Rasbert Turner, Gleaner Writer
(left) Second-place winner, Ansell White, with his Ackee Kous-Kous, the second-place entry in the ackee recipe contest.( right ) Ackee pizza.
SPANISH TOWN, St. Catherine
THE INAUGURAL Ackee Festival held at the Dinthill Technical High School in Linstead, St. Catherine, on August 28, reaped moderate success.
When the Food team visited the festival around midday, few persons trickled into the venue. Of the 32 stalls that were open, only 10 showed a variety of ways to prepare ackees. Among the ideas that were served were: Black Eye Sketel - a combination of ackee and tin mackerel; ackee and lasagna; ackee cheese loaf; ackee in tofu; ackee and red herring; and the traditional ackee and saltfish. There was evidence of imagination as a restaurateur Janeen McNish, a lecturer at the University of Technology (UTech), served up several exciting recipes in her entries for the ackee cooking contest.
These included: ackee jerk sauce, ackee dip, ackee gluten - which combines an extract from flour which is then made for persons who are strict vegetarians; ackee pizza; ackee stuffed fish and a host of other products. Miss McNish, who won the first prize for her ackee creations, said that for 30 years she has been emphasising how flexible ackee can be. "I came here with the intention today to really highlight this national product and how many different menu items it can make with just a little imagination."
Several persons who came to the venue gave the consensus that while there were a variety of ackee products, more could be done to make the venue and booths more in keeping with the theme of the festival. And especially so since the festival took place in Linstead, the home of ackee.
However, they were happy for the festival and hoped that it would be bigger.
Performances by Fab 5 and company in concert, topped off the day's activities.
Ackee cups with an assortment of dips.
