Time for a jerk off?

Time for some light relief and a change of subject; there’s only so much ranting and raving a person can do, even a grumpy bugger like me!

Today I’m going to try to explain my love for food and in particular, food with a bit of a kick. It’s strange, given my foodie traits but this is actually my first food post and where better to start than with the Caribbean and in particular, the island of Jamaica.

Although I’m English and I love my own country’s cuisine, much of it tends to be fairly bland. My love of spicy food started as a child with curry, this was mostly due to my father. Being an ex military man he had experienced the delights of curry so it was a dish eaten in our house, long before curry actually became something of a national dish. My mother, who wasn’t really a fan herself, used to make it for my dad and I. From those early days, I have had a natural affinity with any food that contains chillies. A passion that has only increased as time goes by, experiencing wonderful foods from Turkey, Morocco, Thailand, Mexico and the Caribbean has only increased my love affair with spicy food.

This Jamaican way of cooking has invaded restaurants and cafés worldwide, adding a hint of spice to cocktail parties and backyard cookouts (Americanism) alike. Just about any meat can be “jerked”, but the real secret to the flavour and taste is in the marinade. Homemade jerk marinades are usually the best and allow margin for individuality. That said, unless your competent with the outcome of your endeavours beware, you could end up with burning mouth and bum! Don’t worry, there are some good examples of branded jerk seasoning available today.