CSA Jerk Tour - October 9, 2013

[fawnridge]

Anyone interested in spending a long lunch - about 2 hours - and eating jerk with a competition jerk chef? We'll be at CSA from10/4 to 10/13. I usually like to have the tour midweek, so let's shoot for Wednesday, October 9th. If anyone is interested, leave a reply here. It's free except for what you eat and drink, and when we're done, you'll be stuffed with both food and jerk knowledge. If we get a group together, I can bring some samples of my Jamaican jerk rub. The original recipe, which I still follow, was given to me in Boston Bay on my first trip to what was then called Couples Jamaica, in 1985.

Here are the details of the jerk tour:

The Jerk Tour is a chance to sample some real Jamaican jerk, not the tourist version (very good, nonetheless) served at the resort. We leave from the south end of the beach at noon. Walk around 2 miles to Bourbon Beach, back to Best In The West, and finish up at Ossie's; just 50 yards from CSA. Bring small mason jars or empty Wata bottles for sauce, take a Pepcid early that morning, and taste the real Jamaican Jerk.

Bourbon Beach is around 2 miles from CSA. Everyone should bring a bottle of water or two, but there's Red Stripe and Pepsi available all the way up the beach.

Most folks can eat a quarter chicken - drummer and thigh - or share. Bourbon Beach makes very good chicken, but marginal pork (if they have any at all.) They have a great brown sauce and the chef will give anyone 3 or 4 ounces in a small Mason jar. From Bourbon Beach, you walk back north about a mile to CocoLaPalm. Cross through their resort (everyone does it, no problem, mon) and you'll come out to Manley Boulevard. Best In The West is diagonally across the road. Cross carefully. Again, great chicken, probably the best of the three, and standard jerk sauce - Grays and Ketchup - but it's important to get a taste of the sauce used by 90% of the jerk shacks in Jamaica. Continue north on Manly Boulevard about 1/2 a mile and you'll come to Ossie's on the same side (you can see the south lobby of CSA from there.) Skip the chicken, but load up on the pork and make sure you use plenty of her green sauce! She will also sell you 3 or 4 ounces of sauce, if there's any left, but it will cost a few bucks.

[redblueku]

This sounds exactly like something we would do, too bad you aren't going in December cause we would be in for sure. Matt loves Best in the West. I like really spicy jerk sauce and I haven't been able to find anything that can compare to the spicy jerk sauce at 3 Dives omg, I was in love. Have fun guys wish we could come with.

[stashman]

That sounds like fun. We'll be at CSA from the 5th to the 14th, I'll see if I can convince my wife to do it (she doesn't like spicy food).

[Margi]

I have been wanting to check out Bourbon Beach. We'll be at CSA from 10-4 to 10-12 but I don't like to schedule anything because I normally end up cancelling because I'm so relaxed on the beach. Thanks for all the info on what you do during your Jerk Tour. We'll see you at CSA in 2 and a half months! Yay!!!

[jaj111]

Would love to do the tour but we will be there Oct 15-23

[fawnridge]

Would love to do the tour but we will be there Oct 15-23

You can do it on your own. Just follow the tour outline in this thread. Have no fear of walking the beach by yourself and you can't get lost, no matter how hard you try. If nothing else, Ossie's is just 50 yards up the road.

[Waynel]

I got 2 jars from Ossies in May of this year. 1 brown and 1 green. Still eating it at home on occasion. Oh my goodness I love the stuff. Can't wait to go back next year and replentish my stash. I have to hide it from friends because they will wipe it out.

[Rob & Helena]

Would love to go, however we are departing on October 9th (2-9)

[fawnridge]

Would love to go, however we are departing on October 9th (2-9)

The 9th is not carved in stone. We can go on the 7th or the 8th if there's enough folks interested in taking the tour.

[Suzi]

Stashman...let your wife know she can join me at the spa while you guys go burn your lungs Suzi aka Mrs. Fawnridge

[marg]

Hi, that will be our last day....I will ask my new hubby if he would like to do it, sounds fun ...we get married on the beach on 2nd oct ....we arrive on 26th sept till 10th oct !

