Edith 'Ms Bloomie' Aarons of Bloomie's Jerk Centre in Yallahs stirs her pot of chicken soup. She says the soup is a favourite in the nights. - photos by Norman Grindley/Chief Photographer

Dwayne Campbell calls it the Yallahs Jerk Centre just for directional and identification purposes since the chain of jerk food establishments is, in fact, in Yallahs, St Thomas. In the middle of the busy town with numerous business places, located on the left (coming from Kingston), are jerk pans under sheds on the side of the busy road.

Breakfast, lunch and dinner

Campbell, one of the vendors at the location for nearly a year now, says between the hours of eight and nine in the mornings, vendors start their daily jobs on the grills. And, from then onwards, once the food is ready, customers can get their share. "People eat chicken right throughout the day, it doesn't matter the time of day, right here, as long as we have chicken ready people will buy for breakfast, lunch and dinner."

Specialising only in jerk chicken, the vendor says chicken is served with festival. And to keep the festival warm and ready for consumption, after they are fried they are kept on the grill. For the cost-conscious persons, Campbell says buying just festival is an option. "A lot of people just come here to buy only festival to eat, especially in the mornings because they cost just $20 each".

For the vendors, each occupying a shed, holidays and weekdays are the busiest. "People from as far as Morant Bay come to support us; when tourists driving through, they stop and when visitors come home for a holiday, they come too. And, on Sunday after a funeral people will stop to get something to eat," said Campbell.

Chicken soup

Located just before you get to Campbell's spot is Edith Aarons known to many as Ms Bloomie. She, like her neighbours, sells jerk chicken and festival but also offers chicken soup. The soup she says does very well in the nights. "The soup takes over from the chicken in the night because when people coming from a party or from the bar after drinking, they come for a cup of soup. I am sandwiched between two bars so I get the customers".

Not new to the industry, Ms Bloomie has been in charge of the operations for about 14 years but she has been at that spot for about a year now.

latoya.grindley@gleanerjm.com

A quarter pound of chicken costs $200 in Yallahs. Served with festival for $20 each, the two are eaten right throughout the day by customers in and outside the area.