Taste Ja on the Jerk Trail

ANDREW SMITH/PHOTOGRAPHY EDITOR - Lyndon Malcom jerks pork in a pit during Quao Day at Charles Town Maroon Village, Portland, on Friday, June 23.

VISITORS TO Jamaica can now enjoy an authentic Jamaican culinary adventure thanks to the new Unique Jamaica Jerk Trail developed by Unique Jamaica ­ a consortium of hotels and allied services including attractions and restaurants, dedicated to supporting community efforts and promoting sustainable tourism.

The Jerk Trail, which was recently launched by Unique Jamaica, in association with the Charles Town Maroon Council and the Jamaica Tourist Board, features a seven-day tour with a selection of jerk stops designed for persons who want to "explore, taste and feel the real Jamaica".

The launch, on Quao Day, at Charles Town, Portland, was particularly significant given Portland's reputation as the home of jerk and Quao's status as a hero among the Charles Town Maroons.

The Land of Look Behind ­ the Charles Town Maroon Village, the first stop on the Unique Jamaica Jerk Trail ­ allows visitors to meet descendants of the first Africans brought to Jamaica in the 15th and 16th century by the Spanish. The Maroons will show how jerk was originally made in a pit in the ground, a process designed to keep smoke to a minimum and so avoid detection by the British who roamed the forests.

After a morning filled with history, culture and epicurean treats, the visitors will continue to Port Antonio and Berridale for a lazy day of rafting down the Rio Grande.

Unique Jamaica Chairman, Millicent Lynch, noted that Jamaican jerked meats (chicken, fish and pork) "have become one of the most defining national, regional and international forms of Jamaican cuisine." She pointed out, however, that while "jerked products are central to the Unique Jamaica Jerk Trail, travellers can enjoy a range of cuisines, treats and experiences ­ Jamaican style."