Jamaican patty
 A plate of Jamaican patties | |
| Type | Pastry |
|---|---|
| Course | Snack |
| Place of origin | Jamaica |
| Region or state | Caribbean |
| Serving temperature | Hot |
AJamaican pattyis a semicircularpastrythat contains variousfillingsand spices baked inside a flaky shell, often tinted golden yellow with an egg yolk mixture orturmeric.[1]It is made like aturnoveras it is formed by folding the circular dough cutout over the chosen filling, but is more savoury and filled with ground meat.[1]
As its name suggests, it is commonly found inJamaica,and is also eaten in other areas of theCaribbeanincluding the Caribbean coast ofNicaragua,Costa RicaandPanama.It is traditionally filled with seasonedground beef,but other fillings includechicken,pork,lamb,vegetables,shrimp,lobster,fish,soy,ackee,mixed vegetables orcheese.Jamaican patties are typically seasoned with onions, garlic, thyme, oregano and chili peppers, especially theScotch bonnetpepper. In non-Jamaican-based restaurants, the composition may be extended to include low-fat, whole wheat crusts or the absence of chilies.[2]
In Jamaica, the patty is often eaten as a full meal, especially when paired withcoco bread.It can also be served as a snack or appetizer in bite-sized portions called cocktail patties. Among theJamaican diaspora in the United Kingdom,the pastry is more like that of a suet crust and often made with butter or margarine, which provides the flaky pastry, andcurry powdercontainingturmeric,which provides the yellow colour.
History
[edit]
The beefpattyis a product of the longhistory of Jamaica,mi xingpastiesintroduced byCornish immigrants,cumin,currywere introduced byIndianindentured labourersandcayenne pepperby theAfrican slaveswho were brought to the country.[3]"The firecracker taste of theScotch bonnet,a hot pepper indigenous to Jamaica, sealed the flavour. "[3]
Jamaicans brought recipes for the patties northward in the 1960s and 1970s when manyimmigrated to the United Statesas hospital orderlies, home health aides and nurses.[3]The patties were then found in restaurants in areas of theNew York metropolitan areawith highWest Indianpopulations. The patties are equally popular in British cities with large West Indian populations, such asBirmingham,[4]ManchesterandLondon.Their popularity is spreading in the United Kingdom and they are becoming available in many mainstream outlets.[5]They are also popular inToronto,Montreal,Miami,Washington, D.C.,and numerous other areas throughout the American northeast and CanadianGreat Lakesregions; in many of those areas, they are available in grocery stores, delis, corner stores, and convenience stores.
In recent years, the Jamaican meat patty has been pre-made and frozen for mass selling in Britain,[5]Canada, and the United States. In many areas in the United States and Canada, Jamaican beef patties are now typically available at pizza and convenience food restaurants, as well as supermarkets.
Patty wars
[edit]In February 1985, the Canadian government attempted to ban patty vendors from using the term "beef patty" as it did not comply with the Meat Inspection Act's definition of the federally-regulated term, which was based onhamburger patties.[6][7]Patty vendors refused to rename the beef patties, and the issue was covered repeatedly by media in both Canada and Jamaica.[6]The government faced pressure to resolve the issue because of an upcoming trip to Jamaica byPrime MinisterBrian Mulroney.On February 19, 1985, officials from the Consumer and Corporate Affairs and representatives from the patty vendors agreed to a compromise to call the patty a "Jamaican patty", with no need to rename businesses or change signage.[8]Colin Vaughncalled it "a victory for the Jamaican community".[8]
In aToronto Starcolumn on February 22, 2012, columnist Royson James unofficially declared February 23 as the Jamaican Patty Day in Toronto.[9]The "patty wars" controversy was the subject of a 2022CBCdocumentary entitledPatty vs. Patty,featuring an interview with Michael Davidson, directed by Chris Strikes.[10][6]
Contemporary usage and commercialization
[edit]The popularity of the Jamaican patty has grown significantly with immigration from Jamaica, becoming a mainstream food item in some countries. From being a hand-made pastry in Jamaica's homes and bakeries, it has starting in the 1980s and 1990s become commercialised and commoditized, especially in North America. The patties are now often made in large numbers by industrial machinery and sold under brand names in supermarkets and in chain restaurants.[11]In the United States, patties are offered by some restaurants such as pizzerias[12]and included in public school lunches. The New York school system distributed more than three million patties in one year.[11][2]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]
- ^abB., Cassidy, F. G. La Page, R. (2009).Dictionary of Jamaican English.Cambridge University Press.ISBN978-0-521-11840-8.OCLC759092116.
{{cite book}}:CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^abKadet, Anne (31 January 2015)."Golden Opportunity: Building New York City's Biggest Locally Owned Restaurant Chain".Wall Street Journal.
- ^abcGarcia, Michelle (February 15, 2005)."For N.Y. Caribbean Beef Patty Co., Business Is Cooking".The Washington Post.Archivedfrom the original on February 9, 2013.RetrievedApril 2,2022.
- ^"Island Delight - Delicious Caribbean Style Patties and Savoury Slices by Cleone Foods Ltd".Cleone.co.uk. Archived fromthe originalon 2013-08-07.Retrieved2013-03-15.
- ^abOduntan, Carly Lewis (January 15, 2018)."How Jamaican Patties Became a Beloved British Snack".Vice.Archivedfrom the original on 5 December 2021.Retrieved4 December2021.
- ^abc"The story of Toronto's bizarre 1985 'patty wars': when the government tried to rename the beef patty".CBC.Canada. February 17, 2022.Archivedfrom the original on April 2, 2022.RetrievedApril 2,2022.
- ^Leitao, Ramona (23 February 2022)."Toronto filmmakers pay tribute to the Jamaican patty in new documentary".NOW Toronto.Retrieved23 February2022.[permanent dead link]
- ^abCBC Docs (17 February 2022)."The story of Toronto's bizarre 1985 'patty wars': when the government tried to rename the beef patty".Canadian Broadcasting Corporation.Retrieved23 February2022.
- ^James, Royson (22 February 2012)."James: A humble declaration of Jamaican Patty Day".Toronto Star.Retrieved23 February2022.
- ^Strikes, Chris (17 February 2022)."I grew up on beef patties. I was shocked to find out that the Canadian government tried to rename them in 1985".Canadian Broadcasting Corporation.Retrieved23 February2022.
- ^abOliver, Rochelle (2017-05-23)."The Jamaican Beef Patty Extends Its Reach".The New York Times.ISSN0362-4331.Retrieved2022-03-31.
- ^Cooper, Michael (17 December 1995)."Gimme a Slice and a Jamaican Beef Patty".The New York Times.Retrieved2 September2022.