... so ... why ackeelover?

... it's bound to come up eventually so consider this a pre-emptive reasoning ... ackee is one of Creation's more esoteric fruits ... tropical advantage makes it known only in certain parts of the world yet it is known of in wider latitudes due to its notoriety ... the story of ackee and its fusion with the DNA of Jamaica has been told ... wiki-information is extant ... and though ackee is not revered everywhere it is found, I come to testify to the incomparable appeal of this heartical food ...















... according to a wiser elder in my family I manifest the same ackee-loving gene as a great-grand aunt who loved it as much as anyone ... when he told me of this a few years back I came to understand my predilection for ackee ... as more of a divine right to eat plenty ackee ...

... whenever Belafonte sings about it, travellers and foodies talk about it and researchers learn about it, the mythical dimension of ackee takes on a life of its own ... and ... each person's frame of reference will likely come with a beat and a story to tell ...

... well ... reggae is a storytelling music and all kinds of everything have been complemented with a score ... here I'm reminded of a Third World Band musical touchstone,"The Story's Been Told" LP from 1979 ...




















... admittedly the record has nothing at all to do with ackee, but the title track celebrates the telling of true stories ... in history and culture ...











... and ... polishing off a plate of the real thing under optimum conditions is a like having a meal of history and culture ... nourishment for belly and soul ... the ears too, if we throw in the sweetening soundtrack ...

... the compromise of the canned fruit when you find yourself far from the tree is not to be regarded lightly ... it's a nex' bes' ting ... experimentation in the name of cuisine is all good too ... I've even had homemade ackee vol-au-vents recently ... hostess did herself proud ...

... ackee trees came to Jamaica with African slaves and their traders ... over the passage of time the Caribbean centrifuge blended in salted codfish, specific local flavours and several layers of addictive verve ... the results are reflected in the name of this blog, wherein the ingredients combine for succulence ... like the everlasting artwork on these early Worl'er albums and the fulfilling aural foods inside ...

... then there was her slyly mis-pronounced, flirtatious semi-query..."a-key-lover?" ...

... boong bang!

... now ... glad you asked?