Food of Jamaica. John DeMers

      

      Published by PERIPLUS EDITIONS (HK) LTD.,

      with editorial offices at

      364 Innovation Drive,

      North Clarendon, VT 05759 U.S.A. and

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      Singapore 534167.

      Copyright © 1998

      Periplus Editions (HK) Ltd.

      All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means without prior written permission from the publisher.

       Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

      DeMers, John, 1952-

      The food of Jamaica : authentic recipes from the jewel of the Caribbean / text and recipes by John DeMers ; photography by Eduardo Fuss ; with additional contributions from Norma Benghiat.

       p. cm. — (Periplus world cookbooks)

      Includes index.

      ISBN 962-593-228-3 (hc). - ISBN 962-593-101-5 (plc.)

       ISBN 978-1-4629-1643-6 (ebook)

      1. Cookery, Jamaican. I. Benghiat, Norma. II.

      Title. III. Series.

      TX716.J27D46 1997

      641.597292—dc21 97-40523

      CIP

      Photo Credits:

      Photos on pages 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 14, 21, 23, 25 by Mark Downey. Photo of boats at Port Royal on page 128 by Jeremy Francis. Prints on pages 6 and 7 reproduced courtesy of Hi-Qo, Kingston. All other photos are by Eduardo Fuss. Painting on page 2 reproduced courtesy of Wolfgang Höhn. Detail on front cover from “Two Daughters” by Margaret Robson. Painting of a Jamaican scene and painting of a Jamaican kitchen on page 30 are by Fiona Godfrey.

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      First edition

      1 3 5 7 9 10 8 6 4 2

       06 05 04 03 02 01 00 99 98

      PRINTED IN SINGAPORE

      Contents

       PART ONE: FOOD IN JAMAICA

       Introduction

       Native Soil

       Out of Many, One Nation

       The Rastafarians

       From the Field to the Table

       Eating and Cooking

       The Joys of Jerk

       The Spirit of Jamaica

       Blue Mountain Bounty

       A Jamaican Dine-Around

       PART TWO: COOKING IN JAMAICA

       The Jamaican Kitchen

       Cooking Methods

       Jamaican Ingredients

       PART THREE: THE RECIPES

       Basic Recipes

       Appetizers

       Soups and Stews

       Fish and Shellfish

       Meat and Poultry

       Vegetables

       Desserts

       Drinks

       Additional Recipes

       Acknowledgments

       Index

      A typical island breakfast of Run Down (recipe page 62), boiled green bananas and potatoes.

      Part One: Food in Jamaica

      Beneath misty mountain peaks lies a land of infinite complexity

      Jamaica is a lush tropical place offering intense adventure amid one of the most tangled cultures on the face of the earth. It vibrates with the rhythms of reggae, is enlivened by the spices of pepperpot and jerk and shimmers with the bright colors of flowers and paint.

      To think of Jamaica is to picture an island paradise of steep_; cloud-bedecked mountains and jewel-like blue lagoons—a land of holidays and relaxation. But there is much more to this island.

      Jamaica stands out among the islands of the Caribbean for several reasons, first for its sheer size: it is the third largest island in the Caribbean. With more than 4,000 square miles, Jamaica is one of the few Caribbean islands with agriculture, thus adding depth and variety to its cuisine while liberating its