Saturday, February 13, Kingston, Jamaica (A.I.M Inc.): Week 2 of Bacchanal Treasures – the Bacchanal Fridays saw hundreds of Soca lovers coming out to the Mas Camp in New Kingston to get their weekly fix of the ever infectious genre of music.
At a $600 entry price, the organizers have somehow found a way to make the weekly series ‘recession friendly’ and with drink specials being offered by Appleton, Smirnoff, Heineken and others, there is always a cost effective way to spend a dollar and enjoy a drink.
The vibe around the Mas Camp was relatively slow. However there were sporadic moments when the energy reached climatic proportions; selections from the soca catalogue of 2 and even 3 years ago worked well for the masses and there was a thunderous sound of appeal when the selector played Skip to Ma Luu with Serani, Ding Dong and Razz & Biggy. The crowd erupted in a dancing frenzy swinging from left to right all around the venue and shaking various booths set up by the sponsors.
Change has come to the White House.
With a president reputed to be a foodie and three of his top advisors who trace their roots to the Caribbean (Attorney-General Eric Holder – Barbados; Susan Rice, U.S. United Nations Ambassador – Jamaica; and Adolfo Carrion, Director of Urban Affairs – Puerto Rico), the current edition of JamaicanEats magazine has laid out a Caribbean-inspired feast fit for a president.
The menu spreads the warmth of the tropics to Washington with a saucy jerk salmon dish that’s been getting rave reviews; jerk chicken salad; a hearty Cuban black bean soup; Bajan (Barbadian) stuffed pork loin; Bahamian conch fritters; Puerto Rican coffee pie; flaming banana and pineapple in sorrel rum syrup, and much more.
Grace Foods, the title sponsor of the “ISSA/GraceKennedy Boys’& Girls’ Championship games is awarding J$70,000 to local high school Sports departments through a social networking contest at www.likeachampion360.com. The online site, powered by GraceKennedy, was launched in February 2009 and it’s the first social networking site where Caribbean Sports Champions meet Caribbean Sports Fans Worldwide.
If he could choose his last supper, the world’s newly crowned 100m Olympic champ and world record holder would sit down to a meal of cornmeal dumplings and pork.
Doggone it! Respect due to turn cornmeal
Jamaica’s ‘shameful’ culinary secret comes to light in delicious new ways
“Old habits die hard.
Take the case of my friend Paulette who now lives in New York City. Ever since she has known herself, Paulette understands that turn cornmeal goes to the dogs. Her grandmother did it, her mother did it and no amount of persuading can convince her otherwise.
Even now that she has discovered that in Italy the lowly (in Jamaican culture) turn cornmeal is called Polenta and is sometimes dressed up as gourmet fare, Paulette will have none of it.
While turn cornmeal still has its doggone reputation, it’s no longer shameful to confess to digging into a plate of cornmeal with saltfish (cod) and okra. Late last year, in an interview on a Jamaican radio station, popular dancehall artiste Beenie Man waxed poetic about turn cornmeal. And he’s not the only one.
Source: jamaica-gleaner.com
GraceKennedy Limited has extended its line of prepared foods, packaging the distinct flavours of microwaveable Jamaican cuisine for a dispersed Caribbean market, to charm income from consumers willing to spend on convenience items.
venturing markets
The conglomerate’s Grace Foods and Services, which handles product development, marketing and distribution, is rolling out its Grace Caribbean Traditions brand in different sections of North America, with the next launch scheduled for Florida.
