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Ackee is the national fruit of Jamaica. It's also an ingredient in the national dish, ackee saltfish.Jamaican cuisine is healthy because it is made with many unprocessed foods, uses smaller portions of meats, has a high content of fish, beans, and vegetables, and, most of all, because it is an eclectic mix of the best that African, European, Indian, and Chinese cuisines have to offer. Moreover, Jamaicans have always been aware of the relationship between food and health. Perhaps Jamaican cuisine is healthy due to luck or happenstance. How else can anyone explain why some of the most highly rated medicinal herbs, e.g., ginger, garlic, all spice and hot peppers just happen to be the basic seasonings used in Jamaican cuisine.In this section we will provide information on some of the benefits of some common Jamaican foods.Coconuts are widely available in Jamaica and are consumed in a variety of ways. At early maturity the coconut is mostly used for the refreshing beverage encased in the kernel. At early maturity the "meat," or "flesh" is very soft and delicate and constitutes a thin layer on the inside of the kernel roughly an eighth of an inch thick. After the "water" is consumed, the flesh spooned out and consumed. At full maturity the coconut is used primarily to make oil. The "meat," the white part of the coconut is crushed and the oily liquid is extracted and distilled by boiling to remove water leaving a residue of oil. The crushed-up coconut is used in cakes and candy. Forget what you have heard about this main staple of the Jamaican diet. Coconut oil is, "rich in lauric acid, "which new research shows raises good type HDL cholesterol, lowering heart disease risk, Lauric acid is also anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial and antiviral, says lipid researcher Mary Enig, Ph.D., which also may help fight heart disease." (USA Today Sept. 26-28 2003)People in Jamaica and St. Vincent roast breadfruit. In Trinidad and Tobago and Grenada, the favorite way is "oil down, that is steamed in coconut milk, while in the Leewards, they like it boiled. It can be turned into flour, which then can be used to make bread. Ripe breadfruit can be used to make breadfruit wine, patty, gizzada, pudding, cake, and punch.'You could say that Callaloo, a leafy vegetable, plays a role in the Jamaican diet that is similar to the role Spinach plays in the American diet. But that would understate the importance of callaloo in the Jamaican diet. And those who have had both agree callaloo has more going for it than spinach. Steamed callaloo is often served with breakfast, lunch and dinner. It is cooked with codfish and used in soups. And it is used increasingly in non-traditional Jamaican dishes such as quiche and omelets etc.Callaloo is rich in nutrients including : iron and other minerals, vitamin C, flavonoids and other phytochemicals, calcium, and vitamin A. Callaloo has over four times the calcium, over two times the iron, and over two times the vitamin A compared to broccoli and other vegetables.The Scotch bonnet pepper is an essential ingredient of Jamaican cooking because of its distinctive flavor. It looks almost identical to a habanero pepper but it has its own unique flavor. To get the flavor of the scotch bonnet without the heat, which is mostly in the seeds, you can use the skin sparingly. Or use it whole in soups and remove it without breaking the skin after the soup is cooked. Scotch bonnet peppers are available at Jamaican food stores, but be careful and ask questions, because many times regular habanero peppers are sold as Jamaican scotch bonnet. :::::::::.......:::::....ITAL COOKING....:::::.......The word ital is derived from the word vital, which reflects the Rastafarian practice of deriving words by replacing significant syllables with the character "I." Ital cooking is way of preparing and cooking food that is consistent with Rastafarian beliefs and practices. Like vital, ital means essential to human existence. Ital cooking is an eclectic form of cooking which in its strictest expression excludes the use of salt, meat (especially pork), preservatives, colorings, flavorings or anything artificial. In practice, in Jamaica, it involves using available foods and ingredients, which sometimes includes fish and dried salted fish, but usually not shellfish, and sometimes even a little salt. As a practical mater, cooking ital food outside of Jamaica, where fresh ingredients are not readily available, can entail using some canned foods, in which case additives and salt cannot be avoided.Ital cooking is essentially traditional Jamaican cooking without salt, meat, and additives. Therefore, a good ital cook has to be skilled at using available herbs and spices to produce food that is palatable and tasty -- indeed ital food is often as tasty as traditional Jamaican cooking.Coconut is a basic ingredient in ital cooking. Coconut milk extracted from grated coconuts serves as the base for most successful ital dishes. The coconut milk is often cooked as a rundown and the other ingredients added. Scotch bonnet pepper is another key ingredient. Pimento (allspice) is also a key ingredient. Thyme is another essential ingredient. Thyme not only provides a good flavor, it is a good substitute for salt. To this we can add other ingredients such as garlic, onions, scallions, green peppers, tomatoes, etc.Ital cooking has expanded beyond its traditional Jamaican roots to include other foods such as tofu and many other foods and vegetables not native to Jamaica. To some extent then one can look at ital cooking as an eclectic approach to the preparation and cooking of food that is based on Rastafarian beliefs that can be applied to foods and ingredients that are available in other countries.....:::::...........::: ROYALTY :::.......
