Jamaica Jumpstarts Labor Day Festivities At Fifth Annual Atlanta Caribbean Jerk Festival
ATLANTA – Atlantans will have a chance to sink their teeth into delicious jerk cuisine and groove to live reggae music as Jamaica brings the heat to the Fifth Annual Atlanta Caribbean Jerk Festival, planned for the Panthersville Stadium from noon to 11:00 pm on Sunday, September 5.
Patrons at the festival can hone their “jerk” grilling techniques, courtesy of interactive jerk chicken preparation demonstrations. The festival will feature activities for the entire family, including live reggae performances from noted Jamaican artistes such as Singing Melody, Professor Nuts and Anthony Malvo; a celebrity cook-off challenge; a Caribbean heritage village; soccer and domino tournaments; cricket demonstrations; a Kids Fun Zone; and the crowning of Atlanta’s Top Jerk Chef, when established and aspiring chefs go head-to-head to produce Atlanta’s best jerk chicken and pork. Admission is US$10; children 12 and under are admitted free.
“We’re excited to share the best of Jamaica with Atlantans,” said John Lynch, Jamaica’s Director of Tourism. “With the end of summer fast approaching, guests can visit the Jamaica booth to find out about great fall travel deals, and speedy travel to Jamaica with nonstop service offered by AirTran and Delta.”
The Origins of Jerk
The technique of “jerking” is thought to have originated with the Maroons, descendents of slaves who were freed from their Spanish masters and lived in the island’s most remote mountain areas. Meat is first marinated for hours in an incendiary mixture of peppers, pimento seeds, scallion, thyme and then cooked over an outdoor pit lined with pimento wood. (The Maroons did the cooking underground to camouflage the smoke.) The low heat allows the meat to cook slowly, retaining the natural juices while becoming infused with the flavor of the wood and the different spices.
