Rosemary Parkinson, Gleaner Writer

What a beautiful Jamaican smile!

For the last year I have been a consultant to the Barbados Investment & Development Corporation (BIDC) on the redevelopment of Pelican Arts & Craft Centre, near Cheapside Market and Fisheries, Bridgetown. Finally, it has been clearly seen that a concrete jungle does not spell green. Finally, it has been clearly seen that true Bajan cuisine is in - even if a little Caribbean flair is put into it.

I have completed Cou Cou Stick (formerly Cou Cou Village), and when the restaurant is officially opened in about two weeks, I shall write further. Meanwhile, you can find me with either my hands in dirt, planting herbs, fruit trees and edible flowers in front of Cou Cou Stick or 'milling' over plans for the three other restaurants that will make up this complex - Organic Earth, with live food under the direction of famed raw-food and health advocate, Chantel Sellman; Cork & Barrel (name may change), with the delicious fare of Steven Rollock, a self-taught chef who has a great future.

The two latter restaurants are still open. Chantel's 'pick-me-up' juice concoctions are super and Steven cooks a mean, mean fish. Last but not least is Sylvester's - a true Bajan buffet-style eatery. The rest of the complex is all about arts and craft with plans to make this facility a place for family and friends to enjoy.

And so, it's flying time again! At the Barbados airport on the way to Jamaica, I told my daughter that at my age and with all the hard work I do, I should allow myself the luxury of business (first) class. I had always deemed this an unnecessary expense, but guess what? Air Jamaica provides this service for actually not much more than an economy fare. So about US$200 more, but there are some perks and when you have long legs like mine, travel a lot, enjoy good service, it is the only way to go. Of course, there's the executive lounge before boarding and more than anything, quick tagging of luggage, smiling faces at the counter and speedy organisation of all paperwork required.

AIR JAMAICA

Arriving late I was unable to take in my usual cup of tea from that special lounge, but had to run to the gate in order to board on time. True enough, I was shown to my seat, and with some encouraging words from our captain, we took off from Montego Bay into the Caribbean skies as smooth as the touch of a baby's bottom. The captain took us right over the island. What a gorgeous sight. The skies were clear, and Ocho Rios, Hellshire, in St. Catherine (I waved goodbye to Miss May and her best-in-the-world delicious fish), the Norman Manley Airport (seemingly small from thi Port Royal, Yallahs and its salt ponds, Bowden and its oyster farm. It was a delightful bird's-eye view. What a most wondrous, beautiful island - even from so far up it is breathtaking!

Our purser was delightful. Nothing got her 'ruffled'. With a smile that is true of a Jamaican welcome, she dealt with all our needs as if she were born to it - even when we went through some pretty rough turbulence. I like when a captain speaks to passengers ... many are very scared of flying and reassurances that all will be well, are welcome. I used to be panic-stricken about flying, but for some unknown reason as fast as it came upon me, after over 20 years, it suddenly left me and now - I am loving every minute of being airborne. This weekend will see me in Trinidad for Panorama - the biggest steelband show in the world!

Having denied myself wine or champers, I could not wait for lunch as I was starving. First that lovely warm towel before being served with linen napkins, good strong heavy cutlery and food that actually had a Caribbean aroma. So happy to see Air Jamaica doing the local thing!

Brown stew chicken over mashed sweet potato with pumpkin and string beans on the side. The bread was crisp, warm and Grace butter gracing (excuse the pun) this company's standing commitment to 'advertising' the Jamaica food product. There is nothing more exciting for those travelling on an airline that has the name of its country written on it, than to have food that is part of the land's charm, particularly a destination like Jamaica that is considered an exotic one.

Dessert was a creamy, smooth potato pudding with old fashioned custard beautifully decorated with three twists of raspberry (or strawberry that should have been something like june plum or mango) syrup. I must say all of this is a far cry from that horrid "up north' sandwich that could have brought down a plane I once wrote about! I must admit I did not check to see whether economy passengers had the same meal. The last time I travelled economy, the weapon-of-mass-destruction sandwich had gone where all horrid entities should go!

Well done, Air Jamaica, you are really soaring to ne Let's hope that this is the norm also for all your other flights coming in from the north - I shall soon find out when I travel to the Food Network South Beach Food & Wine Festival.

Brown stew chicken tastes clean and fresh. - photos by Rosemary Parkinson