One love on an incredible evening of Jamaican culinary magic

Photo: Contributed

Kitchen staff at the Zimbali Retreat in Negril, Jamaica

I am currently in Negril, Jamaica, enjoying an amazing winter break and catching up with friends from all over who are doing the same thing. We have been scuba diving, taking long walks on Seven Mile Beach and generally feeling very grateful.

Both Hubbie and I love Jamaican food and the resort where we stay does a great job showcasing specialties like curried goat, jerk chicken and grilled local fish. We wanted to do something extra-special because this is a 25th anniversary trip, so I chose a culinary adventure at a place we visited years ago, Zimbali Retreat. It is described as a farm-to-table experience and I was keen to see how the place had grown since we were there 10 years ago.

We had a driver to take us through Negril and inland to the country, passing sugar cane fields and small communities. As we headed into the Canaan Mountains, the road became more narrow (and bumpier) with every turn. I remembered the first time we wondered if the driver had gotten us lost but this time I saw the signs on the trees that signalled our destination.

Zimbali is a Zulu word meaning “valley of flowers”. We didn’t see lots of flowers but the jungle is certainly lush and full of colour and life. The retreat is built around the Rastafarian culture where life is about being connected to the earth in a meditative way.

We arrived at the gates and were greeted with smiles and fresh star fruit juice. A group of African drummers set the mood as we met the other dozen people who were there that night.

First, we were given a tour of the farm, accompanied by one of the gardeners and the chef’s enthusiastic children. Did you know pineapples grow as the centre of one plant with only one growing per season, or there are sweet bananas, cooking bananas and plantains of various kinds and a favourite Jamaican fruit, ackee, looks like scrambled eggs when its sections are de-seeded and cooked?

Once back at the lodge, we sat down at the kitchen counter to watch Chef Alisha and her team prepare a five-course dinner. She not only showed us the preparation of dishes but also gave us health tips on the benefits of eating foods full of nutrients. I will be calling pumpkin “youngkin” from now on, remembering its anti-aging properties after having her soup made with fresh coconut milk.

Much of the Rastafarian diet is vegetarian, and her Ital (“from the ground”) stew of curried lima beans with mashed green banana, ackee, caramelized onion and roasted tomatoes was a delicious example. The main course was a delectable snapper with ginger turmeric sauce and dessert was a dramatic flambé with traditional rum cake.

We went back down the road with full tummies and hearts, feeling more connected to each other and the earth and grateful for a chance to see more of the local life.

In the Okanagan, we are famous for farm-to-table experiences and this Jamaican version gave me even more respect for the hard work done by all those who encourage each of us to value the planet we inhabit and its bounty.

As Chef Alisha counselled us, “Remember, no farms, no food.”

I will add, with no personable chefs hosting meals, we would have no connections.

Thank you, Zimbali team, for sharing your passion. You represent, so well, the Jamaican saying, “one love.”

Photo: Contributed

Jamaican sunset in Negril.

This article is written by or on behalf of an outsourced columnist and does not necessarily reflect the views of Castanet.