CAROB THROUGHOUT HISTORY
 Carob originated from the area around the Persian Gulf, from where its cultivation first spread to the territory of Asia Minor, then to Syria, Lebanon, Palestine ,Israel and Egypt, and then the Phoenicians spread this endurable plant further along the Mediterranean. It was probably brought to Italy by the Greeks or the Phoenicians, the Arabs planted it in North Africa and Spain, the Spanish took it to South America and Mexico, and the British to India, South Africa and Australia. Even today, this tree, which does not require much but gives much, is grown in many parts of the world. The countries with the largest carob production are Spain, Portugal, Italy, Morocco, Turkey and Greece.
Carob was brought to us by the Greeks who established their colonies on the Adriatic coast. They also founded Issa, the oldest city in Croatia and brought carob culture along, which is still being held on the island of Vis. During the Venetian rule Komiža was the leading community where carob was cultivated in Dalmatia and planting was encouraged even in a way that it was a condition for marriage.
The locust was probably named after the Greek word keration, which means horn, because of its specific form of pods. In some languages the name derived from the original word so we have an English carob or an Italian carruba and in some languages it derived from the translation as in ours, it is called rogač, in Czech rohovnik or rožkov in Bulgarian.
It was the translation where one of the biblical misunderstandings occurred. In the Gospel of Matthew and the Gospel of Mark it is mentioned that St. John the Baptist, in order to feed himself in the desert, ate grasshoppers and wild honey. It is more likely that carob was mentioned because it was colloquially called “grasshopper” because of similarity of the fruits while green and would be very welcomed in St. John’s diet. The carob is also known as Johannisbrot – John's bread in German.
The carob is also mentioned in the New Testament: the prodigal son, from the story of Jesus in the Gospel of Luke, after scattering the property his father gave him, hungry he wanted to satiate with pods of carob,which pigs ate.

Even the ancient Egyptians knew the healing powers of the carob, so in many tombs, pods and seeds were found and the adherence of the carob was also used to help mummification. The ancient Greeks called it theEgyptianfig and used it as a natural dessert, just like the Romans who ate fresh green legumes.
It was at the era of the Antiquity that it was discovered that carob seeds varied very little in weight, so they were used to weigh gold. Carob seed weights 0.18 grams, which is 1 carat (keration), a measuring unit for gold. In ancient Rome, such a pure gold coin, called Solidus, weighed exactly 24 carats and because of this even today, 24-carat gold is considered a pure gold.
With its durability and nutrition value, the carob helped people to survive during many difficult times throughout history. It was eaten by Mohamed's soldiers and Roman legionaries. The builders of Egyptian pyramids were also eating carob during their pauses between hard work, just like seamen on long journeys. Carob helped Maltese people survive harsh conditions during the Second World War.
At the beginning of the war, Spanish doctor Ramos observed that the hungry children who ate carob to soothe hunger had less digestive problems than those who did not consume carob at all; in the research, a group of infants suffering from diarrhoea and treated with carob recovered twice as quickly as babies treated with conventional medicines. Carob was both, food and medicine.
This magnificent plant is still celebrated all over the world. The Jews have a special ceremony called Tu BiShvat (New Year of the Tree) when they plant seeds of new trees in winter and eat its dried fruits, especially carob. The Italians made sacred rosary beads out of carob and we have a place called Rogač on the island of Šolta. Thus, the rich history of the ancient carob continues.
 
 

Loading...

USE OF CAROB

The earliest records of carob use in cooking dates back to ancient Mesopotamia where it was used in the preparation of sweet dishes and drinks. Since then, it has been used for food purposes, including its dried pods, 90% of which are meat and 10% seeds. The seeds are often separated before grinding because they are used for other purposes and the pulp is usually either ground in the so-called carob flour or sold in pieces. Before sugar cane was so widespread, carob had been used as a substitute for sugar, and today, it is used as a healthier alternative to chocolate or cocoa.
Carob desserts are a healthier variant, lower in calories and with a lower fat content compared to classic chocolate and due to their protein content, it is used in the production of energy food for athletes. In Malta, Crete, and Cyprus, every house has a bottle of carob syrup that is used not only as a sweetener or topping but also as traditional cough medicine. In Egypt, they make kharrub, a cold drink they sell on the streets as a favourite summer refreshment, and they make it by caramelizing carob and mixing it with water. In Libya, carob syrup is used as a dressing for asida, a popular dough dish. Carob flour replaces chocolate, and in some doughs, it can also replace eggs. It is used to make jams, puddings, and spreads.
Carob seeds are used to obtain rubber carbs (E 410) - a natural thickener, emulsifier and stabilizer. In Germany, they are used roasted as a substitute for coffee, in Spain they are mixed with coffee, and they can also be eaten as snacks.
 Carob is also used in animal diet, especially pets who are not allowed to eat chocolate because of theobromine and caffeine which are harmful to them. That is why dog sweets are often made from carob. In Spain, donkeys were traditionally fed on carob, and this was also the custom on the island of Vis.

Loading...

Botanical and morphological properties of carob

Plant kingdom : Plantae
Plant division: Magnoliophyta
Class: Magnoliopsida
Order: Fabales
Family: Fabaceae
Subfamily: Caesalpinioideae
Genus: Ceratonia
Sort: Ceratonia siliqua L.

Carob is an evergreen long-life fruit tree, living up to more than 200 years. The carob tree is 5- 1o metres high, even up to 15 metres in favourale conditions. Its bark is reddish brown. Its braches are strong, laid evenly so its tree top falls all the way down to the soil. Its wood fourishes from July to late autumn and its fruit ripen very slowly, only in summer or autumn of the next year, inflorenscences and fruit can be seen on the tree at the same time Carob fruit is a flat, tenacious, leathery, mildly bent, tough, smooth, a bit shiny and dry dark red seedpod 12-20 metres long. It contains 10 – 15 very hard, shiny, reddish-brown seeds. Four carob sorts are grown in Croatia out of which domestic ones are: Komiški tusti, Šipan and Mekiš or Puljiški from the Italian origin of Puglia. All the listed sorts are distinguished as regular and abundant crop. 

