By: Gabrielle Burgess
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Oktoberfest has been teaching locals and visitors everything they need to know about German spirits and food for over 30 years. This year it starts from Saturday, September 22nd and lasts for 2 weeks, ending on Sunday, October 7th.
The Jamaican-German society usually celebrates years of existence with an annual beer and food extravaganza in Kingston. However, Simo’s Bread and Catering will be hosting an Oktoberfest event with Beer on tap, Meaty and Vegetarian food options on Sunday, September 23 in Trelawny! With the delicious and decadent treats that Simo’s will be offering, #simosoktoberfest is definitely Suga Endorsed.
***SPECIAL***
Buy 5 tickets and get 1 FREE until September 6th!
For more Information:
Christina M.B. Simonitsch
Location: Montego Bay
Email: [email protected]
Catering, Cooking Lessons & Staff Training
By: Gabrielle Burgess
If you liked this Promo, follow Suga Lifestyle Online, on Instagram (@sugalifestyle), Twitter (@sugalifestyleja) or like the Suga Lifestyle Facebook page.
Suga sampled the new Roasted flavour from The Jamaican Peanut Butter factory a few weeks ago at the Potter’s Fair in Hope Gardens and it was an instant buy for the home.
Word is that samples of the new Scotch Bonnet Flavour were given out at the Devon House Expo last weekend and persons loved it too!
Keep up with The Jamaican Peanut Butter Factory as they expand their flavour line and distribution outlets! #SugaEndorsed #BuyLocal #BrandJamaica
The Jamaican Peanut Butter FactoryÂ
Distributes to: Loshusan, John R. Wong and General Foods Supermarkets
Insragram: @jamaica_peanut_butter_factory
Email: [email protected]
By: Gabrielle Burgess
If you liked this Feature, follow Suga Lifestyle Online, on Instagram (@sugalifestyle), Twitter (@sugalifestyleja) or like the Suga Lifestyle Facebook page.
Suga visited Christmas in July at The Jamaica Pegasus last Thursday. It was the 4th staging of the event titled, ‘Tropical Wonderland Trade Show’ put on by the Tourism Enhancement Fund (THF). It is a Tourism Linkages Network Initiative showcasing unique Jamaican products available for wholesale and retail by local businesses. Products are usually suitable for Gifts, especially Corporate gifting and Souvenirs.
There were quite a few eye-catching displays, however I was particularly impressed by the invitation and pitch from Mrs. Ronetta Crooks-Allen of RSS Naturalll Delites to try her flavoured Coconut Drops. I am not a fan of Coconut Drops, so I was pleasantly surprised with how appetizing her Cranberry flavoured Coconut Drops tasted. I was even more impressed that it was not too sweet or overpowered by the cranberries. The essence of coconut was still highlighted and quite delightful to the palate.
See Contact Information for RSS Naturalll Delites below to give those Cranberry flavoured Coconut Drops a try! Grater Cakes and other flavours of Coconut Drops are available as well.
Stay tuned to see where these yummy Coconut Drops may pop up in the future too! #BuyLocal
RSS Naturalll Delites
Location: 138 Rhone Park Estate. Old Harbour, St. Catherine. JA. W.I.
Ph: 876.486.7469
Email: [email protected]
By: Gabrielle Burgess
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Kingston Kitchen had Hope Gardens buzzing with activity last Saturday. It was a great event for family, friends and foodies to unite for the love of food.
The event was well supported, probably the biggest staging I’ve ever seen. The logistics and execution of the event was quite commendable.
Just a few drawbacks for me. One bar was not enough for the event and amount of patrons. It was overcrowded to say the least.
I also believe that our Gastronomy network via the Tourism Industry should have been involved with the event to incorporate tourists from various hotels on the north coast of the island. Kingston Kitchen’s Night Market would have been an eye-opening experience for them to see so much of our culture in one area and in one night. The event would also expose them to Kingston, as many tourists are unaware of the many cultural activities, beauty and places to go that exist in Kingston. For the next Kingston Kitchen, I would like to see them in bus loads!
There were so many vendors to pick, choose and refuse from, Suga and husband went with a hit list.
Here is a reminder of what Kingston Kitchen had to offer in addition to entertainment for adults and kids:
I am proud to say my husband, Randy and I succeeded. We definitely took note of places to try in the near future as well.
Suga’s Breakdown!
MUST-STOPS AND GLAD BAG BUSS
â— Stush in the Bush – A variety of unique Sauces, Spreads and Preserves made with love. Always a crowd pleaser.
â— Lucky Strike Seafood Bar and Grill – Their Seafood bowl is always a hit. My husband approves!
