This year’s Jamaica Observer Food Awards will take place on May 27 on The East Lawns of Devon House and the judging sessions hit high gear Tuesday last at the Spanish Court Hotel, where five presentations were made in an effort to find the Best New Food Item. Thursday Food dishes the details…

Fox’s Freshness

Food Basket director Robyn Fox’s brand of mixed greens, herbs and spices aims to add a new dimension to the term ‘fresh vegetables’.

Fox, who partners with her father Michael in this venture, notes that her products are grown in the cool hills of Newcastle, St Andrew and are delivered — free of cost in the Corporate Area — the same day they are harvested.

“It’s an online-based direct-to-customer programme,” shares Fox, noting, too, that clients are encouraged to place their orders on Monday and receive their freshly cut veggies on Thursdays. Though business is mainly done electronically, Fox shares that her brand of greens are packaged and available on the shelves of Loshusan Supermarket in the Barbican Centre. Fox, who says some of her greens are cultivated organically, presented the judges with a delectable mixed-green salad (of cauliflower, Scotch bonnet pepper, various lettuce and mesclun) lightly drizzled with vinaigrette. The salad was paired with the pleasant golden apple after taste of the dry, pale, Santa Margherita Pinot Grigio.

“These are really fresh greens,” notes food judge Jacqui Sinclair, “and you are able to separate the distinct flavours of lettuce: the red-leaf from the arugula.”

Speaking to her product’s freshness, Fox adds that her packaged vegetables can last up to a week and a half if refrigerated. Food Basket is an avid participant of the monthly staged Market At The Lawn.

Saucy Session

The acquisition of the Walkerswood operation, the introduction of two new sauces and the resurrection of another have sought to solidify the holdings of Busha Browne’s Company Limited in the confection market and definitely buoyed Sean Garbutt’s confidence as he stood before the judging panel on Tuesday night.

“Our company has put together a scheme to take over Walkerswood,” says Sean Garbutt, group marketing director. “When the opportunity came up to take over the Walkerswood facility including the factory and machinery which was 10 times larger than what we had, we seized it.”

The takeover has facilitated the resurgence of the Walkerswood Calypso Chutney, while Garbutt introduced the judges to his company’s latest Busha Browne’s sauces: Jamaican Jerk Smokey Barbeque and Jamaican Jerk Honey Barbeque.

For presentation, Garbutt prepared baked chicken breasts in mango-based chutney with a side of cheddar cheese and lightly toasted bread.

To showcase the Busha Browne’s line, Garbutt presented pulled pork smothered with the Jamaican Jerk Smokey Barbecue Sauce and grilled vegetables coated with the honey-flavoured sauce.

“The thing with these sauces is that you can use them in a variety of intensities according to your palette… you can just rub them on and put them on the grill or marinate them for a heavier flavour,” Garbutt notes.

“That’s the beauty of jerk…it doesn’t have to be an overpowering experience.”

He adds, too, that chutney is often pigeonholed and often just considered as a side, “but it can be quite versatile.”

During his presentation, Garbutt also spoke to the idea of Brand Jamaica and the need to protect it and the manufacturers who depend on it to make a living.

“We hope to be a force in the market as we build and push local agriculture.”

The Busha Browne’s and Walkerswood brands are the company’s premium sells, whereas the Jamaican Joe line is the value-priced brand that competes with more popular labels like Grace.

Garbutt also impressed upon judges the demand for his products, noting that Sandals Resorts International for example has commissioned his brand to create a special brand of sauces that retail within the hotel chain and are on offer at the dinner tables.

“Sandals has been very proactive in getting its guests to taste what we have on offer and if they like it, it’s for sale at the gift shop,” Garbutt says.

Claudette Tenn ‘runs down’ another award

Homestyles boss Claudette Tenn has four Jamaica Observer Food Awards under her belt, but she just might get another for her frozen, ready-to-eat Mackerel Run Down.

Though the rundown was one of three items she presented (she also showcased the Homestyles Jerk Seasoning and No-Meat Stewed Peas), the flavourful Jamaican breakfast food was clearly the favourite.

