Arrowroot

The industry started as the food and medicine of the Carib and Garifuna peoples and developed to the status of a major export of St. Vincent during the period 1900 to 1965.

In the past, the St. Vincent arrowroot industry played an important role in the economy of the island, contributing close to 50% of the country's foreign export earnings, and was the principal source of employment and income of the rural people from the 1930s to the 1960s.

[6] The plant is propagated from rhizomes and cultivation takes place at elevations up to 300 metres on the eastern and windward facing side of the highlands of St. Vincent.

St. Vincent, particularly the north-east coast, provides the ideal growing conditions for optimal yields: deep, well drained, slightly acidic soils and a hot, humid climate.

[7] After removing the scale, the roots are washed again, drained and finally reduced to a pulp by beating them in mortars or subjecting them to the action of a wheel rasp.

The milky liquid thus obtained is passed through a coarse cloth or hair sieve and the pure starch, which is insoluble, is allowed to settle at the bottom.

Pure arrowroot, like other pure starches, is a light, white powder (the mass feeling firm to the finger and crackling like newly fallen snow when rubbed or pressed), odourless when dry, but emitting a faint, peculiar odour when mixed with boiling water, and swelling on cooking into a perfect jelly, which can be used to make a food that is very smooth in consistency—unlike adulterated articles, mixed with potato flour and other starches of lower value, which contain larger particles.

Arrowroot can be consumed in the form of biscuits, puddings, jellies, cakes, hot sauces, and also with beef tea, milk or veal broth.

In the Victorian era it was used, boiled with a little flavouring added, as an easily digestible food for children and people with dietary restrictions.

Arrowroot thickens at a lower temperature than flour or cornstarch, is not weakened by acidic ingredients, has a more neutral taste, and is not affected by freezing.

[10] The English pub game of shove ha'penny, involving sliding a coin across a graduated slate board, traditionally uses arrowroot powder as a lubricating medium.