Respite Time, Shopping Twice, Catching Up,

Got a message (didn't answer phone, unknown name) from the Para Medical who are going to be handling my 3 hours. Spoke to them today, they have it fixed for Thursdays at 1. That definitely won't work. I have to phone one of their people next week. Will have to see what we can sort out.

One of those days again. Went to exercise class then had to go shopping, I was out of fizz after all. Actually they had some Piccolo bottles of Prosecco which I have never seen here before. Decided to get some and see how I get on with it. Then went to the bakers and stocked up on my buns. Can't remember if I told you, there is a seed bun they make which I love. I buy them out of the freezer so they only charge me half price. Can't beat that, they go straight in my freezer anyway. Then I dithered about going to Victoria St. Market because I was out of peppers (I stuffed 'em all) and we usually get a few bananas to last us, but I was tired and achy so went home. Was doing Thai Shrimp Curry for supper so made a start on the sauce. Checking the recipe I saw it needed peppers, I had forgotten. So, I had to go out anyway. What a pain. However, on the way into the garage I met a friend whom I hadn't seen in a while and we had a long chat, she didn't know about Matt nor about my heart attack last year so of course I updated her. She asked if there was anything she could do, I said come and visit or invite me to coffee please.

I then went off on my errand and of course I didn't stick to peppers and bananas but ended up with some scallops and some coconut shrimp. Obviously they have very expensive peppers too. It really is a very tempting shop. Didn't even look at the desserts although I had bought some carrot cake at the bakers. Anyway, got my shrimp dish done, it was delicious as usual.

Spent most of the evening watching Celtic Thunder, Matt really enjoys them. So do I, but there's lots of other stuff I enjoy too. But for Matt, these days, it's anything musical, well good music anyway. He loves Il Volo for instance.

I have neither made nor eaten jerk chicken and have often meant to try it. Saw this recipe and was immediately interested.

Jamaican Jerk Chicken

The best jerk recipe we've ever tasted, which we first published in 1995, is fragrant, fiery hot and smoky all at once. It's from our former colleague Paul Chung, an adventurous self-taught cook who grew up in Jamaica and has sampled jerk from just about every corner of the island. For maximum flavor, let the chicken marinate overnight.

In 2018, Food &Wine named this recipe one of our 40 best: There are as many takes on jerk chicken
in Jamaica as there are cooks on the island, but most share the same method: Chicken is coated in a seasoning mixture dominated by spices and chiles, then grilled. This version comes from Paul Chung, a self-taught cook of Chinese-Jamaican descent who worked in the mail room at Food & Wine. It’s wonderfully spicy, smoky, and fragrant—everything you want jerk chicken to be. But what puts this one above all others? The key is including Chinese five-spice in the marinade: “This spark of cinnamon enhances the rich clove flavor imparted by the allspice berries,” Marcia Kiesel wrote. For best results, let the chicken marinate overnight, so the seasoning has time to thoroughly penetrate the meat. The chicken can also be roasted in the oven if desired.

1 medium onion, coarsely chopped
3 medium scallions, chopped
2 Scotch bonnet chiles, chopped
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 Tbs five-spice powder
1 Tbs allspice berries, coarsely ground
1 Tbs coarsely ground pepper
1 tsp dried thyme, crumbled
1 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
1 tsp salt
1/2 cup soy sauce
1 Tbs vegetable oil
2 3 1/2- to 4-pound chickens, quartered

1. In a food processor, combine the onion, scallions, chiles, garlic, five-spice powder, allspice, pepper, thyme, nutmeg and salt; process to a coarse paste. With the machine on, add the the soy sauce and oil in a steady stream. Pour the marinade into a large, shallow dish, add the chicken and turn to coat. Cover and refrigerate overnight. Bring the chicken to room temperature before proceeding.

2. Light a grill. Grill the chicken over a medium-hot fire, turning occasionally, until well browned and cooked through, 35 to 40 minutes. (Cover the grill for a smokier flavor.) Transfer the chicken to a platter and serve.

Servings: 8

Food & Wine

Have a great weekend