction produced by mixing warm water with the grated, fleshy meat of the dried seed. This milk is the liquid cooks and chefs use extensively to flavour meat and fish to give that wonderful coconut taste to certain dishes. When refrigerated, the cream rises to the top and is a richer more concentrated product that can be sold in blocks like butter, hence coconut cream, sold world-wide in ethnic shops. In Tobago it's usually marketed in powder form as coconut cream powder. The grated coconut meat is also used to make coconut candy and a variety of baked items like coconut bake, breads, cakes and tarts; coconut ice-cream is everyone's favourite. Sturdy cricket bats for soft-ball games can be fashioned from the green or dried branches which are also used for thatching and fencing. The long plentiful leaves are used to weave baskets and sun hats. The ribs or spines of the long leaves, when bound together, make perfectly functional brooms; being light and flexible kids find them ideal for kite making. The strong fibre from the dried husks i.e. the outside covering of the seed, is used to produce ropes, mats, brushes, stuffing and potting compost and is also an excellent source of fuel for cooking. The super hard shell is used for making buttons, bird feeders and coconut jewellery for the tourism trade and the trunks are cut into logs for use as posts in wooden home construction. Finally, palm wine is made from the fermented sap of the flower clusters while from the roots of this amazing tree is derived a medicinal potion used in the treatment of dysentery. Tree of Life, indeed!

You're sure to see them growing everywhere on the island, their huge purple bulbous flowers dangling and the fruit in large uniform green bunches; the plants produce one bunch of fruit from one flowering stem, then dies sending out new shoots called suckers.
They were brought to Europe by Portuguese sailors in the 15th century and then to the West Indies by the Spanish, but it's believed that Alexander the Great came upon them in India. Bananas are perhaps the world's favourite fruit and can be served in any number of imaginative ways - from smoothies and punches to exotic cocktails or baked in breads or sliced and sprinkled over with brown sugar and served with a dollop of ice cream.
It's best to buy them with a slight green tinge and keep them away from direct sunlight to keep them from ripening too quickly. They are rich in Vitamin C, Potassium and Magnesium but low in fat. You might like to try the other rarer varieties you'll find on sale at the market; they're smaller than the standard bananas and although they're not as common, they're just as sweet but with their own individual tastes - ask for 'silk figs' or 'c-key-a figs' (a forefinger in length) - fully ripe, these mutants will delight your taste buds. Here's a local tip - Rub the inside of a banana skin on your mosquito bites to stop the itch. Go Bananas…

ORCHIDS The Beauty Queens of the Flower World More than one-half of the Earth's diverse plant species live in tropical forests. In lush, tropical environments plants compete with one another for sunlight. Vines race each other up tree-trunks to reach the sunlit canopy and air-plants (orchids and others) attach themselves to branches and compete for every inch of the precious light rays. Closer to and down at ground zero, plants employ an adaptory ruse of dark red or mottled leaves to help absorb sunlight. Most tropical orchids grow on trees and belong to that grouping of plants that take up residence on trees and are known as epiphytes. From the forest canopy they receive more light and better exposure to pollinators and more efficient seed dispersal than plants on the rain-forest floor. Some special adaptations allow them to survive in environments where water and nutrients are scarce, hence the swollen barrel stems and highly absorbent spongy cell roots. While not as common as tree orchids, terrestrial orchids i.e. those that live with their roots in the soil, thrive in a range of tropical habitats from the shady moist environs of the forest floor to the mossy vertical cliffs of waterfalls which are favoured by some types of slipper orchids. Large colonies can also find a home on dry sunny expanses of rocky outcrops, sending their roots deep inside the crevices. Listen to the soundtrack of rain forest animals as you look for orchids on your rainforest walk; also tree frogs, myriad insects and the ever present trilling of squadrons of song birds. Explore more - enjoy more!

