Jamaica on a plate: Jan Goldsmith savors the foods of her island home

Jan Goldsmith prepared Jamaican jerk chicken wings, plantains and rice Sunday, July 17, 2016.

Jan Goldsmith prepared a Jamaican rum drink Sunday, July 17, 2016.

Jan Goldsmith says spices "make the magic" in Jamaican cuisine, but then adds it's a misnomer that Jamaican food is spicy.

While that seems contradictory, she explains.

"Some folks misunderstand the difference between using spices to cook our food and spice as in 'hot,'" she says. "For some, spice and hot are synonymous. We use spices for flavor, not heat. Our food is never so hot that we lose the flavor. Flavor is everything."

Goldsmith has a growing reputation for the parties she throws at her Missionary Ridge home that feature the cuisine of her native home in St. Thomas, Jamaica. Word of her food has spread through the Jewish community where her husband, Kenneth Goldsmith, is an active member and teaches a leadership class for the Jewish Federation.

So the federation has asked her to set the island mood for its next summer fundraiser. Her Caribbean cuisine will be featured Thursday at "Jamaica on a Plate," a dinner at the Jewish Cultural Center in Brainerd. She'll serve up jerk chicken, rice and peas, soup, fish and dessert - all prepared in accordance with kosher dietary laws.

"The Jewish community in Chattanooga is very diverse - and the Jewish Cultural Center prioritizes showcasing our local people," says Ann Treadwell, Jewish Federation program director. "Since the Jewish Cultural Center keeps a kosher kitchen, Jan will be working closely with Alice Gross-Morgan, our kitchen supervisor. All of Jan's recipes will be made kosher for the event."

Goldsmith came to the United States a little over a decade ago to further her education after high school graduation.

"I graduated from Florida International University's top-rated School of Hospitality Management, earned an MBA from Nova Southeastern University and an Ed.S. (educational specialist degree) in school psychology from Florida International University," she says.

She met Kenneth while living in South Florida, and the couple moved to Chattanooga eight years ago when he was recruited for a position with Chattanooga State Community College as chairman of the Business Department.

"I teach language arts and also utilize my school psychology degree at a middle school," she says.

The chef adds that she is also searching for a location to open a cafe featuring authentic Jamaican dishes.

She considers herself primarily to be a self-taught cook, but credits her mother's influence for how she cooks. Finding the spices and fresh ingredients she prefers only available at one local market, she travels to Atlanta, which has a large Jamaican community, to purchase fresh meats, fish and vegetables.

"I love anything jerk. I love soups. Ackee [a type of fruit] and saltfish, our national dish," she says, listing her favorite Jamaican dishes. "But if I had to choose one, it's stew peas and rice. We use red kidney beans along with some beef, a bit of salted or cured pork for added flavor, a little coconut milk. Any kind of meat can be used. We cook it all together until all the flavors get happy, seasoned to taste. I serve stew peas with steamed white rice - delicious."

For Thursday's island party, Goldsmith says her menu is all about authenticity.

"I want to do some dishes that are simple but flavorful; not spicy, where folks would be timid to try them," she says. "Also dishes that I could acquire the spices for in Chattanooga that are representative of Jamaica in order to keep it authentic. I am big on authenticity. The depth of flavor has to be there."

Contact Susan Pierce at spierce@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6284.