Barbara Ellington, Lifestyle Editor
Left: Donald Hamilton knows how to jerk lobsters to finger-licking good perfection. He has been participating in the Portland Jerk Festival since its inception. Right: Gilbert Hall of Honest John Boston Jerk, is a regular jerk man at the festival. - PHOTO BY IAN ALLEN/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
IN RETROSPECT, the only fault I found with the annual Portland Jerk Festival is that organisers did not sell it as a weekend event, spread over three days, filling up homes and hotels in Jamaica's most beautiful parish and lessening the stress on participants and patrons.
Otherwise, this year, organisers of the Pepsi-sponsored festival can give themselves a B Plus. Well done. Imagine, a large directional map of the grounds as well as smaller laminated ones for convenient use; large tents for eating and hanging out and portable wash basins strategically positioned on the grounds.
This year also, all the food stalls which were rented for $12,000.00 were of uniform design and signage bore both the name of the owner and the sponsor's logo.
Speaking to Food, event co-ordinator Karen Clarke said a deliberate attempt was made to improve things this year. "We took into consideration the comfort of patrons and included large tents to shield them from the heat."
MENU BOARDS
"The portable hand-wash basins helped to ease the long waiting lines at the portaloos and we have added menu boards of a uniform design and colour to give patrons an idea of what was available at each booth," Mrs. Clarke said.
The hospitality tent for media and other officials was air-conditioned and comfortable and there was adequate activity for the children. In all, there were 25 jerk booths, 15 assorted food booths and five refreshment bars for hard and soft liquid libations.
As the distinct aroma of jerk meats wafted over the Boston community, a sea of jerk pits delivered up smoke and heat to cook the delicious favourite. Like in other years, pork reigned supreme; after all this is what Boston is all about. But for others, there was adequate chicken, lobster, mutton and a variety of soups, roast breadfruit, hard dough bread and vegetarian delights to please the hungry palates.
Regular participant, Raymond Marshall (Tarrie), got off to an early start and his booth filled up early. From him one could get lobster, chicken, pork, roast breadfruit and soup. He told Food he would be going to New York soon to prepare jerk meats for a festival.
Throughout the early hours of the day, judges drawn from the College of Agriculture, Science and Education (CASE), visited the booths to sample and make their selection of the best of the hot stuff.