â— Street Food Saturdays – Fresh mint Lemonade, Street corn and more. They kept patrons coming all night!
â— Fish Pot – Flavourful, peppery Fish soup. Great gas buster to prep for food galore.
â—Simo’s Bread and Catering – Pastries, Soursop Popsicles, Dessert, Sauces, Seasonings. Excellent spread as usual from the main hands of it all, Christina Simonitsch.
â— I Love Paella – Rich, flavourful Tapas! From Valencia with love. Bravas, Croquetas and Empañadas cooked right in front of you.
â— Scott van Bonnet -Â New kid on the block from Blue Diamond Shopping Centre, Montego Bay. They had tasty Turkey and Lamb Wraps. Loved the infused flavours.
Coming soon to Kingston, Ocho Rios and Negril. Can’t wait!
â— Topp In Designz Limited – Foodie Gear galore!
Suga had to cop this shirt!
DISAPPOINTMENTS
â— Gypsy House Tapas!
I have never thrown away food at Kingston Kitchen, but there is always a first. Trust me, I tried my best to eat their Seafood and Meat stacked Paella, but I just couldn’t get past the dry rice that nearly choked me and lack of flavour. It was horrible. Chef Enric’s, I Love Paella still stands as the place to go for authentic Valencian Paella.
â— Soup King
They didn’t have any Soup for over an hour after the start time of the event. They seemed to have gotten things going later on in the night though.
SATISFYING STOPS #SugaSnaps
â— Lyming at Walkerswood – Mannish water, Curried Goat and more. Jamaican cooked food that goes right to the heart and makes you feel at home.
â— NCR Sheep Limited –Â Tasty Lamb sausage.
â— Rolly Polly – Ice cream for adults and kids. I enjoyed my topping of Bailey’s rum cream on my Strawberry Cheesecake ice cream. Delish!
PLEASANT SURPRISES
Gustazos BoothÂ
Patrons enjoyed their small giveaways, boomerang photo booth and money machine! Fun addition to the event.
MISSED OPPORTUNITIES #SugaSpieswithHer4Eyes
> Fromage Bistro and Brasserie, Cafe Dolce, Pita Grill, Deaf Can! Coffee, Chocolate Dreams, Until We Eat Again, Cannonball Cafe, Pink Apron Jamaica, Tea Tree Créperie and Sip ‘n’ Go Juice Bar.
Suga didn’t get to stop by the usual crowd faves mentioned above, but I could see that they continued to please!
PLACES TO EXPERIENCE IN THE NEAR FUTURE #SugasRadar
> Eatopia Jamaica, WTF Burgers and 25 Wafflerie
Kudos to Director Leisha Wong, Melanie Miller and their team for their hard work, efforts and a well executed Foodie affair. #SugaEndorsed
Until the next one!
By: Gabrielle Burgess
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Do you have a craving for Seafood this weekend? Remember Jabba’s Peppa Swims?! Yes, the Shrimps that when you start eating you can’t stop. If you do or Suga has peaked your interest, be sure to check out Jabba’s Seafood Buffet tomorrow. There will not only be succulent Pepper Shrimps, but Sea Crabs, Conch and Soup. All you can eat at Big Wall tomorrow! Check it out!
By: Gabrielle Burgess
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The taste and texture of the Lion Fish from Island Outpost’s GoldenEye Resort (Oracabessa, St. Mary) at the Table Talk Jamaica Observer Food Awards was perfection! Kudos to their new resident Chef, Tim Kensett.
Enjoy the Weekend!
By: Gabrielle Burgess
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The Sweetart Bake Expo held at The Jamaica Pegasus two Sundays ago had patrons in awe at the creativity of Cakes decorated and probably sent everyone’s sweet tooth into overdrive with the samples given.
There were On-stage demos and Presentations on Cake Decorating, as well as classes that were conducted, including one that was by a local instructor.
Sometimes a Cake is decorated well and doesn’t taste as good as it looks, but the proof is in the pudding. Suga was most impressed with the Piña Colada cupcake by Alex’s creations (@alexcreationsja). I tasted the rum first, followed by the coconut flavour, then was hit with the sweet accentuated by the icing. Fantastic!
Other tasty highlights for Suga:
*Instagram tags in brackets
• Cheesecake by Kelsey’s Kreations (@kelseyskreations_ja)
• Bread Pudding by Skimo’s Pastries (@skimos_pastries)
• Banana Bread by La Jazz Sweet Tooth (@lajazzp_c)
• Carrot Cake by Jhaneal Solomon (@savouritja)
• Beer Jelly by Su Yen Green (@bakedbysue)
• Nestle’s offering of mouth-watering Bread pudding and other desserts made by using their products. Not to mention the Nestle Frappélatte that seems to be a hit everywhere it goes. It’s made with coffee and ice cream and is richly flavoured.
