Touris, white man, wipin his face,

Met me in Golden Grove market place.

He looked at m’ol’ clothes brown wid stain.

An soaked right through wid de Portlan rain, He cas his eye, turn up his nose,

He says, ‘You’re a beggar man, I suppose?’ He says, ‘

Boy, get some occupation, Be of some value to your nation.’ I said,

‘By God and dis big right han

You mus recognise a banana man.

Song of the Banana Man, Evan Jones

One of our all-time absolute favourite pieces of poetry is The Song of the Banana Man by Evan Jones. It was the first inspirational piece of literature that we had ever read that spoke, in such self-defining terms, of issues such as national and personal pride, the love of country, love of our land and love of our work and love of self. In fact, we adored that piece so much that, not only did we memorise every single word by heart, but also, the poem was the source of inspiration for last week’s episode on the banana.

It is the same honour and pride of a “Banana Man” referenced by Evan Jones in the poem that is behind the creation of the powerhouse Jamaica Producers Group. Jamaica Producers was, in fact, originally formed as a shipping company and a co-op of small banana farmers. Its creation opened a direct line of access to the UK for our local banana farmers that was controlled by the farmers themselves and thus able to bypass the industry’s class bully, the United Fruit Company, which maintained complete dominance of the regional banana industry. What strategy; what brilliance! The creation of the co-op ensured that the local banana industry was suddenly not reliant on anyone outside of ourselves for survival; this struck fear into the heart of the ‘powers that be’ in the world of banana who were not so happy with the concept of a unified group of small farmers who were self-sustainable. Naturally, phrases like “tek it to dem” and “a so we dweet” come immediately to mind, for everyone knows that we Jamaicans demand fairness and have a strong aversion to injustice.

The history of the banana trade in the Latin American and Caribbean region dates back to the end of the 19th century, with firms such as the United Fruit Company (now Chiquita Banana) dominating the export market particularly in Central America, which, as the sugar industry did in the Caribbean, redefined the social, political and cultural landscape of the Central American region. Today, still, most bananas – particularly in Latin America – are grown on large plantations for export.

Despite various challenges like near bankruptcy, however, the Jamaica Producers Group Limited (formerly Jamaican Banana Producers Association Ltd) is still going strong after 85 years and, most importantly, remains a 100 per cent Jamaican-owned institution (shareholders must be resident in Jamaica) whose values are based on the principles of equanimity and equality. In fact, the Group as it exists today, has expanded and boasts multiple subsidiaries and operations in territories such as Costa Rica and the Netherlands. Finding an edge in any market is challenging, but through constant research and dedication, the company has successfully managed to diversify and in the process has developed a wide range of innovative and delicious snack products made from local produce such as banana, plantain and cassava chips that fill the needs and palates of the local consumer.

Even more interesting to us was the innovative way the JP Group has managed to not only supply the local demand, but also provide employment opportunities and tap into the our entrepreneurial spirit with the creation of what we term the “roadside vendor programme”. JP provides roadside banana vendors with product and branding (those can’t-miss green and yellow bibs) allowing individuals to earn a respectable living by selling ripe bananas and associating themselves with a reputable and trustworthy brand like Jamaica Producers, while providing a heart healthy and convenient grab an’ go snack! Pure brilliance, simply put: the perfect merger of tradition and modernity!

And so, once again on this foodie journey across our beloved homeland, as we delved deeper into exploring the history of our banana industry we were overwhelmed with pride at the innovation, determination and strength of our country and our countrymen. The great Evan Jones summarises this all perfectly in the closing lines of Song of the Banana Man.

I’m a strong man, a proud man, an I’m free,

Free as dese mountains, free as dis sea,

I know myself, an I know my ways,

An will sing wid pride to de end o my days

Praise God an m’big right han

I will live an die a banana man.’

Editor’s note: Michelle and Suzanne Rousseau are epicurean adventurists and self-avowed Caribbean-ophiles. Their show, Two Sisters and a Meal, airs Sundays at 5:30 on TVJ with repeats on Tuesday at 9:30 a.m. Their first book Caribbean Potluck will be published in May by Kyle Books, UK and their web series Island Potluck can be viewed at twosistersandameal.com.

