I am excited to be off to the Culinary Institute of America at Greystone in Napa Valley this week to join other chefs at the 14th World of  Flavors conference. It’s a privilege as this is the first time the Caribbean   has been represented and I am looking forward to not only exposing our long   history but also demonstrating examples of the modern culinary culture that we   have been developing for many years now. For many Caribbean or at least  Jamaican food is defined by Jerk. Whilst jerk is a worthy part of our culinary  history and worthy of Presida status by the Slow Food Movement it is mostly  misunderstood and the title mis used. I will therefore be delving into the real  meaning and demonstrating some modern interpretations that are considered  acceptable within the region. The first and most important delineation is the  difference between using the title Jerk and using Jerk Spice.

As jerking is  process, which includes marinating and tenderization with specific herbs, and  slow cooking it cannot be readily applied to just any item. It is acceptable  though, at least in my eyes, to refer to the fact that one has used Jerk spices,  commonly pimento, scotch bonnet and thyme to flavor one or another item; items  that will not be marinade or slow cooked. My favorites in this category include  Jerk spiced Short bread and Popcorn.

Anyway, my presentation will focus on Jerk and Curry as the two foundational flavours that defines our cuisine
beginning with making each of these items. There are of course as many recipes  for each as there are cooks in the Caribbean but there are certain fundamentals  that cannot be ignored. I will begin form that point and then demonstrate the divergence or styles that can branch form these common routes. There are a  series of opportunities over the four days of the conference running from walk  around tasting sessions to demonstrations, lectures and live fire cooking  sessions.

I will be starting off with Janga Soup and Jerked Pork Belly Mac  and Cheese springs rolls on the first evening. During the next two days, I will  be making Curry as a mother sauce and creating Samoa’s, Empanadas and Pasty with  various curried items. Of course as is indicative of our cuisine there will be  lots of interesting sauces and sides to complement and enhance the flavours.

 I am looking forward to meeting other chefs from other cultures, learning and sharing. After the event I will publish the recipes from the conference,  write more about others reactions to our style of cuisine, and share more about  what I have learnt from this important culinary activity

On a hot weekend in Kingston, when the humidity is high and the breeze refuses to blow it away the place to be is Port Royal. If you have the time pack a picnic and cold bottle of white wine and head to Lime Key. If you cant afford a full day's jaunt but are still in need of some relief and a relaxing afternoon, pass the Morgan's Harbour departure spot for Lime Key and head on down to Gloria's.

The breezes can usually be counted on to blow on this peninsula, stuck as it is well out into Kingston Harbour and you can take full advantage of that sitting under the canvas shade in the street outside Gloria's. In fact there are now two Gloria's at Port Royal but i prefer the original in the old town next to Lue's grocery 

Gloria's is renowned for its fresh seafood and indifferent service. If you're in the know and in a hurry you can call ahead and order your food otherwise be prepared to wait. The surroundings are authentic, if up graded, road food style with oil cloth table coverings and plastic lawn chairs. Order a drink while you what although the bar menu only runs to sodas and red stripe - but what could be better with Gloria's food. While you order may take some time the people watching is fun as the "yard" is usually packed with interesting people  often doing interesting things!

The menu runs the gamit from fried whole fish and sliced fish, curried seafood items such as lobster and my favorite  Brown Stew fish  to watch an informative video and see a good recipe paste the following into your browser or highlight/click   http://www.jamaicatravelandculture.com/food_and_drink/brown_stew_fish.htm

Gloria's brown stew fish and fried fish are well worth the journey and the wait. Be sure to accompany any thing you order with their festival. I have order festival all over the island and there is no doubt Gloria's is the best. Although they start with Grace's packet festival mix they blend it / fry it in such a way that it comes out crispy and light. Order several as they are yummy!! When the "hungry belly" is full stroll back through the town along the water front before heading back to Kingston for dessert

on this hot summer's after noon with a luxurious belly full of Gloria's fish there is only one place for dessert - Devon House I Scream. The trip back to Waterloo Road in New Kingston will be long enough to allow your lunch to settle and in case you are still full when you reach Devon House dont' worry as you'll still be in for a long wait.

