THOSE not in the know might be led to believe – and understandably perhaps – that lunch with Elisabeth Simonitsch inside the pretty imposing Casa Delle Palme family home would be one where the stylish woman of the house, known for her aristocratic air, keen sense of style and marriage to hotelier par excellence Heinz Simonitsch, would be as much about her retinue than even the fare.

Perish all such thoughts, this lady of the house who sits as comfortably on the social pages is a veritable hands-on hostess who not only throws spectacular lunch and dinner parties but – incredible as it sounds – does everything herself.

Thursday Food arrives earlier than anticipated, and so our hostess, who has been in preparation mode since 5:00 am, although not totally ready is by no means flustered. Rest assured however, that all is in place.

Perhaps reading our minds, Elisabeth is quick to explain that her parents, owners of the five-star boutique hotel Cervosa in Tyrol, Austria ensured that every family member was part of the hotel’s daily operation. “I was a waitress from very early,” shares Simonitsch who went on to study hotel and tourism management in Innsbruck and gained invaluable experience in Italy (Rome and Milan) where she lived for three years, as well as Paris and Geneva. Summer courses were also taken at Cornell University.

“I came to Jamaica as an intern in 1985 at Half Moon Resort,” she continues, “And moved here fully in 1990”. Indeed she did, marrying not only the man she remains as passionate about today as she did when he went in search of her after hurricane Gilbert ravished the island and left her stranded in Trelawny, but developing a passion for all things Jamaican.

“All of the furnishing in the house is locally made,” she shares, taking time to show us the exquisite workmanship that went in the making of her magnificent 22-seater mahogany table.

Lunch, by the way, is taking place at different places inside the house with each setting (created by the hostess) depicting an aspect of the meal. The first course, for example, comprises a coconut chicken soup and the second, ackee with rucola (another term for arugula) and as such, there’s a large table decoration of coconut husks and individual ackee pods. Perfect conversation pieces for her guests, many of whom are still in ‘discover Jamaica’ mode and their hostess, who learnt quite a bit about doing without during the ’80s as well as the months following hurricane Gilbert, encourages us to bring the bounty of our gardens into the kitchen. “There are so many things that can be used with ackee like adding rucola”.

She’s not kidding, for even those of us allergic to the national fruit are unable to resist the incredible new pungency that it affords the yellow pods. The containers that hold the soup bowls are made from coconuts. That aside, the subtle mélange of lemon grass, chicken broth and coconut milk reduced ever so carefully with a couple of mushrooms leaves us basking in epicurean delight.

Continue this extraordinary culinary journey with us on Sunday (in Sunday Cuisine) when we move from the delicious ackee with rucola to yet another section of the house for the entrée and finally to the garden for a truly spectacular culinary climax. Naturally, we’ll also take a closer peek at the house.