The weekend is at hand. We who fall into the family housekeeping tradition of “putting pot pon fire” are ready to pick and pare and get down to receiving guests. What are we cooking? And, are we confident in what we are going to do and when? Will we be hunting for ingredients and where will we find them? How many cooks head out for the market to find the valued ingredients included in the menu?

Question: Is local produce being used in kitchens nowadays, or is it fast food and imported fruits and vegetables? Cooking Jamaican-style brings with it certain vital items. Some people cannot imagine cooking a meal without “food”. For the uninitiated, “food” refers to ground provisions; our local dasheen, coco, sweet and Irish potatoes, and the favourite varieties of yam. Home-style food must have seasoning; that is ‘skellion’, thyme, onions, and different kinds of hot pepper, which will bring a welcome flavour to the family pot. A real queen or king of Jamaican cuisine (yes, Jamaican man can cook!) is proud of being told they have a “seasoning hand”.

The other day it was heard that Her Majesty The Queen of England has discovered callaloo soup. True or false, I don’t know exactly, but “so me get-i, so me tell-i!” If it is true that Her Majesty The Queen was eating like a Jamaican, then it is another brave introduction to a new culinary experience for someone who knows that Jamaica has much to offer. For those who are ready to give Jamaican yardie food a go, take a chance with the hot pepper, the yellow yam and the breadfruit when setting up the next meal.

The breadfruit is now taking pride of place at the Institute of Jamaica’s Heritage Fest — an event which aims to celebrate the 225th year of its introduction into Jamaica. There will be an all-day festival of all things breadfruit. Well-noted scholars will be telling the public about the breadfruit.

It is said that there are 20 types of breadfruit, relatives of the one introduced to this country by Captain Bligh many years ago.

There is increasing interest in the economic value of “Bredda Breadfruit”, as Anancy would say. Across the Caribbean, breadfruit is a staple of the people’s diet. All through the islands the breadfruit is used for breadfruit pie, breadfruit ‘oil-down’, stuffed breadfruit, and other tasty recipes. Boil it, roast it, fry it, breadfruit is on the family table. With the health-conscious trend taking on, there is special interest in breadfruit flour as an alternative for those with gluten allergies, or those trying to avoid white flour. My other half did substantial work on the possibilities of mass production in his days as a food technologist back in the 1970s.

Experts from the Natural History Museum will be hosting a breadfruit exhibition to showcase cultural, historical and medicinal facts about the breadfruit at the heritage fest. There will also be discussions on the story of Captain Bligh and how he brought the breadfruit and other interesting plants here to Jamaica.

Did you know that the ackee is named after Bligh? The botanical name is “blighia sapida”. Check out the Institute of Jamaica’s Heritage Fest, which is open at their East Street headquarters today.

When it rains…

Few, if any, of the workers in downtown Kingston on Tuesday, October 23, 2018 were prepared for the sudden sound of water rushing along. Pedestrians who were making their way home found themselves on flooded streets and sidewalks. They desperately tried to keep dry.

Reports came in of major roadways being flooded. For the motorists, the problem soon was found the water was moving, but before long that was the only thing moving — traffic ground to a monumental halt. Water was rising up to almost car-door height in some areas. Unfortunate motorists had their vehicles disabled by the water, while others simply sat and waited hoping that the waters would recede so they could continue on their journey. Those who would normally make a regular journey in a few minutes were stuck for hours upon hours.

Question: How will we manage in a dry-weather city? The need for improvements to our drainage system was apparent on Tuesday night. With all the roadworks in progress, is there any thought to fixing the drainage too? We know there is the complication of people who throw things in gullies, blocking them with garbage and all sorts of waste, but it is a fact that the city has outgrown the drains. What will we do to solve the problem?

…It pours

Sending our thoughts to our neighbours in the twin-island Republic of Trinidad and Tobago who suffered unprecedented flooding on the weekend. Our family and friends over there are still drying out from the effects of a weather system which mercilessly dumped several inches of rain on them. Reports have come of kind neighbours helping each other; offering food and shelter to those affected. Let us wish them a speedy recovery.

Barbara Gloudon is a journalist, playwright and commentator. Send comments to the Observer or

gloudonb@gmail.com.