My Kitchen, My World…Jamaica!

Poor Laura. She had no idea I had been to Jamaica. Well, there aren’t too many places I haven’t been, I guess.

It was so funny when she told me her choice, as I had just cleaned out my car (which I am very diligent about doing at least once or twice the entire length of my ownership) and had found the Bob Marley CD I listened to the whole time I was pregnant with Seven last summer. So I have been immersed in Reggae for weeks now, and getting in my car is like a trip to the islands – or at least as close as I can get right now.

Now, as I was saying…we’ve been to Jamaica. I was able to score us frequent flier tickets as well as a travel agent reduced rate at Sandals the first time we went. So that was the reason behind that particular trip – who could pass up that price? Plus, it was Jon’s 30th birthday, so bonus!

Everyone was so negative about Jamaica before we went, so I didn’t really know what to expect.

People who say this kind of thing about Jamaica have, in my opinion, never been to a place that is dirty, full of crime, or makes you sick. Try saying that after you have visited the slums in Nairobi, or seen trained-to-beg barefoot 3 year olds at remote spots in Southeast Asia. Jamaica, after that, is paradise. And it is! The waters are beautiful, the sands are soft, and the food is way up there!! So a few rastas will want to sell you some weed. Big whoop. Just Say No.

Of course, Jamaican Jerk is the specialty, other than weed. You haven’t experienced Jamaica without a a little Jerk. Earlier this year, for our 8th anniversary, we left Seven at home with the grandparents (for the first time) for a week and went to Runaway Bay. I was miserable and cried most of the time. I cried worse when I got home to find that the 4 phone calls I made through the “discounted hotel rate” advertised in our room cost $229. One call, made to an answering machine that I immediately hung up on cost $46. So take your cell phone. Yes, it works. And it’s WAY cheaper to use. Just a friendly piece of advice. And forget the credit card company helping you out – not gonna happen.

Oh, but Jamaican Jerk. We had some GREAT Jerk chicken on that trip. Hidden away for some reason behind the regular buffet area there was a tiny stand offering Jerk – and we loved it. Spicy and flavorful, and served with milk soaked corn on the cob – some kind of Yum.

So for this week’s menu we made grilled Jamaican Jerk Chicken. I combined brown sugar, oil, vinegar, Jerk seasoning, minced onion, soy sauce and lots of ginger and marinated the cut up chicken…and Jon grilled it. He also grilled up some of our peppers, onions and tomatoes out of the garden to go with it, while I made white rice combined with a few peas and carrots and shredded pineapple. Quite tropical!

Now, head on over to the MKMW site to find out what our other travelers made – I know they will have better pictures and not so many dumb stories!!