Devon House I scream, although available all over the island, draws throngs to Devon House itself. As a beautiful century's old manor house its an wonderful piece of history surrounded by well kept and shady grounds. Even without the ice cream it's well worth the visit as there a a wide variety of shops and restaurants throughout the grounds. But really! the ice cream is what we've come for.There are 27 flavours in all to choose from which include Dragon Stout, Rocky River, Pistachio, Coconut Coffee and Soursop. Choices, Choices, Choices LOL well there is a line waiting out the door pick one and wait.

Scothies- Kingston is the latest and largest version of this Jamaican icon which literally began as a "hole in the wall" operation in Montego Bay.
Renowned for it renditions of classic jerk pork and chicken it also offers Roast Breadfruit, Yam and Sweet Potato in addition to the wonderful sweet potato "poon" which is slow cooked over a charcoal fire in the back yard.
A bucolic oasis amidst the heat of Kingston, Scothies, sitting in a dusty used car lot on Chelsea Ave in New Kingston, has fast become a must visit vendor of Jamaican road food; serving 2500 meals on a busy day.
While remaining rustic, Scothies offers the opportunity to sit in an arbour in the verdant gardens. Choose to be served or line up at the take out window, sharing in the carnival atmosphere of food being prepared . 
The cooking takes place in a large smoky kitchen reminiscent of Dante's inferno. Laughing cooks drop huge slabs of pork  and split chickens directly onto rafts of sweet wood laid over huge charcoal pits   

The meat is covered with zinc sheets to retain the smoke and reflect the heat from the glowing coals below. Beginning early in the morning hundreds of pounds of meat that have been marinaded over night go onto to the grills to be tended carefully over the long cooking period.
Jerking is a complex process that goes beyond the marinade, requiring an understanding of history to execute properly

The story of Jerk begins with the Maroons. When the British captured Jamaica in 1655 the Spanish Colonist fled leaving a large number of slaves behind. Rather than be enslaved again by the British they escaped into the remote mountainous regions of the island, joining those who had previously escaped to live with the Ameridian natives. The maroons lived in the tangle of mountains, supporting themselves by farming, hunting wild boar and raiding the plantations. The Spanish had imported large quantities of animals to Jamaica, of these pigs and goats adapted the best, many escaping into the wild. 
                                                                            These wild hogs became a favorite food source for the Maroons

Due to their aggressive attacks on the planters, they were constantly harrased  by the British army who hunted them throughout the rugged cockpit country. Wiley and mobile they defied capture by constantly moving throughout the hills. To sustain themselves and avoid giving their location away they devised the method of "jerking" their food.
Wild boar was tough and of course refrigration unknown, they therefore preserved their meat by marinading it. Pimento and papaya acted as tenderiser while, lime juice scotch bonnet and bird pepper acted as preservaties. The marinaded meat was "jerked" or dried in pits of smouldering green pimento wood covered with leaves and earth. This slow cooking method had the advantage of not requiring constant attention or signalling their location.

Jerk Seasoning Ingredients:
There are any number of recipes for jerk seasoning, and many have an ingredient list a mile long but Jamaican's cooks agree that there are three jerk spice ingredients that are key: 
 All Spice also known as "Jamaica pepper," gets its name from the  rich, spicy flavor which  is reminiscent of the mingling of cloves, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
Scotch Bonnet Peppers are small, orange and wrinkly (looking like the cooks scotch bonnet of old). They are extremely hot- among the hottest peppers known
Thyme, Jamaica's ubiquios herb adds complexity to the flavor of the meat. Thyme was brought the island by the Spanish as it has many symbolic uses beyond cooking- being associated with honour, strength and bravery.
Additional ingredients often include garlic, brown sugar, escallion, soy sauce, lime juice, orange juice, papaya, rum, bay leaves, ginger, cloves, nutmeg, cinnamon, cumin, coriander and black pepper.

