Jamaican food and drink

Traditional jamaican cooking fits in well with the general conception of the islanders' laid back way of life. Recipes are rarely scientifically measured out, ingredients instead being thrown into pots and pans measured only by rule of thumb.

What is surprising, considering the climate of the Caribbean island, is that so much Jamaican food comes in the form of a boiling stew or fierce curry. If you thought you were hot on the beach, wait til you've tried your first authentic jerk chicken!

Jerk chicken, despite bring the most recognisable flavour of Jamaica, is not really seen as the national dish. This honour goes to the combination of Salt fish and Ackee - salted Cod with an accompaniment of yellow Ackee fruit - a relation of the lychee which tastes a little like scrambled egg.

Fish in general is unsurprisingly abundant given Jamaica's island status. Often it is fried on its own, but another popular cooking method sees it wrapped in foil with a spicy marinade. Lobster is fairly commonplace on restaurant menus, but it's not all seafood in Jamaica - Goat curry is also an island favourite.

Try our recipe for Jamaican jerk pork

If you were to hold a Jamican-style barbecue party, choosing the drinks to complliment your Jerk Chicken wouldn't be difficult. Jamaicans love their rum - strong white rum such as J.Wray and Nephew is served in pretty much every bar. Beer is also popular with the locals, the most famous being Red Stripe, which is widely available in the UK.

If you have younger guests, or drivers amongst the party, serving up exotic fruit juices would keep true to the Jamican theme. The fruit that grows locally makes for some incredibly refreshing drinks.