HIS IMPERIAL MAJESTY HAILE SELASSIE I CONQUERING LION OF THE TRIBE OF JUDAH! KING OF KINGS!
" ROYAL FAMILY "
....:::::.... ....:::::....STRICTLY OLD SCHOOL! BUNNY WAILER .. BOB MARLEY .. PETER TOSH
....:::::....PORTIA SIMPSON-MILLER MAKES JAMAICAN HISTORY! ....:::::....PORTIA Simpson Miller wrote a page in Jamaica's history yesterday when she was voted the first woman president of the 68-year-old People's National Party by 1,775 PNP delegates at a special conference to choose P J Patterson's successor.Simpson Miller's victory has also placed her on the threshold of even greater historic achievement as she most likely will be chosen Jamaica's first woman prime minister by the Parliament when Patterson retires at the end of next month."Today is a great and historic day for the People's National Party and for Jamaica, and I thank you for helping me to write history," Simpson Miller told wildly cheering supporters at PNP headquarters on Old Hope Road in Kingston last night. "I accept your mandate to serve as president of the People's National Party with humility and pride.and (say) a big thank you to you the delegates of the People's National Party, Team Portia and the Jamaican people," she added. " I pledge to honour my commitment to serve as leader for all."Simpson Miller outscored her nearest rival, Dr Peter Phillips, by 237 votes. The other contenders, Dr Omar Davies polled 283 votes, while Dr Karl Blythe received 204 votes. ....:::::....
THERE WAS seldom a dull moment and quite a few teary-eyes, as the woman who hails from a tiny community in deep rural St. Catherine, assumed the nation's highest political office yesterday. ........The atmosphere at King's House as Portia Simpson Miller took the oath of office, making her Jamaica's seventh Prime Minister, was so filled with excitement and anticipation, that at times, it felt more like a jamboree. A woman-led jamboree, that is. ........From the minute guests and well-wishers started turning up at the venue, it was clear that this was no ordinary day. ........A STEADY STREAM OF DIGNITARIES ........Things got under way about 4:30 p.m. with a steady stream of dignitaries making their way onto the grounds of King's House. This was quite a treat for many of the other attendees, who stared and pointed every time a familiar face showed up. Among the more recognisable mugs were those of Louis Farrakhan, Head of the Nation of Islam; Owen Arthur, Prime Minister of Barbados; Patrick Manning, Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago; and Ralph Gonsalves, Prime Minister of St. Vincent and the Grenadines. ........The crowd waited patiently for the ceremony to begin, even as the afternoon sun pelted foreheads and newly-established hair-dos. ........For his part, former Cabinet member K.D. Knight, whose top-hat was something of a conversation piece, sweated quite a lot throughout the ceremony. This caused quite a commotion when his image was displayed on a big screen at the back of the venue. Those who weren't laughing, hurled unflattering remarks at the former minister. This threatened to disrupt the proceedings more than once, but did not. ........Minister Farrakhan took on double duty at the event, becoming something of a crowd director. Every time the Muslim leader got excited about something a speaker was saying, which seemed to be quite often, he would stand and start applauding. The rest of the audience would then follow. Minister Farrakhan initiated a standing ovation on more than five occasions......... The proceedings went on smoothly until the big moment finally arrived. As Mrs. Simpson Miller took the oath of office, dozens of cellphones instantly went into the air, as members of the audience snapped pictures to record the historic event. Mrs. Simpson Miller's husband, Errald Miller, was all smiles as he watched his wife make the historic step......... When the deed was done and Mrs. Simpson Miller was for the first time introduced as Madam Prime Minister, the crowd went wild. Some waved their hands in the air, some screamed and cheered, while others simply stood and watched in silence......... Published by Jamaica Gleaner - March 31, 2006........ ....:::::.... ....:::::....A SMALL CORNER OF DOWNTOWN OCHO RIOS WHERE MY GRANDMOTHER..MY MOTHER..& I COME FROM....:::::.... ANOTHER CORNER OF OCHO RIOS I SEE THE TOWERS STILL STANDING ....:::::........:::::.... THE INS AND OUTS OF CRICKET The Gentleman's Sport When in Jamaica you may hear a sharp crack as a hard red ball meets a cricket bat. This is sure to be followed by loud, rumbling cheers. You may be bombarded by a commentator’s excited voice blaring from a radio, recounting the play-by-play events of a match or by shouts of “ lick it fi six, boy!” and “four runs!” hollered by old and young alike, listening or watching from street corners. These sounds vibrate throughout Jamaica, graduating from makeshift games on the beach to local school tournaments, then to the packed stands of Sabina Park and other cricket fields around the country. ....:::::....Undoubtedly, cricket is one of Jamaica’s favourite pastimes. The English brought us the game when Jamaica became an English colony. By the nineteenth century, several cricket clubs had opened across the island, and matches were great social events. Since then, cricket has lived in the hearts of all Jamaicans, especially since the island has produced several world famous cricketers, including George Headley, Jeffery Dujon, Michael Holding, and Courtney Walsh, to name only a few. ....:::::....Visitors to our island who are not cricket fans or players, may find the sport quite strange, but those who know baseball will easily recognize some similarities between the two. Both involve bats, balls, catchers and umpires. Cricket differs from baseball though, in some names, rules and objectives, all of which exude a clearly British flavour. ....:::::....In cricket, the pitcher is called the bowler and his main objective is to hit the ‘wicket,’ three wooden stakes standing side by side at each end of the 20-metre pitch, the main arena of play in this game. The bowler’s other goal is to deliver as difficult a ball as he can for the batsman to hit and, at the same time, to prevent the wicket being struck by the ball being hurled at lightning speed at him. Most of all, the batsman must strike the ball powerfully in any direction towards the boundaries of the field, without its being caught by a ‘fieldsman’, one of several strategically positioned around him to do just that. As he hits the ball, the batsman runs to the other end of the pitch, changing places with his partner batsman at the opposite wicket. If both batsmen reach the other wicket before a fielder catches the ball, a run is scored in favour of the batsmen’s side. A ball walloped beyond the boundary of the field automatically scores the batsman six runs, without the need to run six lengths of the field. All batsmen hope to score a century, one hundred runs, in one inning, as much as they fear being bowled out for a ‘duck’ – no runs at all. The team with the most runs at the end of match wins. In good matches, runs can number into the hundreds. ....:::::....There are eleven men on a cricket team. The match is divided into innings and overs. Ten outs make one inning while, in a normal match, there are two innings so that each team gets a chance to bat and thus possibly spreading the game over a number of days. However, most test (professional) matches are divided into a set amount of overs, in order to restrict the match’s length. An ‘over’ is a series of six or eight balls bowled by the bowler. ....:::::....So that’s cricket in a nutshell. Mind you, the game has numerous strategies and complexities that cricket patrons study avidly, and teams practise to master in their play. Here in Jamaica, where fans are plenty, you’ll find there’s always time to set up a game, watch or listen to a match or embark on a spirited exchange about the latest test series, which may be in the Caribbean, but just as easily in England, Australia, India or some other faraway country. ....:::::....FOOTBALL ..(SOCCER).. JAMAICAN STYLE ....:::::....NETBALL JAMAICA and AUSTRALIA teams after a match ....:::::.... ....:::::....