I know persons are straying from the traditional Fruit cakes for Weddings, but I only got two to taste that were not up to standard. Perhaps Blissful Bites by Delvena came close. Lemon cakes are now a popular choice for Weddings, but none of them hit the spot.
The presence of well-known Bakers was missed, but there are many on the rise with potential who were present and have been working on their craft for years. The Cake Decorating Competitions displayed high levels of skill and creativity, making things look so real.
Here are most of the Winners!
Pre-decorated Cake Competitions by Theme:
• Fast FoodÂ
Winner
2nd Place
Decorated by Students!
• Fast Food theme Winner
• WeddingÂ
Winner
• Topsy TurvyÂ
Winner
Runner up
• Jungle Theme
Winner
CONGRATS to the WINNERS and See you at the 5th Anniversary Edition, #sweetartbakeexpo2019!
Save the date! It will be May 26,2019 with 5 days of activities.
Sweetart Bake Expo
Email: [email protected]
Instagram: @sweetartbakeexpoja
By: Gabrielle Burgess
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Suga’s Ratings for I Love Paella
Date and time of visit:Â Saturday, May 19, 2018 at 1:00pm
No. of diners: 3
NB. Ratings fill 5 stars maximum and the criteria has been altered since it is a Pop-Up Kitchen
Parking: ★★★★★
Service: ★★★★☆
Speed: ★★★★☆
Food quality: ★★★★☆
Serving amount: ★★★★☆
Plating: ★★★★★
Value for $: ★★★★★
SuGa Endorsement: ★★★★☆
Comments:Â
Rich flavours were present throughout the dishes. Pleasant, courteous Chef. Superior service, speed and food quality. Serving amounts were adequate for a reasonable cost, as some meals were shareable. Chef Enric is from Valencia and he represents! Suga and friends enjoyed authentic Valencian Paella.
Suga’s Breakdown
From what I know, Chef Enric Escriva has been on the Jamaican culinary scene since January last year. Until he gets a suitable spot for his restaurant, he has been catering and doing Pop-up kitchens. I Love Paella is currently and temporarily in what used to be Cafe Nita’s space on Phoenix Avenue. So there is limited indoor and outdoor seating. The latter is the more comfortable choice with the hope of good weather.
I met two of my girlfriends for lunch around 1pm. Chef Enric greeted us politely and took us through the menu in which all prices included G.C.T. They did not have a Drinks menu, but basic drinks were available including wine, a simple white and red. We ordered a bottle of Chardonnay. They also have a Party Menu for groups.
The starters ranged from $850 – $1400JMD in cost, with some being shareable. Starters included Calamari, Tortillas, Croquetas and more.
We shared Bravas, a classic Valencian dish made from Fried Potatoes, a spicy brava sauce and allioli.
We also enjoyed the Empanadas, freshly made artisan stuffed pastries. The Chicken Empanadas were stuffed with smoked paprika chicken and served with brava sauce. While the Black Bean Empanadas were stuffed with spicy black bean and served with allioli sauce. The sauces were on point!
We went specifically for Paella so that’s what we had. The Paellas are done to order, cooked and served in the traditional Paella pan that can serve 2 – 3 persons. However, prices shown on the menu are per person ranging from $2250JMD for the Vegetarian Paella to $3250JMD for the Seafood Paella with black rice from the squid’s ink.
That Seafood Paella was as delicious as it looks with just the right amount of spiciness.
They don’t just serve Paella though. There are other mains available such as larger Tortillas and Empanadas ($1600JMD), Calamari sandwiches ($2400JMD) and Mediterranean salads ($1900JMD).
After all that spice, our palates demanded a bit of sweet. We completed lunch with Churros and Dark Chocolate. Fantastic ending to our lunch.
I Love Paella Pop-Up Kitchen
***Reservations recommended***
Contact via Social Media messaging or Ph: 876-404-2867
By: Gabrielle Burgess
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Chefs on Show will be this Friday at The Jamaica Pegasus. Tickets cost $6000JMD for you to experience the culinary talents of our very own Jamaican Chefs. Some Suga endorsed Chefs such as Mark Cole, Christian Sweeney and Jackie Tyson will be there too.
Get your tickets today!
By: Gabrielle Burgess
If you liked this Promo, follow Suga Lifestyle or like the Suga Lifestyle Facebook page.