Caribbean Coconuts – A Surprising Fact I Bet You Don’t Know!

Before you read the rest of this article about Caribbean coconuts, I want you to do me a favor:

1. Get into a comfortable position

2. Close your eyes

3. Let yourself get nice and relaxed, almost to the point of napping

4. Imagine you are one a warm Caribbean beach

5. Explore that image in your mind for a while

6. Once you have your image memorized, open your eyes

Now, what exactly did you see in your mental image of a warm Caribbean beach? Continue reading “Caribbean Coconuts – A Surprising Fact I Bet You Don’t Know!”

Spicy BBQ Glazed Ham Recipe to Add Some Caribbean Zest to Your Holidays

Pickapeppa sauce, which is also known hairs “Jamaican ketchup,” is a wonderful condiment that is produced only in Jamaica. As anyone who has tried it already knows, it is not like any other hot sauce on the market. Sugar, vinegar, mangoes, raisins, tamarinds, peppers, and spices are cooked with onions and tomatoes and then aged like wine in oak barrels for about a year. It is a tangy, sweet, hot, complex condiment, and the perfect pairing with jerk barbecued anything. Serve this BBQ glazed ham with grilled sweet potatoes.

4 tablespoons Pickapeppa sauce

1/2 teaspoon coriander

1/2 teaspoon allspice

1/2 teaspoons cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon cloves

5 teaspoons molasses Continue reading “Spicy BBQ Glazed Ham Recipe to Add Some Caribbean Zest to Your Holidays”

The Wonders of Strong Coffee

Those who have to like for strong coffee, then they will surely love the Blue Mountain Coffee. Cultivated in extreme conditions and roasted using strict methods, Jamaican Blue Mountain Coffee is known for their mild flavour and lack of bitterness. While the Jamaican coffee has grown in popularity over the decades, it is the most sought type by espresso companies, cafeterias and also households. That is not only because of its great taste but a myriad of health benefits. Here, take a look at the some of them to have an idea of what wonders a strong coffee can do to your health.

#1 Gives energy and helps fight diseases

A cup of strong coffee bears a lot of nutrients and vitamins. Besides, there are tons of antioxidants which help in detoxifying the body of the consumers. The caffeine has been a great influence on the immune system and has the ability to ward off diseases. It blocks all the pathways that inflammatory molecules.

#2 Helps burn fat Continue reading “The Wonders of Strong Coffee”

Jamaican Noni Juice – Wonder Drink

As a proud Jamaican it’s hard for me to admit that the Jamaican Noni Juice is no different from all the other varieties of Noni juice processed elsewhere in the world. It is harvested from the same tree (scientific name Morinda Citrifolia) known in various places as morinda, Indian mulberry, and Noni cheese fruit among others.

The Noni tree is native to Southeast Asia but grows mostly in tropical regions and spreads across the Indian subcontinent and along the Polynesian archipelago. The varieties most commonly cultivated and processed into commercial juices are those from Tahiti and Hawaii.

The fruit is rich in carbohydrates and fiber content, with some proteins and a little fat. The main micronutrients seem to be vitamin C, and traces of niacin, iron, potassium, vitamin A, calcium and sodium. Continue reading “Jamaican Noni Juice – Wonder Drink”

Jamaica Traditional Fruit Cake

To many individuals a good quality cake is seen almost as an exotic foods. In Jamaica the traditional rich old time Jamaican fruitcake is among the most popular. Unknown to many, this is a spin-off of the age old English plum pudding

It is the dream of every Jamaican woman to be able to make this queen of cakes. Many have tried and have gotten aged old generations recipes passed down to them but some how never really got it quite right since each household has its own secretly guarded variation and never really give out all the ingredients or the exact method used..

This best variation of this cake is made by the creaming method. It is packed with dried fruits. It may come as a surprise but none of the fruits used are from the island such as raisin, currants, prunes, cherries except mixed peel which is sometimes made in Jamaica. The others are imported and thus hike the price of the commodity. Continue reading “Jamaica Traditional Fruit Cake”

How Do You Say Eat in Jamaican Patois

Learning to speak another language or dialect helps us broaden our vocabulary. As a matter of fact, some people say that learning new languages helps us keep our minds active because we are teaching our brains new things. Whether you’re learning a language such as Spanish or a dialect such as Jamaican Patois, both would qualify as being potentially beneficial exercises for the brain.