Chemical composition of carob

Carob is a big source of nutrients with an abundance of hydrocarbons, vitamins, minerals and polyphenols and has low protein and fat content. Carob pods with 6.01% water contain 18.1 - 60% sugar, of which the largest share is: glucose (5 - 6%), fructose (5 - 7%) and sucrose (32 - 38%), 9, 69 - 50% fibre, 3 - 4.71% protein and 0.23 - 0.8% lipid. Carob is also rich in minerals such as potassium (1100 mg / 100 g), calcium (307 mg / 100 g), magnesium (42 mg / 100 g), sodium (13 mg / 100 g), iron (104 mg / 100 g). ). Carob fruit is a complex mixture of primary and secondary metabolites and contains a wide variety of polyphenols, in addition to which numerous amino acids are also present in carob fruits. 100 grams of carob powder has 228 kcal, is rich in vitamins A, B, B2, B3 and D. It is an ideal food for survival because it has a long shelf life, does not require special storage and can be eaten without any preparation.

MEDICAL PURPOSES OF CAROB
 
Carob has also an important role in medicine: it is used to treat diarrhea (in infants and young children) because it is a good stabilizer, enteritis or inflammation of the intestinal mucosa and in dyspepsia or indigestion, for the treatment of gastritis and gastroenteritis, in stabilizing insulin in diabetics, in lowering blood cholesterol, in preventing anemia and treating cough. It is an excellent antioxidant, has anti-allergic and antibacterial properties, helps to lose weight and some of its cytotoxic properties have been reported, so it is being studied as a possible aid in treatment of some forms of cancer. It can be used in treatment of asthma, bronchitis, influenza and cardiovascular diseases. Because it is rich in calcium and phosphorus, it can act preventively or help alleviate the symptoms of osteoporosis and has a beneficial effect on bones, teeth and gums. It is also used to make tablet coatings in the pharmaceutical industry.
Today, carob is increasingly used in the cosmetic industry, especially in the new era of eco-awareness. Since it is a plant that is rarely attacked by parasites, pesticides are not used in its cultivation, it is an indispensable ingredient in organic cosmetics nowadays. Soaps, creams, peelings are made from it, and it is believed that the extract from its seeds stimulates the renewal of collagen.
Carob is not only used in food and cosmetics. In Crete, carob is a favourite firewood because it burns for a long time, and throughout the Mediterranean it is often planted around the houses because it is highly flammable. Tannin is obtained from its bark, and it is also used to improve soil fertility. The seeds are used in the production of glue, rubber, ink and patina for shoes. 
People plant it in gardens and parks because of the attractiveness of its appearance and the deep shade it provides. Its hardwood is used to make furniture, and its seeds are used to make jewellery.

CAROB ON VIS

We call carob the oldest inhabitant of the Mediterranean. It is a fruit that has always been said to be planted for future generations because of its longevity.
At the Potok site in Komiža, there is probably the oldest carob tree in the world, older than two thousand years, a tree that has existed since before Christ. It still gives fruit, and its yield can exceed 100 kg. The trunk of this impressive tree, whose crown resembles an octopus, has a volume of more than 11 meters.
Carob was once a valuable food here, many families lived solely from growing and selling its fruits. Today, unfortunately, it is mostly neglected, sometimes it represents only additional income for people, so there is a danger that it will become extinct as a species in our region. Existing plantations are decaying and new ones are not being raised, which is a shame because carob, once considered a poor food, is now an integral part of products such as energy foods or healthier sweets that fetch a high price. New insights into its high nutritional value and health effects, as well as its potential for use in modern food items should contribute to raising awareness of the carob value. 

CAROB ON VIS

Our goal is to draw attention to the neglected, and in all respects exceptional plant such as carob, and to prepare a wide range of healthy food products, cosmetics and decorative items from this traditional island food in a different and innovative way.
When creating products of excellent quality, we nurture the traditional way of processing materials, ie food. In doing so, we put emphasis on "sustainable technology" that takes from nature, but processes and processes so that it is either not wasted or harmless.
All used foods are grown on our island, they are extremely good for health and an excellent substitute for many unhealthy foods, and the added value of the products is given by the fact that we picked carob fruits from the oldest carob in the world and used Vis spring water from Kamenice.

Our innovative products represent excellence, authenticity and tradition. In this way, we want to protect life on the island, create the food that nature offers and encourage students to start their own entrepreneurial activities in the future and decide to continue living on the island.
Also, with these activities we plan to improve the development of strategic forms of tourism on the island of Vis, especially gastronomic tourism that allows a return to the past presented in a modern way, but within protection of traditional values that the island still hides.

CAROB RECIPES

CAROB BALLS

INGREDIENTS:
 • 200 g ground biscuits
 • 100 g ground walnuts
 • 100 g ground roasted hazelnuts
 • 100 g ground carob
 • 2 tablespoons carob syrup
 • 1 orange (juice)
 • 70 g butter
 • A little rum
 • ground walnuts or hazelnuts for the end

 PREPARATION:
 • In a larger bowl, mix the ground biscuits, walnuts, hazelnuts and carob.
 • Mix carob syrup with orange juice and add melted butter.
 • Pour all together into the dry ingredients and mix well.
 • Shape into balls and roll them in ground walnuts / hazelnuts.
 • If the mass is not pliable enough to form balls, add a little more orange juice if necessary.