Jamaican Cuisine

Jamaican cuisine is a reflection of the island’s culture – colourful, varied, fruity and relaxed. It has been taken techniques and ingredients from West Africa, England, Spain, India and China to create a distinctive national style. People like to eat well and leisurely ( sin prisas)– and enjoy big portions. You can eat fried red snapper,(pargo colorado -un pez rojo-) lamb patties, goat (cabra ) curry with mountains of rice, and drink tropical fruit juice with local rum. Be prepared for an incredible culinary experience!

Ackee and Saltfish (pescado salado) for Breakfast

Jamaican breakfast

For most Jamaicans there is no better way ( no hay mejor forma de  ) to start the day than a breakfast of saltcod (bacalao salado ) with fried ackee. This unusual fruit, originally from West Africa, looks and tastes like scrambled eggs ( huevos revueltos ) when it is cooked! And to accompany it there are usually fried dumplings (bola de masa hervida para servir con guisos) and plantains ( llantén) and a glass of carrot juice or tropical fruit juice. After all this it must be difficult to start work! Visitors will also want to try a cup of Blue Mountain coffee, the best coffee in the world according to connoisseurs.

Patties

Patties.

The perfect snack at any time of the day, the Jamaican patty will give you all the energy you need for sightseeing. Patties are pies filled with minced (picado) lamb, chicken or vegetable and lots of chillies and other spices. You can find them in stands (puesto) on the street, and every Jamaican will be happy to recommend his favourite patty stand if you ask him or her! 

Jerk Pork and Chicken

Jerk is probably the best known style of Jamaican cooking and definitely one of the tastiest. It is a dry seasoning (aliño) mixture rubbed (frotado) directly into pork, chicken or fish. You can also combine it with water to create a marinade. It is made with a variety of spices, including allspice,(pimienta de jamaica ) which gives it its distinctive flavour, cloves ,(clavo ) garlic, onion, ginger and thyme.(tomillo) Every cook uses his or her own combination, which have been in the family for generations.  Ensure ( asegurate ) you have a glass of cold beer nearby, because it is one of the hottest  dishes you will probably ever try!

Rice and “Peas” on the Side (para acompañar) 

And what do the locals eat with their pork or chicken jerk and most of their other meals? They usually have a combination of rice and red kidney beans,(frijoles ) which they call “peas”. These are also cooked with various spices. Lots of boiled yams ( batata ) and sweet potatoes are also responsible for the large waistlines (cintura ) of many Jamaican women!

Red Stripe and Rum

The most popular and famous beer in Jamaica and the brand (marca ) that Jamaicans are proud of is Red Stripe. It has the nickname (apodo) “the policeman” . Locals also like stout.(cerveza negra ) They drink Guinness and local brands like Dragon Stout. Because of the island’s history as a producer of sugar, it is no surprise that it produces excellent rums, including Appleton and Myers. Local men prefer to drink it neat,(solo) but it is also delicious combined with some of the tropical fruit juices to make cocktails. After a hard day on the beach, you will definitely deserve one!