By Rosemary Parkinson, Contributor
'Chef Atiba' samples Grace ReadiMeal Baked Beans and Vienna Sausages on fluffy white rice. - Photo By Rosemary Parkinson
MY REVIEW today is on ReadiMeals, which are produced by Grace Kennedy & Co. Ltd. Before I begin I want to 'big up' all Grace workers everywhere - those that are the backbone of this world-renowned company and who continue to give good service to this Jamaican institution.
In fact, I want to big up all workers in Jamaica that aid in the production of foodstuffs that this island can be so proud of. Jamaica's Blue Mountain Coffee, Busha Browne, Walkerswood, Eaton's, Pickapeppa, Best Dressed, Jamaica Producers just to name but a few and whilst at it hey! Let me give a huge 'big-up' to all those at Wray & Nephew - though not exactly coming in as a 'food producer' - rum and rum products are of course used in cooking for that extra little oomph (and imbibing for that big oomph).
Wow! Just had a huge rush of feelings so here's a monumentally huge enormous 'big-up' to my beloved Jamaica and all Jamaican people. There is so much for us to be proud of. The time has come to put aside all this 'fuss and fighting' for crying out loud - wake up and smell the roses - let us not lose the pride but build upon it instead. I have never come across another Caribbean island filled with such wonder, beauty and potential such as this one, yet I have had to spend the last two months abroad defending it to the bone to people from all over the world. Why?
I cannot wait for that Air Jamaica flight to put its wheels down on the tarmac of the Donald Sangster International Airport sometime this weekend, open its doors and allow me to breathe my Jamaican air once again. Uncle's Cookshop, Montego Bay here I come. Oxtail and rice and peas ... yeah mon.
EASY TO OPEN AND PREPARE
ReadiMeal is the perfect type of easy-to-open, easy-to-eat-no-matter-where, easy-to-prepare meal. Knowing they are usually favourites of children, I gave a 'vegetarian, fish-eating' little man of some 11 years who possesses a discerning palate and a passion for food the opportunity to taste and let me know his feelings about the Grace ReadiMeal products.
The gentleman's immediate comments on looking at the tin were "This is the easy type o' tin to open. If I get hungry in school, I can pull off de top under my desk and take a quick spoonful - de teacher not gwine even know." Okay! Mr. Atiba Wiggins, let's really hear what you have had to say about Grace's ReadiMeals apart from the fact that instead of listening to your teacher, learning your lessons and nourishing your brain, your intention is to use this product for providing yourself with nourishment of a different kind.
Butter Beans & Saltfish Chef Atiba thought this one needed to be warmed up first. This means, it's definitely not a good candidate for under the desk munching. Okay then. I had a taste straight from the tin and found it pretty good notwithstanding (I am not a tin-food fan).Warmed a bit tasty alright but then we both decided on a little experimentation. I then added a touch of pepper sauce, a little butter, one grated garlic clove and voila already the meal had that little 'je ne sais quoi'. The ingredients were then placed on a piece of toast with copious slices of avocado it was delicious. The little man was definitely impressed now and suggested that one could sprinkle some finely chopped raw onions on the top for that extra touch good idea I thought.
BAKED BEANS AND SALTFISH
Then came the Baked Beans and Saltfish in Tomato Sauce this clearly was Chef Atiba's favourite. I have nicknamed Atiba 'chef' for whenever mother is not in a cooking mode, he takes over the kitchen like a pro and serves up some excellent 'one, two, threes' - that is a tin of tuna, freshly-prepared pasta and grated cheese laced with fresh spices and herbs, chopped onions and garlic. Maybe Grace Kennedy should get in touch with this soon-to-be-world-renowned chef and get the recipe sounds like a great combination to add to the ReadiMeal family!
Anyhow first we both tried the beans and saltfish combo straight from the can. "Good enough for under the desk", was the report from my learned
friend, accompanied by a big smile. Then we did the butter and garlic trick, with that touch of pepper (fresh this time), sprinkled some fish seasoning into the mixture, chopped some fine parsley over the top and the combination became a zesty meal. This time on Atiba's suggestion we spooned it all on some plain white rice, eating every morsel with mucho gusto.
Chef Atiba plans to spread the word to all 'under-the-desk-munchers' that require that constant nourishment whilst in school. So teachers everywhere beware those kids are not studying with their heads down, just eating Grace ReadiMeals! Can't blame them really. These economists of the future understands about buying local.
BAKED BEANS AND CHICKEN VIENNAS
Now the Baked Beans and Chicken Vienna Sausages in Tomato Sauce and Barbecue Sauce were left for me to deal with alone. I came home one night dog tired after a couple of drinks with friends and family and did my usual opened the refrigerator and stared into it for something to munch when I remembered my ReadiMeal. I chose the tomato sauce one and had a spoonful straight up pretty good as it was. I put the rest into a bowl with a dab of butter (I am a butter freak) added a pinch of Italian seasoning with a dash of Italian Salad Dressing. I then grated a garlic clove over the whole ting, sprinkled with Parmesan and stuck it into the microwave. Found some crackers for dunking and Mama Mia pure enjoyment.
On Sunday I decided on a good ol' English breakfast feast. Fried egg on fried toast, fried in bacon fat with fried bacon and fried tomatoes and fried onions and instead of the fried sausage and baked beans, just added the Readi Meal Baked Beans and Chicken Viennas warmed to perfection. Enjoyed every last little bit of this rather unhealthy but delicious 'once-in-a-blue-moon' nosh. The hickory-smoked flavour in the beans was just right. I am always a little nervous about hickory barbecue sauce in tinned food somehow that hickory taste always seems just a tad bit too hickory for me but not Grace's own, got to say. But wait! Why am I so quickly calling this meal unhealthy. Grace's ReadiMeal's can tells you in no uncertain terms that the contents are rich in protein and fibre and by the way only 110 calories that translates to good nutrition if you ask me. So there!
THUMB'S UP
The only comment left having given Grace's ReadiMeal's a thumbs up how about some really innovative combinations now you have perfected these using locally grown ingredients, of course. Nowadays even some of the famous restaurants in France are just opening cans of gourmet readi-cooked meals that have been vacuum-packed and taste as good as freshly-prepared ones. Had for instance a Duck a L'Orange that was spectacular almost had the 'vapours' when I found out it came from a tin! Food for thought and thought for food yet again. Rosemary Parkinson will soon have her face in some good ol' Jamaican food no mo' tin food fuh she. No sah!
