Jamaica, the English-speaking island in the Caribbean, is a very colorful place to visit. Throughout its rich history it has been influenced by various cultures. The beauties of the island make it a sought for tourism destination especially for the good food lovers. The wonderful diversity of Jamaica and its culture is reflected greatly in the local food and Jamaicans nowadays try to promote their national meals extensively. There is a great variety of meals the tourists can taste. You can buy one of the street delicatessens wrapped in aluminum foil like e.g. sweet potato pudding, jerk chicken and pork or you can go to some high end restaurant and try the specialties they offer.
The popularity of bio food in developed economies is a good thing for Jamaican chefs as the offer of this kind of food is quite rich here. An example of a really exotic dish is the Jamaican national food: ackee and salt fish, typically cod. It is worth mentioning that ackee, a red pear shaped fruit, is not entirely edible. In fact it is poisonous if unripe or overripe and also its seeds are poisonous. The fruit can be easily bought in specialty grocers and in some large supermarkets. Ackee is used for preparation of various meals. It could be for example scrambled together in a pan with peppers and onions creating a kind of omelet.
The Jamaican cuisine is getting popular with an increasing number of people. Grace Cameron who runs a publication called Jamaican Eats claims that they have readers in New Zealand, United Arab Emirates and Japan. There are also companies that export Jamaican seasoning. Among them is e.g. Walkerswood Caribbean Foods. The company has widened its business in 2007 and now they run a new visitor"s center with cooking classes. According to the managing director for Walkerswood marketing, Virginia Burke, the customers wanted more than just a sauce in a bottle. What they wanted was the entire gastronomic experience.
