Marla and her husband John pose along Negril's famous seven mile long beach Looking for a vegan-friendly vacation? Discover the Rastafarian paradise of Negril Jamaicans love to cook. Granted, this is a sweeping generalization; probably somewhere, in a remote corner of the island, there exists someone who absolutely and without mitigation dislikes cooking. This person, however, is quite the anomaly if the very unscientific survey I took while on vacation in Negril with my husband is any indication. Every single person I talked to about food (and this occurred frequently as the Jamaicans we met were without exception both quite genial and passionate about food) had a treasure trove of mental recipes he or she had acquired through observing mothers, fathers and grandparents in the kitchen, and everyone admitted to an abiding love for gastronomy. Often the taste of the food that is made in the traditional Rastafarian manner, which is usually vegan and is known as "I-tal", is as earthy and sensuous as the way natives instruct the neophytes on how to prepare it. "The way you know that ackee (pronounced ah-kee, it is a tropical fruit that cooks like a vegetable and resembles scrambled eggs) is ready to be eaten is that it's open and the juice has dripped out," said Dean, who also offered as further instruction that when fully ripe, ackee rather looks like a woman's genitalia. This was said without a hint of modesty. I also learned from our friend Val, who cooked remarkable, utterly unpretentious meals for us over an open fire, that to pour the perfect amount of water for cooking rice, one should level the grains off in the cooking pot, and add water to the point where the second and third digit of the index finger meet. From the taxi driver who took us on the scenic route through drizzly, lush mountains as he spirited us to the airport in Montego Bay on our last day, I learned that when roasting breadfruit over a flame, cook it until it's blackened all around and steam is rising from the heart, which you then cut out. Ackee, which is a part of Jamaica's national dish is a fruit that almost looks like a flower when it's on the tree...   ...but the edible part (the fleshy yellow pieces) is cooked like a vegetable, and actually has a texture and taste reminiscent of scrambled eggs. The seeds of the fruit are poisonous and must be disgarded.   Driving, or using the street at all, for that matter is an adventure to say the least. Streets are barely wider that a single lane in the U.S., and there are no shoulders or sidewalks. I-tal, the true food of the Rastafari Before I go much farther, a little background is in order... I-tal, which natives describe as a combination of the words "vital" and "natural", is the true food of the Rastafari and springs readily from the pursuit of simplicity and vital good health that are cornerstones of their religious movement. Inherent in the practice of Rastafarianism is a strong drive to cultivate and support things natural and unspoiled; no where is this observation of purity more clearly reflected than in native cooking. There is a shunning of food that is made with preservatives, chemicals or processing; some Rastafari take this avoidance of the synthetic so seriously that their kitchens are constructed only with natural materials, and food is served only in bowls that have come from the earth, like gourds or wood. I-tal food that has been created with adherence to accepted Rastafarian orthodoxy also means that salt has not been added, in keeping with the belief that what we put in our bodies should be pure and unrefined. Additionally, although the consumption of fish doesn't necessarily contradict I-tal doctrine, there are many Rastafarians who don't consume any flesh or other products of an animal origin. Our assignment: relax and eat So there we were, with our vacation assignment firmly in mind: we were to spend a week in Jamaica, getting some much needed relaxation and enjoying traditional Rastafarian cuisine. We were successful in accomplishing both aspects of this mission. The first part, relaxation, was easy to attain because it is so hot in Jamaica, and the sound of the ocean combined with the swaying, sweet-smelling tropical flora had such a mollifying effect on us that reclining whenever possible, whether on a lounge chair, inflatable raft or hammock, seemed utterly natural and, frequently, necessary. This isn't to imply that Negril is dull, because it isn't: for one thing, music is ubiquitous, especially reggae, and