seetheworld

I volunteered to bake a sweet treat for our multicultural fair at the school in which I work.

I'm thinking something that is relatively easy in which I can produce a large quantity for many children to enjoy.

Are there any Jamaican cookie recipes that fit the bill?

Thanks so very much!!

capxxx

Well, cookies are an American invention, so nothing comes to mind. Jamaican desserts tend to feature fruit and rum, probably not best for schoolkids ...

How about something like a top-your-own pound cake bar with pineapple, banana, coconut, whipped cream, and such? If you want to be authentic, bake a rum cake.

seetheworld

LoL, yeah I think I'll skip the rum. But thanks for the great idea on the pound cake with toppings.

rizzo0904

I posted 4 recipes to your other post in the lounge.

seetheworld

Thanks, rizzo!

tivertonhouse

Jamaicans generally eat fresh fruit for dessert. See www.jamaicans.com recipe
section for some favorites other than fruitineapple upside-down cake, gizzarda/coconut drops, duckanoo/blue drawers (wrapped and steamed in banana
leaves), festival/fried sweet dough with honey, key lime pie, matrimony
and other desserts.

toppy

As a teacher of little kids, and a host of many "galas" after their end of the year musicals, I found one of the easiest and most popular desserts is fresh (or canned) fruit on fancy party picks. If you put a fancy party pick on anything, they like it. I did pineapple chunks with grapes and strawberries...melon also goes far...3 on a pick was enough. Or depending on size, even 2 pieces of fruit will do. Several times when the theme was tropical, I arranged the picks on a tray with pieces of fresh coconut surrounding them, or on a bed of shredded coconut. I also have a large plastic clam shell bowl I bought through Oriental Trading, and they look great arranged in there too. Add some party shop tropical motif items such as little umbrellas stuck in the melon, and some tropical small napkins.... Once I carved out a watermelon as a basket ...you've probably done that, but I filled it with the party pick things rather than watermelon chunks. Presentation is everything. My family helped me put them together in an assembly line fashion.
I hope this helps. Have fun.

toppy

Also...my daughter just reminded me...if you can have your own table...I used flowery beach sarongs as a table cloth...sort of bunched up, and fake hibiscus flowers, fake tropical birds, and a tape recorder with soft Jamaican music playing...maybe a little Jimmy Buffet???
I saw the sea shell bowl in the latest Oriental Trading catalogue so they do still have it...$7.95 I think.

OK this is getting out of hand...I am going to throw a party now while we are still undecided about our vacation.

seetheworld

Thanks, tivertonhouse and toppy! I love the idea of those fruit picks. I could do some of those along with baked goods.



Thank you all!

tivertonhouse

Fruit kebabs with chunks of mango, pineapple, banana, pawpaw/papaya and
sweetsop/cherimoya would be very Jamaican. Try to find Atafalfa/Indian
mango (the pale yellow-orange elonated
shape) rather than bull mango/the red/green Puerto Rican style for better
taste. Ditto the pawpaw--the orange/sunset kind,rather than Dole Hawaii style.

To prevent oxidation/discoloring, dip
in a mix of lime juice, a little honey
and chopped mint.

If you're near a West Indian or other
ethnic market, or have a good local
supermarke (Frieda on the West Coast will also mail order to you)
the shapes of some Jamaican
fruit alone would intrigue the kids and could be used for table decorations:

Sweetsop and soursop/AKA
cherimoya, sapodilla
Pomelo/shaddock (giant grapefruit)
Naseberry
Jack fruit
Passionfruit/the green ones,not the
purple skinned ones, are Caribbean
Ugli fruit
Mango
Key lime
Otaheite apple/looks like red pear
Guineps
Cashew apples
Ice cream banana

seetheworld

Thanks, tivertonhouse! I can easily get ugli fruit, mango, pineapple and a few others. I add some uncut fruit to the table for decoration. It should be fun and very festive.

Thanks again!

iw

seetheworld...I do hope that you take this in the way that it is intended....I am laughing with you, but not at you.. This sounds like the stuff I do all of the time!

Now, I wish I had a fabulous recipe to share, but I do a great carrot cake, brownies (NOT FROM A BOX!), southern pecan pie, apple dumplings and much more, but....I can so relate since I am a teacher, as well.

ps: Any cookie you make and say it's from Jamaica,,,,they will devour! Best of luck