John DeMers - The Food of Jamaica

Acknowledgments

On Location

All photos in this book were shot on location in Jamaica at the following hotels and restaurants:

Ciboney is in a spectacular tropical garden overlooking the sparkling waters of the Caribbean. The site, once a plantation and great house, offers a unique blend of privacy, amenities and incomparable service. In addition to 90 swimming pools, guests can enjoy authentic Jamaican cuisine in four restaurants. Main Street PO Box 728, Ocho Rios, St. Ann. Tel: (876) 974-1027.

Firefly was Noel Cowards home for much of the last 23 years of his life. Firefly is renowned for its views and history. Captain Henry Morgan used the spot as a lookout point, and while Noel Coward lived there he was visited by many top celebrities, including Sean Connery, Katharine Hepburn, Queen Elizabeth II and the Queen Mother. Firefly is maintained as it was when Coward lived there. PO Box 38, Port Maria, St. Mary.

Tel: (876) 997-7201.

Good Hope Plantation Great House (ca. 1755) looks out on a plantation filled with sugercane and groves of fruit trees and ackee. The rooms in the great house are decorated with period furniture, and the estates spectacular gardens have resting areas where one can quietly enjoy the beauty of the surroundings. PO Box 50, Falmouth, Trelawny. Tel: (876) 954-3289.

The Grand Lido Negril, located on a secluded stretch of Bloody Bay beach, is the most luxurious resort in Negril and one of Jamaicas showpiece hotels. The hotel has three award-winning restaurants. Guests can go on glorious sunset cruises on the yacht on which Princess Grace of Monaco honeymooned.

Tel: (954) 925-0925.

Grand Lido Sans Souci, two miles east of Ocho Rios, fronts an expanse of private beach and blue Caribbean Sea. This resort offers all the conveniences and pleasures: gourmet dining, delightful cocktails, land and water sports, spa treatments and entertainment. PO Box 103, Ocho Rios. Tel: (876) 994-1206.

Jakes Village is a funky, colorful collection of cottages, a villa and an open-air restaurant and bar. Some of the cottages are actual early 20th century farmhouses made from wood and adobe. The pastels and earth-tones of the buildings, the reed-roofed verandas and simple handmade furniture give Jakes a fanciful and unique feel. Treasure Beach PA, St. Elizabeth.

Tel: (876) 965-0552.

Norma at the Wharfhouse, has received much critical acclaim from local and international press, and Norma Shirley, the chef and proprietor, was a guest chef at the James Beard Foundation International in 1995. The restaurant offers an eclectic and delicious menu served on the private deck, which has a magnificent view of the Montego Bay shoreline. Reading, St. James.

Tel: (876) 979-2745.

Strawberry Hill is nestled on 26 acres in the picturesque Blue Mountains. The estate has gone through a series of incarnations. It was first a plantation with a great house, then a naval hospital. More recently, Bob Marley convalesced there after he was shot. In 1994 Strawberry Hill opened as an intimate hotel with a traditional 19th-century aesthetic. Irish Town PA, St. Andrew.

Tel: (876) 944-8400.

The homey charm of the Terra Nova hotel, a former colonial great house, awaits travellers seeking comfort, convenience and personalized service in a cosmopolitan setting. The hotel is close to Kingstons commercial, shopping and entertainment centers. 17 Waterloo Road, Kingston 10. Tel: (876) 926-9334.

To obtain a list of stores that sell unusual Jamaican ingredients, please call the publisher at (800) 526-2778.

Sources

Page : ceramic jerk vendor figurine by Orville Reid.

Page : sculpture from Living Wood; plate by Margaret McGhie.

Page : yabba pots and monkey jar from The Antiquarian and Trading Company.

Page : pot and wooden mortar and pestle from The Antiquarian and Trading Company.

Page : table painted by Margaret Robson.

Page : table painted by Margaret Robson.

Page : carved wood platter and ceramic bowl from Patoo Gallery.

Page : plates and bowl from The Craft Cottage; napkin from Patoo Gallery.