Jamaican Patois is spoken by millions of people. The dialect, has its own vocabulary, grammar, pronunciation and syntax; similarly to other languages. Jamaican Patois, sometimes referred to as creole, has its own rules for the order in which words should be placed and rules for pronunciation of those words. The Jamaican Creole syntax is often difficult to learn but it can be learned through continued practice. Many people who want to learn the Jamaica language not only want to learn the vocabulary, they also want to learn the correct syntax. As in other languages, the syntax, grammar and vocabulary are of key importance when studying or learning Jamaican. Continue reading “How Do You Say Eat in Jamaican Patois”

Explore Authentic Jamaica Through a Food Festival

Explore Authentic Jamaica through a food festival. Jamaica has many interesting foods and several annual food festivals. The Portland Jerk Festival is one of the most well-known festivals because it involves one of Jamaica’s most popular ways of cooking – jerk!

Jerk is the process of spicing and grilling. Meat is rubbed with a mixture of herbs and spices. The main ingredients in the mixture are scotch bonnet pepper and pimento. The meat is then grilled over charcoal or pimento wood. Jerk at its best has a hot, juicy, spicy and tender flavour.

At the festival, anything that can be jerked will be jerked, and over the years, new additions such as jerked lobster have added to the “tastiness” of the festival. Considered the home of jerk, the village of Boston in the parish of Portland draws jerk-lovers from all over the island, who spend hours sampling chicken, pork, fish, sausages, lobster, and accompaniments such as bread, festival, and breadfruit.

The food festival includes performances from local artistes and community dance groups, arts and craft displays, a bounce-about, a merry-go-round, and face painting appropriate for all age groups. Continue reading “Explore Authentic Jamaica Through a Food Festival”

Jamaican Pan Chicken

Jamaica is an island that possesses a rich culture and a wonderful culinary heritage. No trip to Jamaica would be complete without trying some of the island’s unique and tasty cuisines. One of the must have experiences requires a sense of adventure. To taste pan chicken you have to make a stop at one of the many street corners where chefs ply their trade. The chefs can usually be found on the streets from around evening time to the wee hours of the morning. The chefs primarily cater to Jamaicans heading home from work and locals and tourists alike who partake in the party or bar scene, or other night adventures.

Pan chicken in Jamaica traditionally is prepared as a “jerked” style chicken cooked by street chefs. Jerk style is a form of cooking that originated in Jamaica where meat is dry seasoned or wet marinated with a spicy and often hot dressing known as “jerk seasoning”. Each chef will have his or her own unique blend of jerk seasoning made from combining pimento, cinnamon, scallions, nutmeg, garlic, thyme, scotch bonnet peppers and other ingredients. Also some creative pan chefs have been known to use tamarind, peanut butter, teriyaki and other styled seasonings when cooking with their portable drum grills.

Continue reading “Jamaican Pan Chicken”

Traditional Jamaican Christmas Cake

Christmas fruitcakes have been baked for centuries with the oldest known recipe dating back to Ancient Rome. Fruitcakes were a way to preserve fruits and nuts as well as a way to celebrate the harvest and seek good luck in the coming year. Jamaicans favorite Christmas cake is dark, spongy and heavy, with rum soaked fruit and rich flavor. Eaten only at Christmas the cake is a favored gift and family tradition.

Ingredients:

* 1 lb. Raisins

* 4 oz. Cherries

* ½ lb. Chopped prunes Continue reading “Traditional Jamaican Christmas Cake”

Jamaica Food Festivals

Enjoy a different side of Jamaica on your next trip as you explore some of the popular annual food festivals with sumptuous and spicy dishes.

If you are planning a trip to the island of Jamaica in the near future, we are recommending that you try something different on this trip. Naturally, you want to stay at the luxury hotels, visit the many attractions, rock to the reggae beat, but why don’t you try to explore some of the areas for the authentic Jamaican food. This island features some of the most fascinating and unique dishes which you will find in the Caribbean and quite a few of them are on display each year at various Jamaica food festivals.

There is a festival which is held in the parish of Portland called the Bussu Festival. This event usually featured some shell creatures which can be found in the rivers in this area and is mostly used in soup. In addition to the food on display, there is always musical entertainment with performances from local artistes. Continue reading “Jamaica Food Festivals”