You could ask your driver to bring a cooler to use during transport, we do that for our guests
Alfred
You could ask your driver to bring a cooler to use during transport, we do that for our guests
Alfred
alfred's taxi I am riding with you! (my name is Rebecca and I get in the 28th) So that is a stellar idea! I'll email you--but if you see this--bring a cooler along to my pick-up!
oh yeah, thanks for the coconut oil tip--does cooking with it leave a strong flavor in foods?
No, not the ones you get here (not sure but it may be the difference that many of the ones you get in the US are cold pressed), you only get the flavor of your food, not the oil. I like the Simply Natural brand of it. You can cook it at high temps too which is great and it doesn't stink the same way vegetable oil does when it's heated.
expensive.........
shopping for groceries der is a challenge and you have to pick your battles with every store.......
some stores have great prices on snacks.........others don't .......same for most staples
to be a prudent shopper there.......you need to hit two or more stores to get what you want......
plus you gotta hit the vegetable stands to get your fruit and veggies........
of course if you are there for a week or two on vacation.......
hitting HiLo or ValueMaster or Wise Choice etc is no biggie to the pocketbook......
Cool Runnings, Marko
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After tasting coconut oil in Jamaica, it's the only oil we have used for cooking in the last 20 years. My good cholesterol is so high (and bad cholesterol low) that my Dr says I should donate my body to science, LOL. If you want oil for salads, etc of course you will want olive oil. I am pretty sure I remember seeing it at MegaMart, but that was in Kingston. It IS fun grocery shopping in Jamaica, but definitely go to Mega Mart for meat, cheese and any comfort foods that you would normally buy in the US. Check out the non-food items at Mega Mart too- interesting! IRIE! *IG
“It is better to travel well than to arrive.” – Buddha
thanks IG -- I love shopping in JA and the prices really aren't more than I pay here in NYC--and I stick to many Jamaican items. Sometimes I buy things out of curiosity and figure out how to use them. Last time it was the powdered coconut milk instead of tinned--had never tried that before.
I always avoided coconut oil because I was afraid it would be heavy and have an intense flavor that I didn't want when sauteing veg, fish, etc. I am going to try it!
Just want to weigh in here on this. Yes, Mega Mart will probably have more selection and better bang for your buck, however, it's an international company, and it doesn't appear to me that a lot of the $$$$ stays in JA. Hi-Lo is part of the GraceKennedy group, and is Caribbean. They do a lot of fund raising etc there in JA and other Carib countries. They give back. Considering that we are all visiting JA and getting seriously Great Joy from it, it may be worth it to spend at Hi-Lo where there is more local produce and local stuff. You also gotta give the little guys at the end of the road trying to eek out a living some $$ too. Sure, you may pay more for your beer, but hey ... you're there and have a lot more disposable income than the owner probably does. Know what I mean? I feel strongly about giving back here, so I feel really strongly about giving back there. Get the basics you need at Mega Mart, but other than that, spread the wealth. And no matter how tight your budget is, if we are going to JA, we're probably doing a pooh-pot better than most of the employees at Hi Lo, or the corner store. Random acts of kindness. Spread it around!
I support local interests in Negril as much as I can--and buy off the truck produce and fish from the fishermen. I hit small stores in Negril often. I have shopped a lot at Hi Lo but never found much good local stuff there and the produce was always limited and not too fresh--that is why I go for the truck and fruit vendors. I am getting the groceries for setting up the kitchen at Mega Mart.
Last edited by irieworld; 05-18-2011 at 09:30 PM.
FYI regarding megamart-- it is not an international company. It's owner/ceo is Gassan Azan, who is a Jamaican, from a Ja family. He also owns the Bashco chain of stores in JA. He went to college in St. Elisabeth, and then in England and the US. He came back to Ja and his father wouldn't hire him( he didn't finish school in the US), so he borrowed money from his mom and started business selling cigarettes. Megamart believes in not hiring foreigners and also sells as many local goods and produce possible, as well as a large range of non local items. One store alone employs some 250 jamaicans. So to say spending money there does not go into pockets of Jamaicans--I don't think that is entirely true.
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