CULINARY giant Norma Shirley departs the island for Los Angeles next Wednesday to create another of her formidable dining experience at a fund-raising event slated for January 20 – an Evening of Exquisite Jamaican Cuisine put on by the Caribbean Classic Golf Invitational (CCGI).

The group, headed by CCGI Chair Richard Stephenson, is committed to outfit Jamaica’s 400 plus primary and all-age schools with computer learning centres. The foundation (best known locally for its annual golf tournament at Rose Hall in Montego Bay) has already donated 200 new Dell computers and 30 printers to 24 primary schools and is optimistic that 2007 contributions will exceed the US$200,000 that was made after last year’s inaugural tournament. The computers that were bought from the proceeds of last year’s tournaments were donated to the primary schools in February 2006. Financial giants Bear Stearns, through their vice-president Alsion Roach, will also play an integral role in the fund-raising dinner.

“I plan to deliver a Jamaican dining experience. a taste if you like of our favourites,” shares Shirley, who is still putting the finishing touches to her menu. “There will be lots of favourites like appetisers of curried crab cakes with tropical fruit salsa, shrimps served on sugar cane skewers and vegetarian and beef cocktail patties.”

Dinner will commence with pumpkin soup drizzled with nutmeg crème fraiche, deboned curry goat with mango chutney, jerked chicken with June plum, pork tenderloin, rice and peas, sweet potato mash and baked plantains.

Dessert offerings are as follows: Rum & Raisin Bread Pudding, Tortuga Old Fashion Rum Cake and Iced Cold Blue Mountain Coffee served with a dollop of coffee ice cream.

Twyman and Coffee Traders coffee will be served along with Wray & Nephew Rum.