In Jamaica, when you hear the word “jerk” that means two things – hot and spicy! With thousands of South Floridian’s in attendance, the 8th annual Jamaican Jerk Festival was a day and night to remember at Markem Park. The cultural festival once again took place in Sunrise, Florida, where the music was to live for and the food was to die for.

The irie attendees tasted various Jamaican cuisines, from the traditional Jamaican jerk chicken to an nontraditional yet delicious, jerk ice cream. Anything that could be jerked was jerked, and throughout the years, new additions such as jerked lobster, and jerk fish have be incorporated to the “tastiness” of this rich culture. With the captivating aromas that made hearts melt, and soothing reggae music that set the mood; this festival in South Florida is definitely here to stay!

Jamaican jerk seasoning is made with combinations of herbs and spices; thyme, chiles, cinnamon and allspice. If you don’t have these spices in your pantry, Jamaican jerk seasoning is sold in the spice or ethnic section of many South Florida supermarkets.

Jamaican cuisine is very unique and flavorful, bringing various blends of the island’s spices and their amazing harvest. This island’s culture is represented by inhabitants from around the globe, including the British, Dutch, Spanish, East Indian, West African, Portuguese and Chinese. These various nations all brought to the island their own cooking techniques; such as various spices and flavors to blend them with the rich culture and tasty cuisine.

By: Kelly Antoine Hunter

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