receiving heavy rotation is always a certain someone whose, "I Shot the Sheriff," put Rastafarianism on the cultural map. Secondly, despite the rather the laid-back image usually associated with Jamaicans, they have a well-deserved reputation for driving like sociopaths, rounding curves at sound barrier-breaking speeds and tooting the horn at anyone who should be in the motorist's field of vision. It's difficult to avoid being on the receiving end of a honk at if you are wandering around Negril, because there aren't really sidewalks, and what qualifies as a street is really just about a foot wider than a single American lane. This road is intended for two lanes of traffic going each direction, as well as bike and pedestrian traffic... Needless to say, one spends a lot of time looking fearfully over his shoulder. A third factor that helps keep travelers alert and awake is the near-constant solicitation from locals. Everything from ganja (marijuana) to hair braiding to para-sailing adventures are tirelessly hawked to the visitor, whether she's dodging oncoming traffic on the street or trying to nap on the beach. In all honesty, this is one of the more unpleasant aspects of a sojourn in Jamaica, though most hustlers, even the vigorous ones, can be easily handled by a polite but direct approach. The simple statement, "No, thank you," will be sufficient enough of a veto for most vendors. If it doesn't do the trick, saying that you don't have any money is almost certain to quell even the doggedly determined. Vegan dining in Negril As far as the food, let me just say that in seven days, every single meal except one was absolutely delicious. In general, I-tal food is made with the freshest ingredients possible, sometimes right off a tree as you wait, so there is often a rather long delay involved that many Westerners may not be accustomed to. Most things in Jamaica occur at a slower pace than a lot of visitors are used to (attribute it to ganja, the presence of which can be detected virtually everywhere in Negril, so be prepared to have a continuous "contact high" even if you don't personally indulge). Try to be patient. Your wait will almost certainly be richly rewarded. I-tal food is extremely easy to find in Negril, and, as in the U.S., it can be found in restaurants that aren't strictly vegetarian. All one really has to do is walk along the beach or along the main road, and there will be a dazzling array of places to choose between. There is not as much of a variety of produce as the typical American enjoys; the Jamaican staples, calaloo, which is a leafy green like spinach, cabbage, carrots and potatoes are the primary vegetables, and the grains were mostly limited to rice or pasta, but for some reason, the food didn't get boring. Perhaps this was because every chef put his or her own stamp on it. Meals averaged about $20 for two people. Here is a description of what we enjoyed in during our stay in Negril: For the adventurer who wants a taste of genuine rustic Rastafarianism, Isadora's is a must. Here, Val prepares our first meal in Jamaica... ...a tasty stew of cabbage, carrots, onions, calaloo and hot peppers.   Royal Kitchen served up a hearty vegetable stew, with rice and beans and soursop juice Isadora's For our first meal, after we took a hair-raising 1 1/2 hour cab ride to Negril from the airport, we stopped in to have lunch with some friends of our friend Isadora Tavens, a Chicago resident who also lives in Jamaica for six months every year. Her friends maintain Isadora's land, which is about 4 acres of beautiful woodlands, when she's not there, which she wasn't when we visited. It's a secluded, rustic area off the beaten path about two miles south of the Negril lighthouse. There are lots of birds overhead as well as butterflies flitting around lush plants, and Isadora has a simple, unfussy guest cottage available for those who are interested in experiencing a truly "back-to-nature" type of vacation. On the campsite, there's a modest kitchen where Isadora's friends prepare meals, either with a gas stove or over an open fire; when we visited, they hadn't enough money to buy gas, so our lunch was made campfire style, which enhanced the feeling that we were experiencing authentic Jamaican food. Val, the main cook, made us a wonderfully refreshing juice of cucumber, orange, sugar and water. It was very cooling and not too sweet, perfect after the long trip there. For the meal, he chopped a bright variety of vegetables, like calaloo, cabbage, onions, carrots