JAMAICA - LET'S GET TOGETHER ISLAND STYLE

Story & Photos by  Pamela A. Campbell

"In Jamaica we say welcome...and thanks...and farewell to those we love with flowers. One such flower, the 'Forget-Me-Not' grows wild in the cool hills of Jamaica. It is the symbol of "The Meet the People Program." This is our way - The Jamaican Way - of saying thanks...for making it Jamaica."

It's easy to reconcile the memories of all those glossy travel brochures you spent hours poring over at home once you arrive in Jamaica. The sun-drenched island welcomes its visitors with happy faces, beautiful scenery and delicious food.

But that's only the beginning. If you want to enrich your visit by discovering more about the vast cultural diversity, be sure to contact the Jamaica Tourist Board about the Meet The People Program.

The brain child of Danish-born Inger Rice (who had settled in Jamaica), the Meet The People Program was adopted by the Jamaica Tourist Board in Montego Bay in 1968, followed by Kingston and now in existence in Port Antonio, Ocho Rios and Mandeville.

Jamaicans are proud of their homeland, and they are splendid ambassadors of true Caribbean hospitality. Every year thousands of people from around the world sign up for the program and find themselves befriended by over 400 volunteer families in Jamaica.

The island's rich history has resulted in a heritage that continues to intrigue tourists. Wherever your interest lies there are avenues to be explored, the most popular being music, food, arts and crafts.

Although reggae is world renowned as Jamaica's trademark music medium, jazz festivals are also very popular across the island. Theater and dance companies are very much on the scene too, and so are sports activities.

Jamaica, "The Land of Wood and Water" - translated from the Arawak word 'Xaymaca' - is a nature lover's paradise. The island is covered with lush vegetation, a vast array of plants and flowers, and an abundance of birds, butterflies and animals are practically everywhere.

So, for the musically inclined, there are many opportunities for enjoying a local concert or two. Or you might like to visit a rural school or church, the rainforests or learn more about the flora and fauna that thrive on the island. It's all there for the asking.

If you happen to be in town, Lady Josephine Glasspole hosts a monthly Tea Party at her official residence, Kings House. Lady Glasspole, the wife of the Governor General and the program's patron, presents her guests with a certificate and a gift to commemorate the occasion as she bids them farewell.

On a recent trip entitled, "Villas, Gardens and Cuisine of Jamaica" an evening at the Barnett's residence in Jacks Hill focused on the 'cuisine' theme. Winston and Sandi were our hosts, along with Sandi's cousin, Donovan Donaldson, who spent a day preparing a delectable dinner menu.

For many of us it was an introduction to some of the national dishes known around the world for their originality and exciting flavors.

How do you explain the taste of a new fruit drink, the likes of which you've never seen or heard of? Well, sorrel is a delicious drink made from the petals of a flower that curiously looks like a mini tulip, blood red in color with a round seed in the middle. The seeds are discarded and the petals are soaked with cinnamon spice and cloves, at least overnight. When the liquid is strained the aroma is just heavenly, and sugar is added to complement the flavor. Served over ice, it's a great non-alcoholic drink. If you like the strong stuff, it can be 'spiked' with rum to fend off the cool Caribbean breeze.

The dinner menu featured Jerked Chicken and Lamb Chops, Christophines (cho-cho stuffed with chicken and cream cheese), Escoveitched Fish, Bammy, Rice and Peas and Tossed Salad. The food was deliciously tempting to the eye as it was to the palette, but I had my first encounter with the mighty Scotch Bonnet pepper, one I will never forget.

Don't be fooled by the innocent looking tendrils that adorn the dishes, they are just there for pure aesthetics. It was quite an initiation for me - there I was savoring the fish dish when I bit into the pale yellow Scotch Bonnet (SB) and within an instant my lips were on fire. I can't argue with the fact that they are 'the world's hottest pepper' - I know, my lips encountered the mighty SB twice!

Jamaica's world famous 'jerked' meat assumes its extremely spicy flavor from a combination of peppers, pimento seeds, scallions (green onions), thyme and nutmeg. Slow cooking the marinated meat seals in the flavor, especially if it's done in the traditional outdoor pit lined with pimento wood.

Cho-Cho is a green vegetable with a squash like texture. Escoveitched fish is highly flavored by a sauce made with vinegar, salt, salt, sugar, black pepper, Scotch Bonnet pepper, allspice, scallion, thyme, onion and garlic. Bammie is the size and thickness of a homemade hamburger patty, except it looks white - it's a sort of a cake (not sweet) made from the cassava root, a staple of the first inhabitants of Jamaica, the aboriginal Indians.

This was a memorable night, one I will always remember - to be welcomed with open arms in Winston and Sandi's home, to enjoy a typical Jamaican dinner, lively conversation and an invitation to keep in touch no matter where we are. I view it as a celebration of life, the one Jamaicans enjoy every day, and the opportunity to catch a brief glimpse of hospitality, island style. No wonder, in Jamaica, they say, "No problem, mon."