The Big Apple Culinary Escape 1

I love New York. Nope, I don’t really care about why you don’t like the city because it’s got several things that are remarkable for me. In no particular order: character, family, friends, synergy, mad vibes and just crazy food all over. That said where am I going with the rest of this? I’ll let you in on some of my experiences I had on my trip there recently. So pull up a seat why don’t ya. Sorry, I’m all out of Andouille dusted popcorn and the coke is a little flat. Prosecco anyone? Okay, so I was in New York recently for the Grace Jamaican Jerk Festival held there at Roy Wilkins Park in Queens. Folks were out in great numbers and to boot, the weather was fabulous for a mid summers July Sunday.

There were booths and stalls everywhere. Small and large businesses were stocked to the gill selling and giving away to their hearts content. Raging grills, tantalizing aromas of pork and chicken, roast corn, lemonade stalls, hungry lines stretching for miles (ok, 40 or 50 deep), boombastic entertainment (Etana, Maxi Priest and Mr Vegas were on the line up this year), chefs demos featuring: Chef Brandon Walker and Chef Gason Nelson; Celebrity Chef throw down with two Alumni from the Food Network show Chopped; Chef Gason Nelson from NOLA and Chef Maxcel Hardy – Personal Chef to Amare Stoudemire of the New York Knicks. They all threw it down and I was there to see it all. There also was the Celebrity cook off between State Committee Woman Scherie Murray & Senator Kevin Parker – Senator, call me please, I give great cooking lessons. He should have known better than to try prove his cooking prowess against a mother of two. It was mad fun. What was I doing you should ask? lol… Well, let’s just say I found a little time this year to enjoy a little aged Scotch and a stogie, Fiyah!!!! Chef Max don’t know anything about that and that’s his story, I can vouch for it . All in all a good experience it was once again this year. Now Let’s move on shall we.