one love Caribbean food

I went on a speech-therapy trip to Jamaica. Matt tagged along and visited the communities he had served when he lived there. 

In Mobay, we stayed with a generous Canadian couple (Rob pictured below) who opened their home to us for several days without knowing anything about us. In Kingston, we stayed with the Catholic church. I have never experienced so much generosity and hospitality outside of my family and friends. We were never strangers to anyone, but rather, were always treated as family.

And yes. Everyone in Jamaica actually says, "Yeah man!"

obligatory window shot

Every day in Montego Bay, I came home to this really, REALLY excited face and 4 drinks poured in succession. 

...and who naturally made me pose next to the Montreal vs. Rangers game on satellite TV. Hockey in Jamaica. Right. 

they also took us to a country club on the beach, where I got to dip the fets in the ocean for 5 minutes. amazing.

Our Kingston hosts had a million mango trees on their propety.  Oh my god, guys, the mangos. 

LOOK QUICK! Mangos so good they made HIM smile!!!

and papayas so good they bring you to tears.

my view every morning. 

Matt's Jamaican grandma. Within the first few minutes of meeting her, and Matt out of earshot,  "so when is the wedding?"

Jamaican cherries off trees in her backyard. Tart. Flavorful. I loved their shape. 

Keeping her chickens fresh with lime

A community Matt had visited cut us some coconut.

HE SMILES AGAIN!!!

There wasn't much left, which lends itself to my silly posture.

A family having us over for fried chicken. SO. GOOD.

Ackee and saltfish--food of the gods. This is literally the best culinary discovery I have made in a LONG time. 

Bammy: fried cassava cakes

cooked ackee vs. raw ackee

Our hosts were through the Catholic church. Lebanese Christians. Her mother's cookbooks. I cried. 

happy man with sugar cane

The mangos: this variety was called "Julie". Succulent, deep, complex, and floral. 

peeled ackee: look for the bright and shiny ones.

The lovely lady who taught me how to prepare ackee

LEBANESE FOOD IN JAMAICA. FO REALS.

Just way too excited about hummus in the caribbean

tough love...but not enough to keep me away from Julie mangos!

naturally, I would find an arab resto. 

this. 

Lionfish (an invasive species that is INCREDIBLE) and parrotfish. Lobster wasn't in season. Everthing on that tray was fried. God bless Jamaica.

Matt getting busy peeling ackee/trying to get brownie points with me 

we climbed a really, really steep hill to get these red coconuts: but they weren't terribly great.

fried dumplings. amazing. I can still taste them, 

goodbye breakfast from the ackee we peeled