Thanks to a vast array of luxury hotels employing some of the top chefs from around the globe and an abundance of quality ingredients, visitors to Jamaica can enjoy some of the finest international cuisine in the world. Grilled seafood platters and spectacular displays of fresh fruit are all things that can be found in some of the best hotels and restaurants in the Caribbean.
Visitors to Jamaica that are interested in trying some of the more traditional dishes from the island are in for a treat. The mix of cultures and use of ingredients particular to Jamaica make the cuisine of this island both individual and refreshingly appetising. Some of the ingredients that you will come across are
Callaloo – Similar to Spinach
Ackee – A vegetable like fruit from the Ackee tree ( some say it tastes a little like scrambled eggs)
Plantains – Green bananas usually fried and served with pretty much everything.
Sweet potato - An orange coloured slightly sweet (but still savoury) relation to the potato.
Salt Fish – Usually Cod, dried and then conserved in salt.
Jerk Pork – Slow barbequed pork that is cooked until crispy and brown.
Yams – similar to Sweet potato
Beware of the Spices in Jamaican food as many of the traditional dishes such as curried goat and Saltfish with Ackee can be very hot.
A firm favourite in Jamaica is Rice and peas that strangely contains no peas but is in fact made up of Kidney beans, rice, coconut milk, spring onion and coconut oil.
The little meat pies known as Paties are a must try as are the roasted Yams, fried fish and fruit served up at many roadside stands.
The Jamaicans make great use of the abundance of fresh fruit and guests on the island can enjoy some of the most amazing fresh fruit cocktails around. It is worth remembering that Jamaicans refer to all non alcoholic drinks as Tea.
Jamaica is known around the world for its rum, enjoy it as mixer in a cocktail or on it’s own but be warned some of the Jamaican Rums such as Wray and Nephew are over proof and a lot stronger than many spirits you would find at home. Another spirit traditional to the island is Tia Maria and the local beer is Red Stripe.