[Spiff542]

Hi Fawnridge,

You may have already been there, but I would suggest a short cab ride up into Redground (the hill behind the Negril Traffic circle) to visit Red Dragon for their Jerk pork. As a big a lover of Jerk as you seem to be, you owe it to yourself to check it out.

It is a little off the well worn tourist path, but they won't be too surprised to see you either. It's a local's bar and they make pork everyday. They sell no other food, just the jerk pork. No sides, no bread, no sauce, no silverware, no plate... You'll just get it in a foil package. Eat it. It is the best I've had, and the Redstripe is always ice cold!

We get it twice each trip. The first time we hang out in the bar and drink beer for the afternoon. We normally do this on Monday afternoons, as a lot of US ex-pats gather up there that day. The second time we normally just drive by and get the pork and then bring it back to CSA. We then get veggies for sides and eat it at Seagrapes. That normally get's us lots of (positive) attention from the Seagrapes staff and starts a lot of good conversations about food.

Please believe me that the Red Dragon will be sold of pork out normally by 3PM. We try to get there around 1PM.

They would probably be OK with US $ there, but I always change $ to Jamaican before I go.

A lot of times the cab drivers won't know the name "Red Dragon" and know the place by it's older name "Raggabone's". The official name is "Raggabone's Red Dragon". I think they added the "Red Dragon" more than a few years ago....

My suspicions are that the cab drivers all know the "Red Dragon". They just act like they don't to find out if I know what I'm talking about. If I then call it "Raggabone's" they then assume that yes, I do indeed know where it is I'm going. Someone coming out of CSA asking for a charter up to a place in Redground is probably a bit of an oddity.

The price of the pork, and the beers is a bit of a moving target. It get's get a little cheaper every time I go back, now that they remember me.

DISCLAIMER: the Red Dragon is NOT for everyone. It's would be kind to say that the outer appearance of the Red Dragon is not very impressive.

I have been always treated wonderfully and felt perfectly safe at Red Dragon, but I'm extra careful to mind my manners and give respect while I'm in there. A few tourists may find their way there, but it is not a "tourist" place.

[Rob & Helena]

Guys, count us in

[fawnridge]

Guys, count us in

October 7th or 8th?

[fawnridge]

Looks like Monday, October 7th might be a better choice for a jerk tour. Does that work?

[MikeandLA]

We will be at CN during this time and this sounds very interesting. Is the date nailed down, so we could do our trading places day and join this?

Thanks,
Mike

[deadluvor]

Ok...we will be arriving on the 5th but I just cannot committ...but come Monday...I will find you in the lobby before you take off if Sand Gravity doesn't take over to bad.

[fawnridge]

I'm going to be waiting at the "Barry's Bar" sign on the beach at high noon on Monday, October 7th. All are welcome. Just so it's easy to spot me, I'll be wearing a Florida BBQ Association t-shirt. (Suzi asked to add that I'll also have on a bathing suit and flip flops. Can't walk the beach in just a t-shirt!)

[Margi]

I'll definitely come over and say hello Fawnridge! I feel like I know you through these boards, but would love to actaully meet you. Vacation is right around the corner. Yay!

[stashman]

I will try and make it - Barry's Bar sign is at the south end of the property?

[fawnridge]

I will try and make it - Barry's Bar sign is at the south end of the property?

Yes.

[Suzi]

Suzi asked you to wear a 20 year-old Florida BBQ tshirt? Have you met me? Yeah...it'll be an easy way for people to recognize you, though...

Folks...you won't regret this trip! What Ricky (aka Fawnridge) doesn't mention is that he's an accomplished author so his stories will add to the fun and good food! Enjoy!

[backagain]

We're coming back for our fifth visit and this is something I've always wanted to try. This time we'll be with 3 other couples. Unfortunately, we'll be there in March of 2014. My question - how much should we expect the tour to cost and would we need to pay in Jaimaican dollars? I converted some dollars the first time we were in Jamaica about ten years ago and haven't had the need since. Thx.

[backagain]

What's the cost? Do you need Jamaican dollars? Four couples in March 2014.

[Suzi]

Backagain...the "tour" is conducted by my husband, Fawnridge. It's nothing formal and only occurs when we're there! You can certainly go to any of the places on your own when you're there in March...fully safe! No Jamaican money needed but take dollars not twenties