and scotch bonnet peppers, and he cooked them in a skillet with coconut milk. The mingling flavor of the vegetables was the central focus of the dish, and, in keeping with culinary traditions of I-tal, it was not overcooked; the vegetables retained their wonderful vitality and crispness. This was accompanied with rice, like a lot of vegetarian food in Jamaica. We also spent our last night in Jamaica there and Val, along with his friend Dennis, cooked us each a colorful plate of calaloo, pumpkin, yam, carrots, peppers and rice with an orange-lemon juice to drink. After dinner, we listened as they drummed and sang Rastafarian songs. It was a unique, magical, and unforgettable evening. For anyone interested in pursuing a "real" Jamaican experience, and can do without the luxury of modern conveniences, please call Isadora at her year-round voice mail: 773-509-8586. Back-to-nature getaways cost $25 per night in Isadora's guest cottage, and inexpensive vegan food will be available. By the way, when you call Isadora, ask her about the Women's Roots of Healing Week with vegan cuisine she is hosting from February 5 - 12 of 2000. The complete healing retreat for campers on her beautiful seaside land is $1,225, not including airfare and transportation; for a shared hotel room, the cost is $1,395, also not including airfare or transportation. Delicious vegan food and herbal teas and juices will be provided. Topics will include herbs, flower essences, true healing consciousness, purification, protecting the aura, working with the elements, dreams and much more. Accompanying Isadora, who is a nurse-herbalist and flower essence practitioner, will be Shirley Genus, a healer, poet, and shaman. Though this event is for women only, a second retreat from March 11 - 18, will be open to both sexes. Also, Isadora will be hosting a drumming week from February 19 - 26 of 2000. Sounds like a great time. Royal Kitchen Another place that we ate at several times was a short distance from our hotel, called Royal Kitchen Vegetarian Center. There we enjoyed generous plates of calaloo, cabbage, carrots, and potatoes, which were lightly cooked with rosemary. There were also a variety of fresh juices available; one that we particularly enjoyed was soursop, a common juice in Jamaica, which tastes like a thicker blend of pineapple and peach juice. Gloria's Sunset One of my favorite meals was a dinner at Gloria's Sunset, which is along the southern part of the beach, but facing the main road. We told our cab driver that we were looking for I-tal food, and this was where we ended up. We were given breadfruit, which is a starchy vegetable that's similar in taste to a starchier, creamier potato, sautéed with carrots and coconut milk, served with a side of mixed vegetables as well as rice and beans. Our meal was so amazingly fresh, nourishing, and perfectly spiced. The breadfruit in particular had such a wonderful texture of softness mixed with substance, and the coconut milk added a delicate warmth to the dish. Unlike many of the places we visited which had only been open for a few months or less, Gloria's Sunset has been in business for about twenty years. Jamaican hospitality seems to know no bounds. King Dango Man not only served breakfast, but took the rest of the morning off to show us his house, boat, motorcycle and young son...   ...while Miss Brown's daughters spent two hours braiding my hair . King Dango Man Just down the road was another I-tal discovery, King Dango Man Restaurant, where we stopped in one day for breakfast and ended up being taken on a forty-five minute tour of a tucked-away corner of Negril by the owner, King Dango Man himself, a tall Rastafarian who likes to refer to himself in the third person. For breakfast, we sat on a narrow wooden bench and had plantain porridge made with coconut milk. It was a sweet, comforting concoction that we thoroughly enjoyed, though it tasted more like rice than plantain. Miss Brown's Health Restaurant Another discovery occurred the first day we explored Negril's famous beach. There are a lot of huts lining the beach that house restaurants and merchants, and we were almost literally pulled into one spot by two Jamaican women who baited us with promises of singular vegetarian fare. We weren't disappointed. At Miss Brown's Health Restaurant, on the southern end of the beach, we had thick pasta noodles sautéed with calaloo, tomatoes and onions, accompanied with slices of fresh bread. The dish was very succulent and