Whether you’re trying to reproduce that mad good curried goat that’s been haunting your memory like a fiery first kiss, or you have the nearly impossible task of pleasing Jamaican in-laws, or you’re expecting a visit from Usain Bolt in the immediate future, this piece is for you.
From coconut milk to thyme, from Scotch bonnets to scallions, you’ll learn what you need to reproduce the flavors that anchor a diaspora and be able to conjure “Yard” wherever the storms of nature or life may find you. Chocolate tea: Our riff on hot chocolate, made by grating unadulterated Jamaican cocoa balls and mulling it with spices in boiling water. Only tin milk has the necessary heft and richness to tame the raw dark power of the chocolate balls, which are essentially just cocoa beans ground to a gritty paste, formed, and dried.
Pudding: A sliceable snack/dessert of baked (or steamed) starches that’s often finished off with a coating of caramelized condensed milk.
Sundry tropical shakes and smoothies: Including papaya, custard apple, and mango preparations.