I've been told that you'll find Mango Mossy and John Buck Mangoes in Moriah and Suppie Mango, some say, grows in Bon Accord, while Button Mangoes, so called as they are small enough to get 2 or 3 in your mouth together, and are found only in Charlotteville. Mangoes taste delightful what ever their names and T&T's no slouch when naming the numerous varieties of this juicy fruit found on these shores. The lines of the old folk song by Trinidad's Olive Walk tell you how seriously these folks take their Mangoes………………. Ah want a penny to buy Mango Vert, Mango Teen Mango Zabico, Calabash Savez-vous all for me (save all for me). Earlier, the French patois language was spoken extensively in many of the islands including Trinidad, so French words were often used to name the mangoes e.g. Mango Doux-Douce (sweet-sweet), Mango Vert (green). It's been only 150 years since the East Indians were brought to Trinidad to work the sugar plantations as indentured labourers, and with them came all the different ways they pickled, preserved, curried and massala'd the green and almost ripe stages of the fruit. The Chinese immigrants to the island added their own touch and the practice of adding colourings gave rise to a thriving confectionary business in the production of the bags of 'red mango' preserves sold in all tuck-shops and grocery stores on both islands, as well as in West Indian communities abroad. I dare say these preserves have also made their way to Grenada and St. Vincent and other neighbouring islands as all these sun-kissed islands take their love of Mangoes to their hearts. Here are some of the fanciful names we call 'em by…………….Mango Starch, Little Pa, Ice Cream, Big Meat a.k.a Bellyfull, Rosy Cheek or Mango Rose, Cutlass, Custard, Long, Mango Spice, Mangoes Peter, Clementine and Graham Mango - not forgetting the Queen of all Mangoes - Julie Mango. So next time you are out walking in the hotel grounds or the surrounding neighbourhood and discern Mangoes on the trees, ask a local which variety of these fanciful names you are seeing. Of course, there are Calypsos about Mangoes including classics by the late Lord Kitchener, 'I wish I was a Mango Tree, planted in Laventille and The Mighty Sparrow's, 'If you suck it right, the hair won't stick in your teeth". Hit the Scarborough market and you just might hear a vendor singing out…………. Mangoes!……….Mangoes!………Mangoes!

THE RAINFOREST It was a lucky day for Tobago in 1776, when after many determined years of perseverance in its cause; the forest reserve was eventually legally protected thereby making it the oldest reserve in the western world. Fortuitously, it was realised back then that the rain forest attracted rain and that without it Tobago's water supply would be disrupted and crops would fail. The plantation owners and speculators needed land for their cash crops of cocoa, coconuts and sugarcane and would certainly have cleared the forests and sold the timber as they had done in other parts of the island. The rain forest provides other functions like controlling soil erosion and allowing clear water to flow year round into the sea, which in turn protects the beautiful reefs at Speyside, Englishman's Bay, Castara, Culloden and Buccoo. Fishing and tourism activities are dependent on the reefs and would decline if deforestation occurred as there would be an increase in sediment and change in the saltiness of the seawater. These would impact negatively on the reef systems. Many Tour Guides are also employed to show visitors the delights of the rain forest with its stunning wildlife, beautiful vistas and easy access. They are called rain forests as they are tree covered areas in warm regions where rainfall averages over 200 cm per year, allowing for year round growth. So now you know, go take a hike! Info kind courtesy of Environment Tobago.

ARISE, SIR BREADFRUIT Soupy Saturdays
The size of a junior football, breadfruit is high in starch and calories and can be cooked in various ways. This versatility, as well as the ability to grow in tropical areas and its abundant production capabilities made it a valuable resource for slave owners with many mouths to feed. Plants were transported from their native Polynesia to St. Vincent by the legendary Capt. Bligh and distributed to other islands. Joseph Robley, Tobago's most prominent planter at Golden Grove was awarded the Society of Arts medal for his success in propagating breadfruit trees. The slaves preferred plantains and it took some time for them to accept breadfruit as part of their diet.
Breadfruit eventually became staple diet on plantations throughout these sun-kissed islands, where they are still enjoyed today. The white sap, secreted from its trunk when cut, makes an ultra strong waterproof gum and is a favourite with rural boys in Trinidad to snag song-birds, while its leaves and flowers are used for medicinal herbal teas. No self respecting pea-soup is complete without salted beef/pork and the ubiquitous breadfruit. Its light yellow meaty pulp is simmered down with coconut milk to produce a perennial favourite known locally as 'Oil-down'. . Boiled, baked, fried or roasted the humble breadfruit remains a firm favourite on these culinary appreciative shores. Try local food outlets when the local tradition of Soup on Saturday is usually on their lunchtime menus. Arise, Sir Breadfruit!

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