juicy, and as we sat there, Miss Brown's two adult daughters braided my hair, which, despite my initial reluctance, did make the hot weather more bearable. As we dined, the occasional rooster or chicken strolled by, safe among I-tal diners. By the way, mushrooms, as in the hallucinogenic variety, are legal in Jamaica, and you will often see items like mushroom tea, or mushroom cakes on the menu. Unless you want to start communing with Alice in Wonderland, you may want to inquire as to whether the fungi you are about to order has magical properties. Miss Brown's is one such establishment that carries this variety. Just Natural One of the habits we got into at the start of our day was to have brunch at a beautiful little space called Just Natural, which was very close to our hotel. Although they emphasized fish and seafood dishes, they also had a few great vegetarian selections to choose from. An ideal way to begin the morning is to order their wonderfully abundant fruit plate, and receive a large platter of tropical fruits, like papaya, banana, grapefruit (which is sweeter than the American variety), pineapple, passion fruit, orange and mango. We also would order sides of home fries, calaloo, and sweet plantains to go with our fruit, and we wouldn't have to eat again until dinner. The space is lovely and comfortable, aided by the large umbrellas which provided refreshing shade, and the staff is very friendly. The fruit, like all we tried in Jamaica, was incredibly ripe, juicy and fresh. The sides we ordered perfectly rounded out the meal, and the plantains in particular were noteworthy. I-tal Vital is hard to find either from the street or the beach, but it's worth seeking out.     Rick's Cafe is a fun place to have a drink and watch the sunset, but we recommend stopping someplace else for dinner. I-tal Vital I-tal Vital, where we also had a memorable and heavenly meal, is one of Negril's most famous vegetarian restaurants, but one of the more difficult to actually find. Our friend Isadora recommended that we try it, and everyone we talked to had heard of it, but no one knew how to find it. It's not on the main road, it's on the beach, but it's set back a bit, with only a tiny sign marking its presence. When we finally found it, it was our second attempt, and it took the earnest assistance of no less than three locals, one of whom was a cab driver. (Just for the record, most places can be found by just knowing the name of it, since there are no addresses, but Negril is small enough that name recognition is easy.) The owner of I-tal Vital, a gentle Rastafarian with a grey beard and an open, warm face, has been running the restaurant since the early 1970s; he served us lunch in gourds with spoons that were actually small triangular pieces of gourd-shell with rounded edges. The food was similar to the traditional I-tal food we'd enjoyed all week - rice and beans with calaloo, cabbage, potatoes and carrots - but there was this extra element, something undefinable and quite subtle, that made his food unique. It could have been how it was spiced with fresh herbs, it could have simply been because it was served to us in a gourd. Whatever it was, the food was really wondrous, and I'd highly recommend stopping in to this beachside restaurant for anyone who is visiting Negril. Rick's Cafe Rick's Cafe has a stunning backdrop: it's perched right alongside the bay on top of 30 foot high, spectacular cliffs. It has quite a dramatic and breathtaking view, and is worth visiting just for this reason, even though the food for vegetarians is limited to two dishes (veggie pizza or spaghetti with sautéed vegetables) and that which they do carry is pretty bland, in addition to being overpriced. Rick's is popular among tourists, and the food definitely has an American spin to it. Still, it was an energetic environment, with soca music, which is a sort of speeded-up calypso, setting the lively tone and attention-hungry brave souls diving off the cliffs into the water below for camera-happy tourists. For dinner, we had uninspired dishes of pasta that had a few overcooked vegetables on top, and a couple of sweet but refreshing margaritas. It was almost $55.00 for our lackluster meal, so I'd recommend that those seeking I-tal food to eat dinner somewhere else, and stop at Rick's Cafe for drinks and entertainment. Among the many amenities at Swept Away is a well-stocked Veggie Bar on the beach featuring healthy snacks, fresh juices and soy milk shakes.   