LEFT: Skewered jerk shrimp served with french fries and coleslaw was a favourite of the patrons at the Jazz Rock Seafood booth. CENTRE: A food sculpture by Garde Manger, Floyd Smith, done for the Jazz Rock Seafood booth. RIGHT: Jerk pork sausages from the Pork Pit booth at the 2007 Air Jamaica Jazz and Blues Festival. - Photos by Tesi Johnson/Freelance Reporter

Tesi Johnson, Gleaner Writer

"It's as much about the food as it is about the music," says Jennifer Franklin, a patron at last week's 2007 Air Jamaica Jazz and Blues Festival, as she delves into a curry chicken roti that she purchased from Adam's Roti Bar.

"Well, it is for me," she continues, while spooning sorrel chutney onto her fast-disappearing roti.

Like many other patrons of the festival, Franklin has a healthy appreciation for the variety in meal choices offered, citing that, "there is something to quell your every craving."

Executive chef of The Brewery, Denton Purcell, continues along that line: "this is an international event, so people want more than just the usual curry goat and jerk chicken."

The Air Jamaica Jazz and Blues Festival is no mere curry goat affair; it requires cuisine that reflects the variety and calibre of its patrons and entertainment package.

International flair

The Brewery, for one, had all of three booths, each offering a different type of cuisine, ranging from Middle Eastern to Texan Barbecue. Chef Purcell served up a lamb gyro wrap from his Cedars of Lebanon booth, giving a sample of the Middle Eastern dishes that were being prepared there. Moving to the House of China, Chef Purcell brought out the Chinese roast chicken before introducing barbecue chicken from Joey's BBQ. But that was not all 'Joey' had in store. Barbecued ribs, steak and the like were a few of the other options.

The next stop was the Pork Pit, where Food found Andre Craig turning some huge jerk pork sausages. The Pork Pit was another of the established restaurants which lent their culinary expertise to a booth at the festival.

A few booths down, Food noticed patrons enjoying marshmallows dipped in chocolate from Sweet Memriz Chocolate Fountain. If pizza was on your mind, Leroy Bowen was ready to serve up a 'delizioso' pizza from Tony's Pizza.

At the other end of the court, a coloured fruit carving induced a gathering at the Jazz Rock Seafood booth. The intricate work of Garde Manger, Floyd Smith, was the initial pull, but dishes like their stuffed crab backs, served with a tartar sauce and cole slaw, held you fast.

Ad hoc restaurants

Notably, quite a number of the booths were held by 'ad hoc' restaurants of sorts - ones that operate only at the annual music showcase, and dissolve upon its conclusion, only to return the following year.

Hosue's Seafood was one such family-run booth, and they enjoyed their fifth year in business at the jazz festival.

Another is the aforementioned Adam's Roti Bar and Jazz Rock Seafood booths, which both only operate at the festival.

Still, whether ad hoc, or established, the booths that made up the food court give the organisers of the Air Jamaica Jazz and Blues Festival bragging rights for offering a most diverse selection of dishes. Not just 'so-so' curry goat and jerk chicken.