Boston

Boston was bustling in the early years of the banana trade, when it took the name of the North American city that made it prosperous for a brief period. Boston is the alleged origin of jerk seasoning, but the Boston Jerk Center that claims this fame has become overrun with hustlers unmindful of the fact that their harassment has damaged the area’s reputation. The jerk center is easily recognizable on the western edge of the community of Boston Bay just before crossing a bridge and going over a rise in the road heading toward Port Antonio. Max (cell tel. 876/435-3013) operates one of the newer stalls and may just be a good bet where integrity is concerned. Many vendors will insist you buy their "noni juice," said to have aphrodisiacal properties and to improve overall performance; others will simply beg for money. Beyond the annoyance, there are also serious inconsistencies in the quality and pricing of food at Boston Jerk Center. Weekends, when it gets busier, are the best time to take a stab if you must eat where jerk is said to have originated, as during the week the meat can sit on the grill until it goes cold before someone comes along to eat it. Fish is also served, but this is not the best place for it. If you do order fish, size it and understand what you will pay before it gets cooked. The best time to eat jerk is during the annual Portland Jerk Festival (July) when the multitudes don’t let the meat sit around for long before eating it up. Based in Boston in years past, the festival relocated recently to Port Antonio’s Folly Oval.