Cheeseberries and Wild Raspberries
I've been curious about cheeseberries since I saw them last summer at Holywell Recreational Park in Jamaica's Blue and John Crow Mountains. Cheeseberries look like orange raspberries and are about the same size but they are sweet, a bit like tangerine. They thrive in higher elevations so you'll find them growing wild in the Blue Mountain area. As far as I've been able to find out, that's where they're mostly found. [caption id="attachment_11951" align="aligncenter" width="730"] Cheeseberries[/caption] Cheeseberries, as well as…
Read more »
Ruins of the Slave Hospital, Good Hope Great House Jamaica
When I heard there was a Slave Hospital at Good Hope Plantation in Trelawny, I was eager to see it. At that point, I didn't know of another plantation that had its own hospital. Now mostly in ruins, the remains of the 300-bed hospital, which was built around 1798, suggest a large building that was designed in almost the same Georgian style as the others at Good Hope. [caption id="attachment_14006" align="aligncenter" width="481"] Drawing of the Slave Hospital from cambridgeshire.gov.uk[/caption] Good…
Read more »
Jamaican Custard Apple
A few days after I arrived home, Michael knocked on my backdoor. A reddish fruit sat cushioned on the palm of his outstretched hand. I had not idea what it was and I was hoping he hadn’t noticed the slight look of ambivalence on my face. The skin was smooth, almost velvety to the touch but it had a few marks that made me wonder if a little fruit fly had built a home in it. [caption id="attachment_13992" align="aligncenter" width="698"]…
Read more »
Spanish and British History in Spanish Town Jamaica
The British had such a long colonial history in Jamaica (1655–1962) that we usually forget that the island was a Spanish colony for more than 150 years (1494-1655). We forget, until we come across places like Savanna la Mar, Ocho Rios and Spanish Town. Nowhere else has the struggle for Jamaica played out on a grander scale than in Spanish Town. Originally called Villa de la Vega (later Santiago de la Vega), Spanish Town was founded in 1534 and became…
Read more »
The Naseberry (Fruit)
On a recent trip from Jamaica to New York, my friend and neighbor asked if I could take some frozen naseberries for a relative of hers who, she explained loves naseberries. She drove around town until she found a vendor selling the delicious fruit at about $2.50 for a half-dozen. She returned home, flush with a feeling of accomplishment and prepared the naseberries for me to take. Sadly, after all that effort, the Customs Department didn’t allow me to bring…
Read more »
Colbeck Castle
Leaving Old Harbour, we drive north for about three miles then turn off the main road and into a small community. We follow the signs pointing to Colbeck Castle, our destination, which we reach after going through what looks like a private road. [gallery type="rectangular" ids="13942,13947,13953,13950"] We drive this narrow road pass a few houses and small farms. Two men, standing next to a car, wave to us as we drive by. A few yards further and I see it,…
Read more »
The Ortanique
The ortanique looks much like an orange and could easily be mistaken for one. The difference is in its shape -- it's typically a bit flat on top and bottom. [caption id="attachment_13935" align="aligncenter" width="681"] Ortanique[/caption] This native of Jamaica, a hybrid of the orange and tangerine, gets its name from orange (or), tangerine (tan) and unique (ique). A deliciously sweet fruit, with a hint of tang, the ortanique is a favorite with Jamaicans. But there's a bit of confusion about…
Read more »
Learning Historic Preservation Techniques in Falmouth Jamaica
While doing research online two years ago, I happened on information about historic preservation and Archeology Awareness Week in Jamaica. My interest piqued, I followed a link to the website for Falmouth Heritage Renewal (FHR), a charitable organization that is involved in historic preservation in Jamaica. On FHR’s home page was an announcement about a free walking tour of Falmouth. I fired off an email and scheduled a tour that same week, a day after Prince Harry visited. In a…
Read more »
Eating Chinatown NYC’s Cellar Restaurants
I had never heard the term cellar restaurant until Liz of Ahoy New York mentioned it during our walking tour of Little Italy and Chinatown a few weekends ago. Cellar restaurants are located in the basement of a building. There are two in Manhattan's Chinatown – Hop Kee at 21 Mott Street and Wo Hop at 17 Mott Street. Neither was a stop on our tour but I was curious to find out whether there was more to them than…
Read more »
A Wine Tasting at Little Italy’s Enoteca DiPalo
A wine tasting was the last thing on my mind when I signed up for Ahoy New York’s Food Tasting and Cultural Walking Tour of Little Italy and Chinatown a few weekends ago. However, several hours after our tour, my friend, Joan and I were back at DiPalo’s to buy some of the cheeses we had sampled. A woman was standing at the counter next to us as Joan placed her order. Hearing the type of cheeses we were getting,…
Read more »
