The Real Taste Of Jamaica VERIFIED
The Real Taste of Jamaica takes food lovers and cooks the world over into Jamaican homes, kitchen and restaurants to sample the full range of native cuisine prepared by local housewives, cooks, restaurateurs and roadside 'jerkies'. Enid Donaldson presents her dishes with flair and imagination, delicately spiced and flavoured with curry, scotch bonnet peppers, jerk sauce, pimento, nutmeg, rum and a dash of typical Jamaican humour. 'Stamp and Go', 'Dip and Fall Back', 'Mannish Water' and 'Matrimony' conjure up images that do not disappoint when tasted. Traditional recipes are included for those who would like to recapture childhood memories. The section, 'Ole Time Someting', contributed by noted journalist and talk-show host Barbara Gloudon, captures the memories and magic of Jamaica kitchens and homes of yesteryear. 'Out of Many, One Pot' aptly describes Jamaica's culinary motto, capturing the rich and exciting blend of Native Indian, Spanish, British, African, East Indian, Chinese, Jewish and Lebanese cuisines.
The Real Taste of Jamaica
(image supplied by Mysilversands Jamaica Villas) You may also order this book to be delivered to your door from Amazon.com where it has been highly rated by readers. Enjoy re-living the tastes of the food you enjoyed at your Silver Sands Villa, in the comfort of your own home.
Cultivated in the Blue Mountain region of Jamaica, Blue Mountain Coffee is a highly sought-after specialty. The coffee is known for its classic, lack of bitterness and delicate yet strong flavor. The coffee has a nutty, chocolaty aftertaste, which is sure to please even the most particular coffee connoisseurs.
There are several reasons why Blue Mountain Coffee is smooth and tastes so good. Firstly, it is farmed between 2000 and 5000 feet above sea level. The coffee is planted in rich soil in small batches. The crop is hand-picked, so only the best possible beans are reaped and used in the process.
Jamaica is such a beautiful destination that the local cuisine often gets overlooked. On your next trip to the island, it is worth the time to sample a few of these flavorful dishes to get a real taste of local. From the game flavor of curry goat to the smoked spiciness of jerk, every pick on this list hits that sweet spot and promises a delicious-experience. So go ahead, pick one, you will not be disappointed with the flavors of these local foods.
``For some reason, I can remember even the taste of things. Not to drag in the glorious Proust madeleine . . . [but] I can see a tiny point of a certain color and it reminds me of a day at the sea and from that [come] worlds of emotion,'' she says.
``We are so absorbed by [Annie],'' she says in a voice rich with British precision and Caribbean lyricism. ``No matter what you expect, nothing matches the reality of having a child.'' While such maternal affection is not unexpected from a new mother, the birth of this child has already affected Ms. Kincaid's fiction. ``I'm clearly the kind of writer interested in the autobiographical for [use in] fiction and nonfiction,'' she says. ``Since I wrote [``Annie John''] from this semi-autobiographical view, I couldn't do it [from the daughter's perspective] now.''
After working in New York as an au pair girl, followed by two of years of studying photography in New Hampshire, Ms. Kincaid made a final journey. She returned to New York determined to become a writer. ``I was so poor. I was trying to live as a writer when I couldn't really write. But I was determined not to do anything but be a writer,'' she says. Her first journalistic efforts met with uncommon success. She published free-lance pieces in Ingenue and the Village Voice, and by 1976 she was working as a staff writer for the New Yorker, where she continues to publish short fiction.
Moving to the United States has also provided her other opportunities for personal as well as literary growth. As someone who rankled at her colonial upbringing (``I think I'm an American in spirit''), Ms. Kincaid stops short of categorizing herself as a black American. ``Americans are all hyphenated,'' she says. She disparages the label of ``black American woman writer,'' and she is most concerned about how her daughter will eventually perceive herself. ``I would like her to feel a part of people for whom their skin isn't really that much of a problem,'' she says. ``It's just too slight to cling to your poor skin color or your sex . . . when you think of the great awe that you exist at all. The other stuff is too small to attach any importance to.''
This well-grounded streak of independence seems to blend well with her current life. But it is perhaps ironic that the strong sense of family that so overwhelmed Ms. Kincaid during her youth has come to mean so much now. She says most of her real writing occurs ``in my head,'' that she does little or no rewriting, but goes over all her work with her husband ``at breakfast.'' ``Sometimes I can't even write a line without showing him,'' she says. ``It's true I haven't written a page without telling him, `You must read this, you must read this.' He's an incredible editor.''
Toward the end of the interview, Ms. Kincaid's husband arrives carrying in Annie, who has just awakened. As Ms. Kincaid reaches for this bundle with the staring brown eyes and tufted black hair, she acknowledges this familial connection and its impact on her as a woman and as a writer. ``Sometimes I feel as if my life now is sort of this thing that has nothing to do with writing. I can only reach certain feelings or reach back into my past,'' she says. ``My life right now is fairly stable and [so] full of love and joy . . . that I am able to really see things, the feelings . . . to reach into life really.''
At J.P. Knit and Stitch, knitting fans peruse the selection of yarns, from natural and organic fibers to recycled blends and locally-dyed colors, along with cheery print fabrics perfect for quilting. The real strength of the shop lies in its classes, with crafty types coming for group sewing, knitting, or crocheting. Though regulars wish for a greater selection of yarns, the helpful instruction and community vibe keeps them coming back.
At the Haven, customers sample Scottish fare in a relaxed, rustic environment, complete with quirky modern touches such as chandeliers made from antlers. The Boston Globe-reviewed menu has thoughtful renditions of simple classics, such as beer-battered haddock served with minted mushy peas and herb-roasted chicken with rumbledethump cake. Regulars praise the crispy Scotch eggs, which arrive with a side of strong mustard, and more daring patrons report an excellent house-made haggis with a rich, buttery taste. The intimate bar area won the 2014 Boston Magazine's Jamaica Plain award for its extensive craft beer list, including many brews unique to Scotland.
For residents looking for a quiet drink, several watering holes on Centre Street fit the bill. At local favorite Brendan Behan Pub, patrons step into the dark, wood-paneled room and check the chalkboard menu for recent additions. The friendly staff pour a wide selection of ales, lagers, stouts, and Guinness, including some hard-to-finds on tap, such as Sixpoint and Smuttynose, alongside wine and a full bar. The reasonably-priced establishment prides itself on being a real Irish bar where people chat, or a "talking bar," as the owner likes to say. Musicians sometimes play live here, usually Irish or acoustic rock, and though the bar has no kitchen, customers are invited to bring their own food to accompany the drinks and music.