Jamaican breeze
Sabrina HoSang Jordan, chief executive officer of Caribbean Food Delights, likes to say, “Take a vacation from ordinary food.”
The Tappan, N.Y.-based company is a manufacturer of frozen Jamaican style patties, pastries and jerk chicken wings for retail and food service, and Ms. HoSang Jordan — whose family also operates JerkQ’zine Caribbean Grille restaurant in Mount Vernon, N.Y. — said Caribbean-style foods are popular because of their tropical flavors and unique spices and herbs.
Those classic spices range from jerk, ginger, oxtail, allspice and calypso to maybe a pinch of Scotch bonnet pepper to provide a sweet, spicy and simmering savoriness that’s central to the lore of the islands. Many of these ingredients are steeped in centuries-old cultures with each island having its own favorites that, in some cases, are globally influenced from travelers around the world.
Though Jamaican ambassadors like Olympic champion runner Usain Bolt have helped put its cuisine in the spotlight, Ms. HoSang Jordan said, “Jamaican food is popular because it’s economical, convenient and delicious.”
She added, “People who go to the Caribbean fall in love with our foods.”