The main dining room holds a huge buffet with plenty of vegetarian items. There are several all-inclusive resorts in town, but only Swept Away bills itself as veg-friendly. Swept Away Beach Resort One day we felt like pampering ourselves so we bought day passes to the all inclusive beachfront resort, Swept Away. All inclusive means just that... Everything - meals, drinks, tips, watersports, taxi rides to and from the airport - are all included in one set fee. There is a lot offered at a place like Swept Away, including water skiing, kayaking, scuba diving, as well as steam rooms, tennis courts, an aerobics center and gym among other amenities. For $60, one can buy a day pass and enjoy all this, plus eat or drink as much as one desires. The two places that are available to those with day passes are the Veggie Bar, which is a small poolside hut with bar stools, and the main dining room, which is more formal. At the Veggie Bar, they have light items, like fresh fruit juices, soy milk shakes, a middle eastern plate of hummus and baba ganouj, grilled vegetables skewers and sweet potato chips with guacamolé sauce. Any of these are perfect to snack on while lying on the beach, which is right there. In the main dining room, which is a beautiful, large space, there is a hot and cold buffet with lots of meat, but also plenty of vegetarian food. There's plenty of staff working at the buffet, so if any questions arise regarding the content of a particular dish, they can tell you whether it's veg or not. From the salad bar, we chose from corn, vegan potato salad, rolls, pumpkin rice and green salads. Although I enjoyed the food, it seemed to be a little conservative and familiar, which I'm sure stemmed from a conscious effort to not frighten "timid" American or European palates. Still, as far as indulgence goes, Swept Away is a pleasant little Shangri-La. Anything one could possibly want is there for his disposal... except for a taste of the "real" Jamaica. It struck us as we lazily drifted on our rafts in the ocean that we could have easily been anywhere, Hawaii, Florida, the Bahamas, because the experience at Swept Away was so generic. It was a lovely but predictable place which might appeal to travelers who don't want to deal with the hassles of actually experiencing another country. After a few days of ducking from the overly aggressive vendors I described earlier, at first the relative sanctuary Swept Away offered was appreciated, but by the end of the afternoon we felt like it could be oppressive to stay at an all inclusive like this, so pampered and isolated as one would be. Also, resorts like Swept Away do not help the local economy, as the money goes into relatively few hands, and guests are less likely to venture out and explore the island, thus exploring local restaurants and merchants. Still, if one is seeking a quiet, relaxing and stress-free vacation, perhaps Swept Away would be a good place to seek out. When Dean, the bartender at Pirate's Cave, heard that we hadn't tried ackee yet, he brought groceries so he could prepare us some for lunch. Glossary: ackee - a red fruit with a soft fleshy inside that cooks like a vegetable and tastes kind of like scrambled eggs. all-inclusive - self contained resorts that features all amenities, food, drink, etc. for one set price. The Caribbean is full of them. They're fun, but they usually don't have a lot of local flavor. breadfruit - a coconut-sized green fruit that is boiled or roasted and tastes like a starchier, creamier version of a potato calaloo - a dark, leafy green vegetable that tastes like a cross between spinach and swiss chard ganja - marijuana - the locals smoke copious amounts of it, and it sometimes even gets cooked into the food.   Pirate's Cave I'd have to say that of all our meals, though, my favorite was one that just seemed so quintessentially Jamaican. We stopped in several times to a bar called Pirate's Cave that was near our hotel, one that our friend Isadora suggested we rent snorkeling equipment from because the reefs below the bar were so stunning. We did end up following her advice, and although the equipment we rented was shabby (big recommendation here - bring your own snorkeling equipment unless you want salt water to get in your eyes!), the reefs were every bit as spectacular as she said. After snorkeling one morning, where we descended far into a dark cave on a rickety, makeshift ladder (with our fins on, no less), that lead us directly into deep sea water, we were ready for a few drinks when we came