Sugar and Spice and Everything Irie Press Release from Callawind

"A number of new books have surfaced extolling the virtues of bold flavor. Many are echoing the consumer demand for full flavor and interest in cross-cultural flavors." — Internet Food Channel

People are eating in restaurants and traveling more than ever. The result? Growing numbers of food-savvy, adventurous home cooks are going global in their everyday cooking. For North Americans who regard feasting on culinary delights as an important part of their vacation, the Caribbean is a hot destination.

But how to recreate the authentic dishes of the islands at home? Jamaican-born chef/restaurateur Veda Nugent, along with her TV journalist son Marrett Green, have written SUGAR AND SPICE AND EVERYTHING IRIE: Savoring Jamaica’s Flavors (Callawind Publications, US$16.95 / CDN$22.95, softcover), a delightful cookbook that features 115 easy, home-style recipes guaranteed to spice up daily cooking. Some are sweet, some are savory — and all represent Veda’s most requested dishes over her 45 years of preparing and teaching traditional Jamaican cuisine. And since local grocery stores now regularly stock Caribbean staples, finding the necessary ingredients is easier than ever.

SUGAR AND SPICE AND EVERYTHING IRIE includes everything from appetizers to desserts, and will help you whip up such island specialties as:

Jamaican Vegetable Patties
Shrimp Curry
Cream of Callaloo Soup with Okra
Jamaican Potato Salad
Escovitch Fish
Eggplant Casserole
Baked Salted Codfish and Black-Eyed Peas
African Beef Peanut Stew
Sweet Potato Relish
Coconut Chips
Plantain Pie with Rum Sauce
Grapefruit Snaps
Pineapple Lemonade
Banana Rum Shake

SUGAR AND SPICE AND EVERYTHING IRIE is also a good read. It is sprinkled with charming anecdotes and family stories about growing up in Jamaica as well as wise Jamaican proverbs.

In addition, the book contains:

special occasion menus along with décor and music suggestions to create an all-out Jamaican dining experience
information about the origins and folklore of indigenous ingredients
glossary of ingredients and cooking terms

Every year thousands flock to "the jewel of the Caribbean" to discover the lively flavors of Jamaica — from fragrant guava to fiery Scotch bonnet peppers. SUGAR AND SPICE AND EVERYTHING IRIE makes it easy to bring these exciting flavors right into your kitchen.

"With remarkable depth of knowledge, a sense of history, and sincere personal conviction, Veda Nugent and Marrett Green reveal the secrets of traditional Jamaican cuisine. Whether you crave the best patties, authentic roti, jerk pork, ginger candy, or even the perfect rum sour, SUGAR AND SPICE AND EVERYTHING IRIE will have you cooking like a local in no time." —Tim Pawsey, food and wine critic

"SUGAR AND SPICE AND EVERYTHING IRIE is a book that will hook cooks. Jamaican-born Nugent teams up with her son to present a personal and personable collection of authentic Jamaican recipes."
—Canadian Living Magazine

About the authors: Veda Nugent has been involved in Jamaican cooking as a chef, restaurateur, and instructor for more than four decades. In 1972, Veda moved from Jamaica to Canada, and operated two successful Caribbean restaurants in Ottawa, Ontario. In addition, she catered for numerous functions at foreign embassies and at Parliament Hill, and taught countless classes on Jamaican and African cuisine. Veda has demonstrated her recipes on national TV. Through her creative flare, Veda has contributed to the art of Jamaican cooking, having introduced plantain pie, breadfruit stuffing, and Jamaican salted codfish patties to North America. Veda currently resides in Florida. Marrett Green, Veda’s son, spent many years helping Veda operate her restaurants. He then studied broadcast journalism and became an award-winning television newscaster. As a communications professional, Marrett writes articles and has been published recently in the Journal of Commerce and West Coast Families Magazine. Marrett is currently the media relations officer for the regional government in Greater Vancouver, British Columbia.

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SUGAR AND SPICE AND EVERYTHING IRIE: Savoring Jamaica’s Flavors
by Veda Nugent and Marrett Green
Publication date: February 2002 (October 2001 in Canada)
Published by Callawind Publications
Distributed by Biblio Distribution (a division of NBN — National Book Network)
Format: 7¼ x 9 inches / 160 pages
Price: US$16.95 / CDN$22.95
ISBN: 1-896511-16-3
Available at retail and online bookstores or by calling 1-800-462-6420

For more information, please contact Pamela Carmen at Callawind Publications:
Tel: (514) 685-9109 / Fax: (514) 685-7952 / E-mail: pamela@callawind.com