Which food comes to mind when you think of Clarendon? Jamaica Observer Table Talk Food Awards judges for the parish of Clarendon, Kurt and Ezmien Chin, have the answer…

I ‘M pretty sure that when anyone thinks of a particular food that originates from Clarendon the first thing that probably comes to mind is a hot Juici patty. If you didn’t know then, now you do. Clarendon is the birthplace of Juici Patties and is the location of the Juici Patties factory. If you haven’t had a Juici patty, then you’re missing out but I’m not really sure who hasn’t had a Juici patty at one time or another. Juici Patties not only serves a variety of different kinds of patties, from beef to vegetarian to shrimp, but also serves a variety of dishes for breakfast, lunch and dinner. You can have one of their porridges or some stewed chicken with fried dumplings. Their famous round fried dumplings are crisp on the outside and chewy but perfectly airy and fluffy on the inside with a slight hint of sweetness. Eating the full lot of three dumplings isn’t much of a problem. One of my favourite things to eat at Juici Patties is the mega patty. I usually have it at the Clarendon Park location as that’s the only location that always seems to have a steady supply. I’ve been to most other locations only to be told it’s sold out for the day. A mega patty is like a patty sandwich. A beef patty is split open and then cheese, shredded lettuce and tomato slices are placed inside and closed back up. It’s the perfect sandwich. When you dig into a mega patty it is a perfect blend of crisp flaky (but not dry) crust with moist Juici beef filling and oozing cheese. The tang from the tomato blends well with the slightly spicy and salty patty meat giving you a full range of flavours and textures all in one bite. Another Juici Patties location to definitely check out when in Clarendon is the original Juici Patties location. It’s the first ever Juici Patties and is located right as you enter the town from the old railway bridge. As you head up the hill past the bus park you’ll see the location on your right. There is something about this location, maybe the history, maybe the aurora, who knows, but there is just something about this location that, if I dare say, has the best Juici patties. I’ve never gotten a bad patty from this location. The patties are always too hot to eat. Exactly the way you want a patty to be. So hot that you have to break the top open so that you can let some of the steam out and possibly blow into it to try to cool it down. You don’t want it too cold but just cool enough to take a bite without burning the roof of your mouth and even then you still can’t stop yourself from taking another bite because it’s just that good. And you can’t forget about the coco bread in all its buttery glory. It has to be hot with a slight crust on the outside and moist in the inside. And don’t forget it has to have that shiny coat of butter painted on top. The kind that gets your fingers greasy even when you’re holding it in a paper bag. Even though there are Juici Patties all over the island you have to eat at Juici Patties when you come to Clarendon. It just wouldn’t be a complete experience otherwise. You wouldn’t go to Maine without having a lobster roll, right?

I ‘M pretty sure that when anyone thinks of a particular food that originates from Clarendon the first thing that probably comes to mind is a hot Juici patty. If you didn’t know then, now you do. Clarendon is the birthplace of Juici Patties and is the location of the Juici Patties factory. If you haven’t had a Juici patty, then you’re missing out but I’m not really sure who hasn’t had a Juici patty at one time or another. Juici Patties not only serves a variety of different kinds of patties, from beef to vegetarian to shrimp, but also serves a variety of dishes for breakfast, lunch and dinner. You can have one of their porridges or some stewed chicken with fried dumplings. Their famous round fried dumplings are crisp on the outside and chewy but perfectly airy and fluffy on the inside with a slight hint of sweetness. Eating the full lot of three dumplings isn’t much of a problem. One of my favourite things to eat at Juici Patties is the mega patty. I usually have it at the Clarendon Park location as that’s the only location that always seems to have a steady supply. I’ve been to most other locations only to be told it’s sold out for the day. A mega patty is like a patty sandwich. A beef patty is split open and then cheese, shredded lettuce and tomato slices are placed inside and closed back up. It’s the perfect sandwich. When you dig into a mega patty it is a perfect blend of crisp flaky (but not dry) crust with moist Juici beef filling and oozing cheese. The tang from the tomato blends well with the slightly spicy and salty patty meat giving you a full range of flavours and textures all in one bite. Another Juici Patties location to definitely check out when in Clarendon is the original Juici Patties location. It’s the first ever Juici Patties and is located right as you enter the town from the old railway bridge. As you head up the hill past the bus park you’ll see the location on your right. There is something about this location, maybe the history, maybe the aurora, who knows, but there is just something about this location that, if I dare say, has the best Juici patties. I’ve never gotten a bad patty from this location. The patties are always too hot to eat. Exactly the way you want a patty to be. So hot that you have to break the top open so that you can let some of the steam out and possibly blow into it to try to cool it down. You don’t want it too cold but just cool enough to take a bite without burning the roof of your mouth and even then you still can’t stop yourself from taking another bite because it’s just that good. And you can’t forget about the coco bread in all its buttery glory. It has to be hot with a slight crust on the outside and moist in the inside. And don’t forget it has to have that shiny coat of butter painted on top. The kind that gets your fingers greasy even when you’re holding it in a paper bag. Even though there are Juici Patties all over the island you have to eat at Juici Patties when you come to Clarendon. It just wouldn’t be a complete experience otherwise. You wouldn’t go to Maine without having a lobster roll, right?

http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/lifestyle/Juici-Patties_18937311