Rosemary Parkinson, Contributor

Look for these on all bookshelves across the country. - Photo by Rosemary Parkinson

Last Saturday evening at the beautiful Silent Waters Villa, overlooking the twinkling lights of Montego Bay, Neysha Soodeen, Editor-in-Chief of Maco magazine, launched Maco Destinations in partnership with Caribbean Producers.

The evening brought out Jamaica's who's who to enjoy the fine hors d'oeuvres, the wine and two other stars - Absolut Vodka and Fiji Natural Artesian Water. Included was a fun auction with prizes donated by Virgin Atlantic, Starfish Oils, Gallery of West Indian Art, Braco Stables and, of course, CPJ - all proceeds going to the Jamaica Cancer Society.

With the artistic influence of Creative Director Marie-France Aqui, the hard-working Maco team, Toute Bagai Publishing and Colour Innovations (printers out of Canada), this magazine (as with its forerunner, Maco) excels in high quality production and execution. Both already going places within the Caribbean region and worldwide, if you haven't been an avid reader, then the time has come for Maco Caribbean Living and the new Maco Destinations to be part of your life.

Both magazines are celebrating the fact that Barnes & Noble (the largest bookstore in the U.S.) has deemed them 'Reader's Pick', and why not - apart from being informative, they give a deep insight into all the fabulousness of the cuisine, homes, villas, resorts and holiday destinations that are part and parcel of our amazing Caribbean. Maco Destinations, by the way, is the first Caribbean travel magazine published and produced by Caribbean nationals. Way to go! And by the way, Maco's 137-page, full colour hardcover book - MACO Caribbean Homes - is a must for your coffee table.

Other Publications

In the world of publishing, there some other interesting publications available.

LETSEATOUT. This pocket-sized high quality, full-colour booklet highlights local restaurants categorised by cuisine (Chinese, Local, Japanese, etc.) and city or town (Kingston, Montego Bay, Negril, Ocho Rios, etc.), with little maps pinpointing their locations and including all the information required about the particular restaurant. I find this a winner. Under the auspices of the Jamaica Tourist Board (JTB), 876 Media (with Fitzroy Lamey and Rycano Scott at the helm) have done a great job.

It became available since Tuesday last at the JTB offices worldwide, travel agencies, hotels, gas stations, both airports, gyms, restaurants, cafés with insertions in newspapers here in Jamaica. This little booklet can only be an asset to the island.

Jamaican Eats

Next is Jamaican Eats. Editor-in-Chief Grace Cameron has produced an excellent full-colour, well-designed and printed magazine that is already making inroads in the U.S. (Barnes & Noble too!), Canada and U.K. markets. Not losing the importance of the rest of the Caribbean, Jamaican Eats devotes some of its pages to "great food across the Caribbean islands." This first issue joins Health, Home & Gardens produced by Fay Wint, which is an informative magazine out on the Jamaican market for a number of years, and hoping to go international as well.

The publication is really just about our cuisine and that is what sets it apart. With stories like 'In A Stew' featuring U.K. Celebrity Chef Ainsley Harriott, 'Ital Tours' about what Jamaican DJs hit the road with in terms of Jamaican food and other delights. The next issue due for Christmas promises to be even better.

1. Authentic Recipes from Jamaica: This publication comes with recipes and text by John DeMeres, additional essays by Jamaican Norma Benghiat. This hardcover (again coffee table) book with incredibly beautiful photography and great recipes contains a little historic touch on Jamaica's cuisine before entering the world of recipes, from how to make your own curry powder to red pea soup and spinners to crunchy banana bread with peanuts, ending with tropical fruit smoothies (alcoholic and non-alcoholic).

I love the use of art by Margaret Robson and Fiona Godfrey, the poignant ceramic figurines by Orville Reid with platters, and bowls from The Craft Cottage, Margaret McGhie, David Pinto and others. Excellent.

2. Traditional Jamaican Cookery by Norma Benghiat. While in black and white, this is a concise, small enough for quick reference and perfect-to-keep-in-the-kitchen-at-all-times book that takes us through recipe after recipe of all that is best of Jamaican traditional cuisine. I again recommend Virginia Burke's amazing Eat Caribbean with photography by Cookie Kinkead and Ray Chen as a definite must.

There are, of course, many more wonderful books featuring Caribbean cuisine and Jamaica in particular. One only has to rummage through the shelves of the Kingston Bookshop, Sangster's (islandwide), Everybody's (Ocho Rios), even pharmacies like Fontana in Montego Bay, Monarch and Liguanea Drug & Garden Centre (Kingston). And what a good time for all these to be on the shelves, what with the barrage of visitors expected not only this winter season but for Cricket World Cup 2007. With Christmas in our face too, be an early bird with book gifts or subscriptions to any of the above magazines for your loved ones at home and abroad.

A good poster seen many years ago in bookstores across the UK - SHOCK YOUR PARENTS, READ A BOOK - sends the perfect message to get children (and many parents) to understand the importance of reading. So, do go out and buy a book today!

Unless mind knows everything, it remains afraid - because knowledge gives power. Intuition. - Insights for a new way of living by Osho.