Let the tastings begin.

Our taste buds are excited and the large table now seems inadequate. The judges however, make room and tastings begin. Forks reach for Boston style jerk sausages from Christopher Hamilton of Hamilton’s Smokehouse. The size is one we feel that will find favour with the many housewives out there in daily search of something different, nourishing and affordable. The taste and flavour are generally pleasing “but” remarks a judge” It’s a tad dry.” “Good Texture” remarks another while yet another adds “good sausages need a balance of fat and these are way too lean and a bit dry.”

Omar our patient and excellent waiter presents Homestyles mild and spicy pork. The comments are as follows: “Good portions” “well seasoned” “hard to imagine that it’s zapped in a microwave and comes out of a pouch” “All I need now is some rice” shares another while another suggests “cornmeal dumplings.” “It should be very spicy and mild as opposed to mild” declares another. “Jamaicans love spice.” This is the kind of energy that we all love and in particular me the Table Talk Food Awards coordinator.

The sauces are next and spoons meet plates as Busha Browne’s Caribbean Caviar (Solomon Gundy) is tasted, Walkerswood ‘Las Lick’ is poured and Helen Willinski’s tamarind sauce is matched against RADA’s tamarind table sauce. There is regrettably no ‘wow’ factor so far but tastings will continue next week.

No meal is complete without (at least for us judges) a sweet treat and so our desserts commence this evening with petit-fours from the oven of Dawn Mitchell, ole time Jamaican fudge from The Fudge Factory and couture cake designs from June Hughes. “Too fresh” opines one. “Passion fruit needs something sweeter” declares another “did she forget the sugar or is this for diabetics.” These are just some of the comments but with tastings incomplete, we’ll reserve final judgements until next week.

The Jamaica Observer Table Talk Food Awards now in its 7th year will this year present over 20 awards including the much coveted Restaurant of the year, The Chairman’s Award, The Editor’s Pick and The Lifetime Achievement Award.

Our 2004 judges and resource/consulting team members are:

Patrick Casserly

Natascha Kessler

Shalini Tewani

Peter Bunting

Colin Hylton

Odette Dixon Neath

Gariel Ferguson

Cecile Levee

Norma Shirley

Gassan Azan

Maurine Capleton (Table Talk Food Awards event stylist).