Just ask judge Matthew Hogarth, who exclaimed, on tasting: “You had me at the rundown” and the evening’s guest Anthony Miller who lauded Tenn for the fare she presented last year. But wait… there was more praise for her this year, as he too was enamoured of Tenn’s take on the mackerel and coconut milk delight.

“I try to listen to the consumers, as to what they would want,” Tenn said, noting that her staff served as “the guinea pigs” who tasted the dish until it was perfected.

Perfection indeed, as the rich coconut custard blends beautifully with the salty mackerel to create a taste that harks back to grandma’s Sunday morning serving.

What’s great, too, is the packaging: beautifully presented in a lime green box, smaller than the others within the Homestyles line. The Mackerel Run Down, which hit shelves two weeks ago, is available at MegaMart and John R Wong supermarkets and retails for around $200.

Would there be room for dessert after an organic herb salad from Food Basket, amuse- bouche, courtesy of Sean Garbutt and his extraordinary sauces from Walkerswood and Busha Browne’s, not to mention a veritable Sunday brunch from Homestyles’ Claudette Tenn? Indeed there was…

Denise Forbes’ Tiramisu

The slide off the fork straight into the mouth ever so easy to digest, seductively smooth Tiramisu from Denise Forbes forced several Observer Food Awards judges to sit up and take note. “This is A+,” said Dr Brian Langrin. “Excellent!” declared Matthew Hogarth. “I’m not really a Tiramisu fan,” explained Anthony Miller, “but this is good stuff.” Effusive praises for the camera-shy Denise Forbes who ended up in front of the panel of judges as a result of BNS execs Heather Goldson and Patsy Latchman-Atterbury.

“Baking is a hobby I’ve enjoyed since the ’80s”, shared Forbes, whose talent was enjoyed by immediate family and a close circle of friends until her interest in baking grew and she enrolled first at the University of Technology (UTech) and further honed her skills at The International School of Baking, Portland, Oregon. “My friends became my regular customers who in turn introduced me to their friends and co-workers”.

What’s odd though, is that the very dessert she’s famous for was once unkown to her.

“A client asked me to make it… I didn’t know what it was and I did my research and came up with my own formula,” she admits. And the rest, as they say, is history.

Forbes’ desserts can be enjoyed at Redbones, The Blues Café, Café Aubergine, Café Blue and from caterer Lorraine Fung. You too can enjoy the now nominated Tiramisu gateau on Thursday, May 27, at the Jamaica Observer Food Awards, East Lawns, Devon House.

Tiramisu:

An Italian dessert consisting of layers of sponge cake soaked in coffee and brandy or liqueur, with powdered chocolate and mascarpone cheese.

Tamara Younis: The New Sweet Thing

Our judges are selected not only because of their knowledge of the local and international culinary landscape but also their ability to bring ‘new talent’ to the panel of judges. Thanks to Observer Food Awards judge Matthew Hogarth who enjoyed five mini gourmet white chocolate bread pudding cupcakes with Chantilly cream at the “Utopia” Boxing Night party. Younis presented tiny mouthfuls of red velvet cupcake with cream cheese and gourmet white chocolate bread pudding with Chantilly cream.

The elegant Younis started baking at the early age of nine. ” I found it an enjoyable activity…and dessert was always my favourite part of a meal.” Younis, who is a formally trained, honed her skills at Le Cordon Bleu in Miramar, Florida in 2007 and was the valedictorian. “I was”, she shared with the judges “the first to graduate with a 4.0 average from the Miramar campus. Before training as a chef I graduated magna cum laude from Florida International University with a Bachelor’s Degree in Philosophy and a Minor in Psychology in 2003.”

Since relocating to Jamaica Younis has started a side business catering a variety of desserts for both small and large events, which include:

The “Utopia” Boxing Night party (Younis catered one thousand pieces)

Chez Maria Restaurant

The Royal Jamaica Yacht Club (where Younis recently catered desserts for Mother’s Day

Gallery Catering Services.

Younis will be catering her first wedding on May 22.