| OCHO
RIOS, Jamaica -- In 1494, when Christopher Columbus first
saw the island of Jamaica, he declared it "the fairest
land that eyes have beheld." More than 500 years later,
Jamaican food is nearly as popular its scenic surroundings.
From
waterfalls to mountains, the varied landscape holds the secret
to the culinary treasures of the island. At the Hibiscus
Lodge in Ocho Rios, Chef Brian Webster works with the
jewel of the Jamaican crown. Ackee, a member of the breadfruit
family, is combined with salted cod and spices to create the
national dish -- ackee and saltfish.
"In
the early days, it is said that a lot of meals that came from
the slaves actually came from Canada," says Jamaica Tourist
Board spokeswoman Iva Walters. "One way to preserve the
cod was to salt it so that by the time it got to Jamaica it
was okay and ready for eating."
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Jackfruit grows on trees and weighs anywhere between
15 and 30 pounds
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Jamaicans
also love Johnny cakes, made from flour, sugar, eggs
and margarine, usually fried and then eaten for breakfast
like a biscuit.
At
Sandals resort in Ocho Rios, guests are treated to
a traditional Jamaican feast and a little culinary lesson
too. Chefs explain that sweetsop (sugar apple) is custard-like,
and the large jackfruit (like breadfruit) grows on
a tree.
And
what about the famous Jamaican jerk? Jamaican "jerkmen"
have zealously guarded their jerk recipes while selling the
finished product from jerk stands around the island, and now
the specially spiced meats are enjoying a boom outside the
island. The uniquely Jamaican "barbecue"-styled
cooking goes back centuries.
"It
is the Maroons, a group of people who run away to the mountains
to avoid doing slavery and this is their way of cooking a
meal under the earth," explains Walters. "Again
it has stayed with us."
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What's Jamaica without the jerk?
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Jerk
is not only the way the food is cooked, but it's also the
name of the spices that give the food it's unique taste.
"A
lot of Scotch Bonnet pepper, pimento (allspice), garlic, mixed
spice ... and it's really spicy," says Irvin Marsh of
The Jerk Stand restaurant.
Smoked
for three hours, jerk chicken and pork soak up the flavors
to pack a walloping punch.
With
such delectable items on the menu, tourists who come to Jamaica
for the island's beauty are often captivated by its fire and
spice.
Source: www.cnn.com |