There are many proprietary brands of Jerk Seasoning available these days with Walker's Wood, Busha Browne and Spur Tree being amongst the best on the market. Jerk Seasoning can be purchased wet or dry rub. I prefer the wet version and often add coconut oil to the mix to aid the infusion.

Depending on the cut of meat being used and the overall weight one can marinade the item from 1 hour up to 2-3 days. The flavour and intensity will increase and in the case of tougher cuts will tenderize. When fully marinaded and slowly jerked  chicken will take on a wonderful white almost translucent colour and  a "melt in your mouth" texture. Pork often becomes red around the bones which creates an impression of not being cooked but is just a chemical reaction. 

To create your own flavorful seasoning, buy spices whole, toast them lightly in a dry skillet--just until they become aromatic--and then grind them in a spice grinder or a mortar and pestle.
Remember to remove the seeds from the peppers; to decrease the heat, also the white membranes. Do not handle without latex gloves: the oils can cause serious irritation and burning to your hands. 

Place the peppers, the ground spices, and all the remaining ingredients in a food processor and let it run until a smooth paste forms. soy sauce, lime juice, orange juice, papaya juice, rum, or water if the mixture appears to need more liquid.

Here is one recipe you can try:
    1/2 cup ground pimento berries
   1/2 cup packed wet brown sugar
    1 head garlic-peeled
    6 Scotch Bonnet peppers, seeded and cored 
    Small bunch of fresh thyme leaves - strip out  hard woody stalks
    2 bunches Scallion or green spring onions
    1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
    1 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
    1/2 teaspoon cumin
    1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
     Course sea salt and ground black pepper
     Tablespoon lime juice, orange juice and soy sauce 

The road network in Jamaica consists of almost 21,000 kilometers of roads, of which over 15,000 kilometres is paved. 
As a percentage of kilometers to population Jamaica is extremely well endowed with thoroughfares. This is fortunate as Jamaica is also a country with a high percentage of entrepreneurs per capita with many of them plying their trade along the nations highways.

In the next few postings I will take you on a pictorial culinary journey around this beautiful jewel of the Caribbean. As people, what we love to eat is one definition of our cultural identity.  Jamaican culture is unique in the fact that from the highest to the lowest levels of society everyone enjoys and eats the same foods. 

Much of what is eaten at home can also be purchased at a myriad of road side establishments, many rustic in nature but  "temples" of flavour; each one a specalist in some ethnic creation that is sure to have its own devotees. 

I will not take on the onerous task of defining who is "best" in this gastronomic minefield, just allow you to vicariously wander the bye ways of the island, exploring those places where no Jamaican road food connoisseur with a "hungry belly" could pass. In fact the majority of these "joints" would be considered worthy destinations in and of themselves.
We will visit Scotchies in Kingston, Prendy's on Hellshire Beach, Fresh Touch at Bluefields, The Best Kept Secret in Port Antonio, Claudette's in Mandeville, Gloria's in Port Royal, Howie's in Middle Quarter,  Morant Bay and Coronation Markets and who knows who else we will meet along the way,

Jamaica " the land of wood and water" with its motto 'out of many - one people" is a land rich in heritage and agriculture; a rich brew that has fermented over the ages to create a unique culinary melting pot. Let's explore!

Street food is ready-to-eat food or drink sold in a street or other public place, such as a market or fair, by a vendor, often from a portable stand or cart.  
 Most street foods are both finger food and fast food. Street food for the most part costs less and it has been suggested that it is eaten by 2.5 billion people every day.
Street food is distinguished by its local flavour and by the simple way that it is served, often right on the street, although food can often sold from counters inside buildings but still be considered street food.
It is also often distinguished by exotic items with bold and exciting flavours. Dishes which reflect the very essence of the cultures from which they come. 

Whilst the phenomenon is world wide and most closely associated with the teeming streets of China and India ever country has its own version. In many metropolis areas street food vendors can be found offering culinary vignettes to satisfy the inquisitive or the home sick.