Sometimes the idea of a vacation is to escape everyday life, and sometimes the idea is to immerse yourself in a different culture. I like to think my recent trip to Jamaica was a little bit of both.
As part of a group of three couples, we shamelessly booked an all-inclusive trip with the intent of being lazy and enjoying some relaxation on property—but that doesn’t mean we didn’t have the chance to sample local culinary delights. The daily buffet offered various local fare, and some of us bravely (and eagerly) stepped up to the plate. Sometimes we struck out, but other times we hit home runs! Read on to find out more about the foods we tried as well as some local favorites.
Oxtail
This was something I did not have the chance to try, but one of the husbands on our trip did. Oxtail, which is exactly what the name describes, can be prepared in a skillet with onions along with a variety of spices, like ginger, chile pepper, soy sauce, salt and pepper. My friend reported that the oxtail, which was savory and fork tender, was pleasant. Add fava beans and allspice berries for even more Caribbean flavor.
Pumpkin Soup
I never would have thought that pumpkin soup would be a native culinary offering in Jamaica. When I saw it in the buffet, I thought, “Well that was nice of them to help us feel seasonal away from home.” Wrong! After speaking with a young employee at the resort who filled me in on the “real” Jamaica, I realized that pumpkins—also known as Calabaza, Caribbean Pumpkin or Cuban Squash—are absolutely a part of Jamaican cuisine. The flavor can vary, but because they tend to be less sweet, these pumpkins are perfect for soup. Jamaican cooks are not shy about seasonings, so the soup was a perfect blend of sweet with a touch of savory.
Braised Kidney
I’ll admit that I was pretty leery to try this dish. The small plate of braised kidney in sauce that I sampled smelled tasty, with a savory aroma similar to that of pepper steak. The kidney itself didn’t seem to have much flavor, but the sauce was deliciously seasoned with what tasted like salt, pepper, scallion, soy sauce and garlic. The kidney seemed to crumble into little bits as I chewed, although it didn’t seem to break down. I think if I didn’t know what I was eating that I may have been more open to eating more, but all in all, it was much better than I anticipated.
Fried Plantains
The fried plantains were nothing to be afraid of, so even my travel companion tried a bite. As far as a visual comparison, a plantain is essentially a banana and is in the banana family. However, while bananas are eaten when ripe and sweet, plantains are eaten while unripe and starchy. The fried plantains had a soft crumbly breading that covered nearly the entire slice of fruit. It was possible to cut the slices in half with a fork, so they weren’t fried like a chip but rather still soft. There wasn’t a huge amount of sweet flavor, but the center certainly contained a sweeter fruit than the outside. I could see these tasting delicious atop some vanilla ice cream.
Dum Duddle
If you need something delicious and sweet to become part of your culinary world, this is the dish. Essentially a partially baked cinnamon roll, the dum duddle was a rich and enjoyable end to my lunch. I found it to be divine served warm and drizzled with vanilla rum sauce. (Everything in Jamaica is better when it involves rum.) I am not 100% certain of the origin of the dum duddle, as I have tried looking it up with limited success. However, it was offered in the local section of the buffet and, regardless of origin, it was truly enjoyable.
Jerk Chicken
Whole chicken breasts seared on the grill as I watched. The chef removed one, chopped it into sections and placed it on my plate. The outside was perfectly grilled, and the seasoning helped maintain the meat’s moisture. I didn’t find the grilled jerk chicken to be overly spicy, although the flavor was out of this world. The Caribbean seasonings of garlic, onion, chiles, thyme, allspice, nutmeg and cinnamon complemented the chicken, and I finished every last bite. We also enjoyed jerk chicken and jerk pork wraps, which were delicious but significantly spicier, perhaps because the meats were shredded and marinated in a jerk sauce along with cabbage.
Chicken Patty
I admit I was a bit leery of this pastry. My fellow travelers came back to the table with it at lunch and seemed a bit confused as to whether it actually contained chicken. What we learned from an employee is that the patty is filled with chicken seasoned with a blend of spices, like tumeric or curry powder. The consistency is more that of a paste or mash, which sounds odd but really makes sense once you see it. The meat is enclosed in a flaky pastry served warm. I tried it from an airport vendor and was pleasantly surprised. It was quite flavorful, with a curry that didn’t overpower my taste buds. The pastry was light and not too filling. This was a great snack I would definitely have again.
Mannish Water Soup
A staple of Jamaican cuisine, mannish water is a goat soup made from various goat parts that can include the head, brains and heart. The goat meat is seasoned with herbs and spices, like thyme, scallion, garlic and pimento seed. It is cooked in a large pot, preferably a pressure cooker, to soften the meat. Other soup fillings can include carrots, potatoes, pumpkin, onion, plantains, green bananas and chocho. I didn’t have the opportunity to sample the hearty soup, but a young employee at the resort filled me in on this traditional dish, which is one of his favorites. Maybe next time I visit the island I’ll give it a try!
- Photos: BigStock
