Jamaican cuisine is some of the most flavorful in the Caribbean. These spicy dishes trace their origin back to the earliest days of the island when the Arawak Indians first barbecued meats. Distinctive seasonings were developed by Africans who came to the island as slaves in the days of Spanish rule. In the 17th century, English influences developed the Jamaican pattie, a turnover filled with spicy meat that's a favorite lunch snack with locals. A century later, Chinese and East Indian influences made their way to Jamaica, when indentured laborers who replaced slaves after emancipation also brought their own culinary talents. Today curried dishes grace nearly every Jamaican menu, using local meats such as goat, chicken, and seafood.

For breakfast, the national dish is ackee and saltfish. Ackee is a small fruit that is harvested only when it bursts and reveals its black seeds; before that time the fruit is poisonous. Ackee is cooked and resembles (and tastes) much like scrambled eggs.

But the best single dish, at least for us, in Jamaica is jerk. The meat--pork, chicken, or fish--is marinated with a fiery mixture of spices including Scotch bonnet, a pepper that makes a jalapeno taste like a marshmallow, pimento or allspice, nutmeg, escallion, and thyme. It's all served up with even more hot sauce (use with caution!), rice and peas, and a wonderful bread called festival, similar to hush puppies. Wash it all down with a cold Red Stripe. Ya, mon!