It was, according to our beautiful hostess Anna Kay Tomlinson, an evening of sharing love, life and appreciation for a few of her friends. What made the evening more spectacular was the meatless component in an exquisite rustic setting complete with bamboo ladles. The dining table was elegantly styled with herbs and vegetables from teh garden and bamboo dining implements and props sourced locally. Anna Kay’s husband, Dr Osmond Tomlinson, has been a vegetarian for the past five years and, having met visiting US army chef Chris Walker aka Yasin Nana Kofi, the kitchen certainly came alive with vegan energy drawn from chai, mint, ackee, coconut milk, avocado pear and cilantro, to name a few.

The evening commenced on the upper level of the well-appointed Shaw Park Estate with guests enjoying sips of silky smooth Smatt’s Ginger Twist and sundried tomato pesto with olives on crostini and crackers. It followed on the lower level with the creamy mushroom dhal soup, becoming an immediate conversation piece as it was poured at table in a calabash. This was followed by a fresh green salad courtesy of Café Eits, to which Tomlinson added avocado pear from her garden, almonds and an Asian-Thai fusion-style homemade dressing with fresh mint and cilantro.

From guest chef Chris Walker aka Yasin Nana Kofi came the entrée, served on bamboo plates, a Spirulina Ravioli: a pasta roll to which a little spurlina was added and the ravioli filled with pak choy, callaloo, plantains and ricotta cheese. The accompanying sauce: a mélange of ackee, pumpkin with a hint of nutmeg and coconut milk.

Meatless Tuesday ended on a sweet note with a raw vegan spirulina avocado breeze cake (which certainly breezed through the tastebuds).

Smatt’s Ginger Twist

Ingredients:

Smatt’s Silver Rum

Pineapple juice topped with ginger beer

Fresh lime juice

Mint

Method:

Blend together, pour over ice and garnish with mint.