Jamaican cuisine launching out I GOT the shock of my life the night of May 31st. In the middle of the vast crowd enjoying themselves on the lawns of Devon House, sampling all sorts of delectable food and drink, this most impressive looking man stops me and says: "You look so familiar. Why do I know you?" Well, after we establish who I am, and who he is, it turns out that he's the nephew of a dear friend. But that isn't how he knows me. No, he finally confesses that he sees my picture in The Gleaner but has never read my column because he didn't realise that I frequently write about Jamaica. He thinks I'm an internationally syndicated columnist like Dan Rather. In my husband's wildest dreams! Then I might be making some money. Actually I'm in the middle of writing to you about two other Jamaican topics, but after last night, I just have to take a break and tell you that Jamaicans have found another way to impress people, beyond the music, beaches, mountains, drugs and violence. I was asked to be a judge for The Observer Table Talk Food Awards and the displays and products at this event keep getting more incredible every year. In fact, for the judges, the most difficult decision that we faced was deciding amongst the plethora of really superb new food items available for sale to the public. Samples We first met two weeks before the Awards ceremony. Deryck Roberts headed the team of judges while Novia MacDonald Whyte, Food Editor of The Observer, skilfully managed to keep things moving along until we came to the Best New Food Item. Get a table full of hungry judges right after work being offered free samples to select from and I'm amazed we kept the decorum we did, sampling each in turn and making sure that everyone tasted everything. I have to tell you, the J.D. Fudge and Chocolate Factory's Rum Fudge was so good that when I got stranded at the airport the following Sunday, after a flight was delayed for hours, I bought a box of the beautifully wrapped candy and proceeded to eat the whole thing by myself. As for Kimberly Issa's Pita Crips that's right, Crips, not Crisps the extra spicy jerk chips were so good that I searched three different supermarkets to buy some to take home before I discovered that they aren't actually available for sale yet. And when, at Ms. Kimberly's booth the night of the event I suggested to her that she should make larger packages, this devastatingly slender former beauty queen, still appearing every inch a world class model, looks at me with eyes wide open in astonishment and say: "Do you really think so?" Immediately I hastened to add: "In case two people want to share while they're watching TV, you know." Not that I alone could possibly eat a larger bag at one sitting. The Cassava Pancake Mix by RADA was a big hit when it was prepared in thin, crepe style and one of the judges went absolutely crazy over the guava syrup. But being a stickler for rules, I insisted on taking home a package and preparing it exactly according to instructions. (I wasn't going to let that one get away from me, the way I love cassava.) The pancakes tasted just like regular pancakes with a tups more substance. Leave out the egg and oil and you can make Festival. Really a very nice product, incorporating local ingredients and well packaged. Definitely a winner. And then there was the delicious Lalibella Honey, bottled attractively with the honeycomb still in the jar. I could go on and on. If I don't write as much about the other categories, it's only that you might not have had the opportunity to try the new food items and can check out the other Award winners for yourself. But I did learn that even though Island Grill won for Most Interpretive Food Establishment, and definitely deserves it, particularly with their courage in committing to overseas expansion, the Lauderhill Lakes store is absolutely delightful. Time 'n' Place in Trelawny is apparently well worth a visit. Every judge couldn't be everywhere for all 82 entries but from what I heard, I look forward to checking out Time 'n' Place next time I'm on the North Coast. And I also learned from the food event that Enchanted Gardens has a fabulous chef. Stan Zeiger may have lost in the Best Chef Category to the Ritz Carlton's Dennis McIntosh, but the sample I had of Zeiger's stir-fried Thai Shrimp was superb. Not only can Jamaica be proud of the variety of chefs, restaurants and eating experiences in different price ranges which exist, but all of the new food products indicate that they have the capability of making export inroads into other countries. In addition to ethnic markets, Jamaican cuisine will soon be succeeding big time internationally!
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