Weekly Cooking (and related issues) Thread

[Jamestown1630]

For quite a few years in the 1980's-90's, I worked two jobs, and one night a week I'd leave one job after an eight-hour day, and drive directly to the other, where I'd work for several hours more. I've always eaten my largest meal at lunch, and generally didn't need to prepare for supper on those nights; but one evening, as I drove to the second job, I was hungry!

We used to have a lot of 'High's Dairy' stores in the DC Metro area, a type of convenience store - I think they still exist, though some became '7-Eleven' stores after the High's company sold them to Southland - and there was a High's conveniently located on my route that evening.

I stopped, intending to grab a hot dog to get me through the night, but spied something I'd never seen before: a row of bright orange turnover-type pastries, looking absolutely lurid under the heat lamp near the hot dog grill. They were Jamaican Beef Patties.

I bought one on a lark, and was addicted from that first 'patty'; it's been a beloved vice ever since.

I work one job now, and no longer have to eat on-the-run between shifts; but I will still buy these little patties in convenience stores when I'm running around on errands. I've also found a great frozen brand in a local grocery, which I keep on hand; but these can be easily made at home, and it was one of the first recipes that my husband and I tried together as newlyweds.

It's interesting to me that this meat patty was adapted to local spicy taste in the Caribbean, after the introduction of Cornish Pasties there, in the olden days; it made its way to the US with Caribbean immigrants during the 1960's-70's. Here is the Wiki on 'Jamaican Patty':

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jamaican_patty

Some recipes use Curry to flavor and color the crust, and some use Turmeric; and you can spice the meat up to your satisfaction. (The convenience stores usually offer 'Mild' and 'Spicy'; but lately the 'Spicy' isn't hot enough for my taste, or what I remember from that first one. )

I have even made this as a two-crust pie, when I didn't want to bother with cutting rounds and stuffing, to get my 'fix'; and that is *almost* as good as the stuffed turnover version.

Here are a couple of recipes (but Watch Out! they both use Scotch Bonnets, which some folks might want to switch-out for a milder pepper; on the other hand, if you're like me, you'll just add a little more ;-).

From the website 'Eat Jamaican', a recipe that seems a lot like what I'm used to from the convenience stores:

http://eatjamaican.com/recipes/beefpatty-recipe.html

And from Food Network, here is Emeril's much more 'fancy' take on the patty:

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/emeril-lagasse/jamaican-meat-patties-recipe.html

-JT

[Jamestown1630]

This week: a Convenience Store Delicacy ;-)

(If you would like to be on or off of this weekly cooking ping-list, please send a private message.)

-JT

[trisham]

That is very cool!

[SaveFerris]

I can always learn a tip or two for a side hobby.

So throw me on please.

[Jamestown1630]

You’re added!

-JT

[bgill]

IOW, a Jamacian meat taco.

In honor of West, TX, my vote would be for Czech Stop kolaches. I posted an update a little while ago on the explosion. The feds now say it was a criminal act and not an accident.

Haven’t tried the recipe but it’s supposed to be the real thing from Texas Monthly magazine:

Makes about 36 kolaches

apricot filling

12 ounces dried apricots
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1/2 cup sugar, or more to taste

DOUGH

1 tablespoon sugar, plus 1/2 cup
2 1/4-ounce packages or 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon active dry yeast
1/2 cup warm water (110° to 115°F)
2 cups milk
1/2 cup shortening
3 teaspoons salt
2 egg yolks, lightly beaten
1/4 cups bread flour, sifted
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, melted

CRUMB TOPPING

1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
2 tablespoons unsalted butter

[lovesdogs]

How that takes me back. I worked on upper GA AVE in DC in the 80s in a crappy building with a little store in the lobby. The owner was Horace, a Jamaican guy whose wife made these patties every morning. The whole store smelled like curry. All these years later i still remember that scent. I just wish that they didn’t spice the coffee. That was undrinkable.

[miss marmelstein]

I’ll have to think about what I’ve gotten from convenience stores besides Linden chocolate chip cookies and Tasty Kakes.

I first learned about bacon and egg sandwiches (on a roll) from a deli in Grand Central Station back in the mid 70s when I worked as a secretary (18 years old!) at J. Walter Thompson. Dee-licious. But pretty ordinary.

I wonder if the Jamaican beef patty is a variation of Cornish pasties brought from England. I can’t take Scotch Bonnets but those beef patties are delicious!

[Jamestown1630]

They’re exactly a variation on Cornish Pasties - they were developed in the Caribbean after the Cornish Pasties had been introduced there.

Traditionally, they’re made with Scotch Bonnets; but they’d be good with Jalapenos, too.

-JT

[Jamestown1630]

I think they’re kind of an ‘East Coast’ thing, in the US. I’d be interested to know if folks in the Midwest and West are familiar with them.

-JT

[miss marmelstein]

Yes, I think I’ll have to use jalapenos.

There’s a fun episode of The Two Fat Ladies in which they do Christmas in Jamaica - making Jamaica’s famous black cake. Most of it, though, is Jennifer Paterson moaning about the heat.

[leaning conservative]

This makes my mouth water! Long ago I made meat pies w/ homemade crust. Are your patties at all like samosas? We don’t live in a place that would have them, but when we travel I am going to look for those suckers!

[Ignatz]

Yes, JT!
6 years ago there was a mom and pop place called “Patties of Jamaica” on the NE side of Indianapolis. I absolutely loved them!
In addition to hot, fresh patties, you could buy a sack of frozen patties to take home and bake yourself.
I no longer work as close to that area so I don’t know if they are still there, but I think I’ll find out!

[Jamestown1630]

I adored the Two Fat Ladies! and I’m always struck by how beautifully the episodes were ‘filmed’; here’s an example (if you have time to watch, make it full-screen, and you’ll see what I mean). Every time I go to the local ethnic store and see the salt cod, I think I should try this recipe for Bacalhau - I’ll do it sometime this summer, and post:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9SJHt5oqLZQ

-JT

[Jamestown1630]

Samosas that I’ve had are usually filled with spiced potato mixture; and they’re sort of round/puffy. We love them, and have had many at workplace potlucks, from our Indian coworkers; and my husband and I have made a ‘cheat’ version of them using wonton wrappers. (The local supermarket now has them sometimes in the Deli.)

The Jamaican Patties are made with a meat mixture, in a flat, turnover shape.

-JT

[Jamestown1630]

Glad to know they’re getting outside of the East Coast! But they really are very easy to make, if you need a fix :-)

-JT

[sima_yi]

I worked in the Bahamas for a while several years ago. Every morning the Jamaican Patty Lady would drive her truck on site, and the whole plant would shut down for a half hour or so, as everybody came out to buy some.

Delicious!

[Liz]

The most delicious item I bought in a convenience store was blueberry coffee...tastes like eating a blueberry muffin w/ your coffee.

Another purchase was lime lattes....those were g-o-o-d

[Jamestown1630]

I think they’re mildly addictive. Must be the combination of protein, starch, and PEPPER! - it gives you a lift ;-)

-JT

[Fai Mao]

Microwave burritos

I think they put drugs in them because I’ve never figured out why I like them