Recipes

Thai Style Coconut Curry Chicken with Banana Raisin Salsa and Steamed Basmati Rice

Yield: Serves 4.

Ingredients:

1 – 2 teaspoons salt

1/2 teaspoon ground coriander

1/2 teaspoon cumin

A small pinch of ground cloves

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon cayenne, or more to taste

1/2 teaspoon turmeric

Black pepper to taste

2 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro

2 pounds mixed parts, chopped into 1 1/2-inch chunks

1 large onion, chopped

5 cloves garlic, minced

1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh ginger

1 Scotch bonnet pepper, deseeded and minced

2-3 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 14-oz can coconut milk

2 tablespoon lime juice, or to taste

Fresh basil leaves, torn roughly

Bunch of cilantro, chopped for garish

Lime slices for garnish

Toasted coconut and crushed peanuts for garnish

Hot cooked basmati rice for serving

Method:

In a small bowl, mix together the salt, ground coriander, cumin, ground cloves, cinnamon, ground cardamom, black pepper, cayenne and turmeric. Set aside. Rub half of the mixture on the chicken, add salt and pepper, 1 tablespoon chopped cilantro and 1 tablespoon lime juice.

In a deep sauté pan, heat 1 – 2 tablespoons oil over high heat. The moment the oil begins to smoke, quickly sear the chicken in the oil in batches till outside is browned. Remove chicken from heat, add remaining tablespoon of oil and then add the onions and Scotch bonnet and toss to coat in oil. Cook for a few minutes till onions are softened.

Add the ginger, garlic and remaining spice mixture and toss to combine, cook for 1 minute. Add the coconut milk and chicken. Stir the mixture so that the chicken pieces are coated in the coconut milk. Bring to a simmer, reduce the heat, cover and cook for 20 minutes.

When the chicken is tender, turn off the heat and add the basil and lime juice. Add more lime juice and salt to taste, garnish with chopped cilantro and lime wedges (toasted coconut and peanuts optional) and serve over rice.

Banana Raisin Salsa

Yields 1-2 cups

4 medium ripe bananas, diced

1/4 cup raisins

2 tablespoons finely diced red onion

2 tablespoons chopped cilantro

1 tablespoon lime juice

1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint

Combine all ingredients and allow to sit for at least 2 hours till flavours blend.

Herb-Dusted Snapper Fillet in Banana Leaves with Coconut Sauce and Pimento Butter

Yields: 4 servings

Ingredients

2 pounds snapper fillets

1 teaspoon thyme

1 teaspoon escallion

1 teaspoon garlic

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

2 teaspoons olive oil

1 tablespoon lime juice

Banana leaves cut into 10-inch squares (use foil if you do not have banana leaves)

For the coconut sauce

2 cans coconut milk

1 tablespoon thyme

1 teaspoon Scotch bonnet pepper, minced

2 teaspoons escallion, diced

1 teaspoon onion, diced

1 teaspoon garlic, minced

For the Pimento Butter

4 ounces butter

2 teaspoons pimento

3 stalks escallion

1 teaspoon thyme

1 teaspoon garlic

juice of 2 lime

1/4 teaspoon salt

Method

Divide snapper into six to eight-ounce portions. Marinate snapper and allow to sit for about two hours. In the meantime crack coconut shell and remove hard flesh. Make a sauce by reducing coconut milk with thyme, Scotch bonnet, escallion, onion and garlic, season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Cut banana leaves, burn them over an open flame or blanch and grease them to prepare them to use.

Cut banana leaves into 10″ squares. Place fish inside, dot with butter, a squeeze of fresh lime and roll up like a package. Place on a grill/griddle or in the oven for 10 to 15 minutes to cook, turning once.

Remove promptly. Cut open package, garnish with coconut sauce on side.

Baked Bananas with Chocolate and Coconut Ice Cream

Yields: 6 servings

Ingredients

6 bananas

1 bar Cadbury milk chocolate

6 scoops coconut ice cream

Method

Peel a banana and slice lengthwise. Top with shaved Cadbury chocolate – wrap in a piece of foil to make a nice packet and bake in the oven or on the grill till chocolate is melted. Cut open foil and serve with coconut, vanilla or ice cream of choice.