Page : soup bowl and carved chickens from Patoo Gallery; painted screen and clothesline by Inga Girvan Hunter.

Page : table painted by Ritula Frankel.

Page : calabash balls painted by Jasmine Thomas-Girvan.

Page : painted calabash candleholder, birdhouse and maracas and table mat from The Craft Cottage.

Page : ceramic platter and cup by David Pinto.

Page : parrot tray from Magic Kitchen.

Page : bowl from The Craft Cottage.

Page : hand-painted ceramic plates and bowl by Margaret McGhie.

Page : hand-painted ceramic plates and bowl by Margaret McGhie; wood carving and table from Living Wood.

Page : plate underlay from Strawberry Hill Gift Shop.

Page : wooden bowls and tray from The Craft Cottage.

Page : plates and bowls from Wassi Art.

Page : table painted by Ritula Frankel.

Page : bamboo salt and pepper shakers and jug from Living Wood.

Page : napkin from The Craft Cottage.

Page : table linens from Patoo Gallery.

Page : wooden rice bowls, salad servers and plates from Patoo Gallery.

Page : salad set from The Craft Cottage; bowl from Patoo Gallery; large wooden bowl and fabric from Strawberry Hill Gift Shop.

Page leaf platter from The Craft Cottage.

Page ceramic platter and wooden table and chairs by David Pinto.

Page leaf platters from The Craft Cottage.

Page : ceramics by David Pinto.

Page cake plate from The Craft Cottage.

Page : background painting and glass plates from Magic Kitchen.

Page : round wooden cake platter by Tony Barton of A. C. E. Woodwork.

Shops and Artists

A. C. E. Woodwork, which is owned by Tony Barton, uses hi-tech equipmentcomputers for designing the pieces and lasers to cut and engraveto make items ranging from furniture to bowls, boxes and housewares. 14 Leonard Road, Kingston 10. Tel: (876) 929-3595.

Steve and Janine Solomon of The Antiquarian and Trading Company buy, sell, appraise and restore antiques. Their focus is on the products of Jamaican craftspeople and Jamaica-related items, such as early maps, books, prints and works of art that depict the islands history. 30 Hope Road, Kingston 10. Tel: (876) 926-658

The Craft Cottage is a unique gift store filled with ceramics, linens, paintings and many other charming souvenir items. The Village Plaza, 24 Constant Spring Road, Kingston 10.

The work of fiber artist Ritula Frankel reflects the richness of the Caribbean. Her hand-painted furniture, wall hangings, silk scarves and sarongs reflect the colors of Jamaicas plants and wildlife. Ritulas work can be purchased at the Nannys Yard, an artist co-operative at Devon House in Kingston.

Fiona Godfrey works in a variety of media, including oils, acrylic and pen and ink. Her drawings appear in Skywriting, Air Jamaicas magazine. Her most recent works have been large-scale glass mosaics. PO Box 16, 23 deCarteret Road, Mandeville, Manchester.

Hi-Qo, in Kingston, sells old maps and prints.

Inga Girvan Hunter works in handmade paper and does print-making, drawing and painting. She also works with threads, feathers, bones, gold leaf and found objects. Her work is in many collections, including the Australian National Gallery and the American Craft Museum in New York.

Living Wood and Magic Kitchen are owned by Wolfgang Hhn. Magic Kitchen specializes in fine kitchenware, tableware and the finest in Jamaican handicrafts, sculptures and paintings. They also manufacture a full range of wicker furniture, baskets and mirrors. Living Wood carries a complete range of wicker furniture. Magic Kitchen, 24 Constant Spring Road, Kingston 10. Tel: (876) 926-6877. Living Wood, Ocean Village, Ocho Rios, St. Ann. Tel: (876) 974-2601.

Margaret McGhie was born in British Honduras but grew up in Jamaica. She studied design and ceramics and has participated in art exhibitions in London, Trinidad and Jamaica. Since 1992 she has been producing hand-painted ceramic dinnerware and decorative objects that feature the colorful beauty of tropical fruit, flowers and foliage.