Posted on 05/11/2016 3:41:29 PM PDT by Jamestown1630
For quite a few years in the 1980's-90's, I worked two jobs, and one night a week I'd leave one job after an eight-hour day, and drive directly to the other, where I'd work for several hours more. I've always eaten my largest meal at lunch, and generally didn't need to prepare for supper on those nights; but one evening, as I drove to the second job, I was hungry!
We used to have a lot of 'High's Dairy' stores in the DC Metro area, a type of convenience store - I think they still exist, though some became '7-Eleven' stores after the High's company sold them to Southland - and there was a High's conveniently located on my route that evening.
I stopped, intending to grab a hot dog to get me through the night, but spied something I'd never seen before: a row of bright orange turnover-type pastries, looking absolutely lurid under the heat lamp near the hot dog grill. They were Jamaican Beef Patties.
I bought one on a lark, and was addicted from that first 'patty'; it's been a beloved vice ever since.
I work one job now, and no longer have to eat on-the-run between shifts; but I will still buy these little patties in convenience stores when I'm running around on errands. I've also found a great frozen brand in a local grocery, which I keep on hand; but these can be easily made at home, and it was one of the first recipes that my husband and I tried together as newlyweds.
It's interesting to me that this meat patty was adapted to local spicy taste in the Caribbean, after the introduction of Cornish Pasties there, in the olden days; it made its way to the US with Caribbean immigrants during the 1960's-70's. Here is the Wiki on 'Jamaican Patty':
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jamaican_patty
Some recipes use Curry to flavor and color the crust, and some use Turmeric; and you can spice the meat up to your satisfaction. (The convenience stores usually offer 'Mild' and 'Spicy'; but lately the 'Spicy' isn't hot enough for my taste, or what I remember from that first one. )
I have even made this as a two-crust pie, when I didn't want to bother with cutting rounds and stuffing, to get my 'fix'; and that is *almost* as good as the stuffed turnover version.
Here are a couple of recipes (but Watch Out! they both use Scotch Bonnets, which some folks might want to switch-out for a milder pepper; on the other hand, if you're like me, you'll just add a little more ;-).
From the website 'Eat Jamaican', a recipe that seems a lot like what I'm used to from the convenience stores:
http://eatjamaican.com/recipes/beefpatty-recipe.html
And from Food Network, here is Emeril's much more 'fancy' take on the patty:
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/emeril-lagasse/jamaican-meat-patties-recipe.html
-JT
I have searched for many years for a recipe that my mother used to make. This is the closest I have come to finding it.
The dough was exquisite and the fillings were always interesting. I remember eating them with sour cream on top. They are baked,not boiled (as in perogies).
We ate so many wonderful things from the huge gardens my mother planted. I think she was a vegetarian at heart, long before it was fashionable.
I grew up in Western Canada and we have many Doukhobor friends.
http://www.usccdoukhobors.org/cuisine/pyrahi.htm
Loved the Two fat ladies too!
For Indian food lovers, go to an Indian convenience store (two in my neighborhood) and get DEEP (the brand name) frozen naan when making Indian food. It’s so much better than the stuff sold at the deli counters in supermarkets or in the bread aisles. I don’t know why it’s so much better but it is. They are triangle-shaped and make a very good basis for a quickie pizza.
I’m also a fan of those packaged burritos. I think it all has to do with peppers, and Endorphins.
Here’s a nifty article entitled “This Is Your Brain on Capsaicin”; she ends it by saying, “So next time you need a little pick-me-up consider giving into the power of the chili pepper and discover why chiliphiles have come to love the burn!”
It’s a very ‘scientifical’ article; I would have just said, “It feels good!”
https://helix.northwestern.edu/blog/2014/07/your-brain-capsaicin
-JT
oh kolaches! my grandmother from Czechoslovakia used to make these. she used several different fillings, but my favorite was strangely prune ;)
thanks, I will be trying these!
My grandfather used to buy a Banana Flip for me when he went to the put gas station while I was visiting them. It was a banana flavored sponge cake that was stuffed with fluffy white creme filling. I would sit at the kitchen table and slowly savor it with a glass of cold milk. I haven’t seen one in years.
We stop at the Czech Stop every time we head up to Ft Worth. Always packed!! My fave are Pecan. Thanks for posting the recipe ;-)
I wonder if Buc-ee’s is cutting into their business.
Pasta Putanesca tomorrow.
From an old time Italian-Austrian (Norte Italiano) recipe.
My grandfather used to buy a Banana Flip for me when he went to the gas station while I was visiting them. It was a banana flavored sponge cake that was stuffed with fluffy white creme filling. I would sit at the kitchen table and slowly savor it with a glass of cold milk. I haven’t seen one in years.
I just heard that Buc-cee’s is going to build a store in Ft Worth...so, they could steal a bit of biz from Czech Stop....depending on where they build.
When I first saw your post, the ‘flip’ sounded sorta like a Twinkie to me.
But I looked it up.
Here is a website where people are yearning for Banana Flip:
http://www.inthe70s.com/food/bananaflip0.shtml
I had never heard of Banana Flip; but this might be a recipe:
http://taffycorduroy.blogspot.com/2013/03/banana-flips.html
I never saw these in my area; but they sound wonderful!
-JT
I’ve been buying Jamaican Patties at my local Dollar Tree for quite a while. They usually carry both chicken and beef. I had a beef one for breakfast today. Open top of package and nuke for 2 minutes, yummy!
Thanks. My two favorite childhood treats are gone now, Milkshake candy bars and Banana Flips. My children never got to taste either of them.
I love watching them, but haven’t seen them in years. Are they being replayed?
oh boy, please ping me!
What brand do you find, at Dollar Tree?
I’ve bought them many times in grocery stores; but the only brand that I’ve been happy with is from the local ‘Shoppers’ supermarket. But, because I always take everything out of boxes to save space in the freezer, I can’t remember now the name of the ones that I buy.
I just recall that they came from a company with a name sorta like ‘world food’...not sure. But they are the most like the best convenience store ones that I’ve found, and they come with those cardboard thingies, like Hot Pockets do, so you can get them crispy in the microwave. (I never use those, but cook them on 350 degrees in the oven, for about 30 minutes. That way, they come out like the ones at the convenience store.)
-JT
You can find some episodes on YouTube.
-JT
I can scarcely believe all the great frozen sections at the Dollar Tree. Which is literally.... a dollar. The little jalapeno poppers (8ct) for a buck, and the little bags of frozen asparagus, not to mention the ice cream novelties. I don’t even know what’s in the rest of the store.
Will do.
Think anchovies...
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