back up onto dry land. The bartender, Dean, is a very personable, charming man, and we made it a habit to stop in every day to say hello and chat a bit. One night, we were talking about Jamaican food, and the topic of ackee, which is part of the national dish, came up. We told Dean that we hadn't tried ackee yet, because is traditionally served with salt fish, so we assumed it was not vegetarian. Dean was aghast that we hadn't experienced ackee yet, and he insisted that we try it before we left Jamaica. He offered to make it for us the next day for lunch in the kitchen at the Pirate's Cave, and we happily obliged. We gave him some money, about $15 in Jamaican currency, to buy the items he'd need for the next day, and we left. The next day when we showed up for lunch, he presented us with beautiful plates of steaming, colorful food: ackee cooked with green peppers, garlic and onions, yellow sweet potatoes and dumplins (same as dumplings), made with flour, water and a bit of salt. It was such a special meal. My favorite part was the ackee, which was every bit as interesting and fabulous as locals said; the texture is soft and firm at the same time, and there is a mildly buttery taste to it. Especially when eaten with the other, stronger flavors of the peppers and onions, the delicate but still distinctive taste of ackee is emphasized. There were German tourists sitting around the bar when we were eating, and they were so enthusiastic about the plate Dean let them sample that they too made arrangements with him to come back the following day and eat Dean's special dish for lunch, too. We thoroughly enjoyed our time at the Pirate's Cave with Dean and the other barflies, because the conversation was always so vibrant, people were so amiable and open-hearted. Our meal was unusual and reflected the warm character of the Pirate's Cave. I would definitely recommend that anyone visiting Negril should stop in to see the friendly man behind the bar and ask him to whip you up an I-tal meal. Incidentally, Pirate's Cave typically serves food, particularly during the tourist season. The kitchen was shut down during our visit, so Dean had to prepare our meals in his boss's house across the street. I-tal - The official Rastafarian diet which consists primarily of fresh vegetables and fruits with some grains and beans. I-tal cooking shuns meat (though some Rastafari eat fish), eggs, dairy products, caffeine, alcohol and salt. I-tal comes from the words vital and natural, and is shorthand for "I am vital" or "I am natural". Jerk - a spicy marinade often used in Jamaican cooking. See recipe at right plaintains - a starchy fruit closely related to the banana, but not as soft or sweet. Plaintains are commonly fried and served hot. Rastafarian - an African-based religion (or lifestyle)that emphasizes living and eating very healthfully, the oneness of all of earth's inhabitants, and a communion with God through the smoking of ganja scotch bonnet - a small orange pepper used as a seasoning. Caution: scotch bonnets are one of the hottest peppers, matched only by habeñeros. We had a great time in Jamaica, and it really is a vegan's paradise. There is much here to enjoy: the gorgeous sunsets, the warm ocean, the relaxing pace. The best way to discover Negril is just exploring the area with an open mind. And until you get to visit Jamaica on your own, here's a recipe to get you in the mood: Jamaican Jerk Vegetable Skewers Vegetables: 2 green or red bell peppers, seeded and cut into large pieces 10 white mushrooms 10 broccoli florets 1 small eggplant, cut into cubes (Or any grill-able variety of your choice) Thread the veggies onto four barbecue skewers, alternating them until they are all used. Place the skewers in a narrow baking pan. Jerk Sauce: 6 - 8 scallions, chopped 1 small onion, coarsely chopped 1/2 tsp. nutmeg 1 tbsp. dried thyme 3/4 tsp. ground allspice 1 - 2 Scotch bonnet or jalapeño peppers, seeded and minced (be careful to wash hands carefully afterward) 1 - 3 cloves garlic, chopped 3/4 cup tamari 1/2 cup red wine vinegar 1/4 cup canola oil 1/4 cup brown sugar Put all the marinade ingredients in a food processor and let it process for 10 - 15 seconds. Pour the marinade over the vegetables, and refrigerate overnight, or at least for 4 hours. Turn occasionally to distribute sauce. Start your grills! Place the skewers on the grill and cook for 4 - 5 minutes on each side, or until the vegetables have softened. Yummy! This is good with rice or another grain as a side dish.