PRINCESS ANNE, MD-(July 29, 2021)-University of Maryland Eastern Shore Extension’s Dr. Nadine Burton is sharing her knowledge of ethnic specialty crops and recipes native to her home country of Jamaica with the chef at the Washington Inn and Tavern in Princess Anne for a special culinary experience, “Taste of Jamaica.” Chef Russell Robbins hosts the event on Jamaican Independence Day, August 6, from 6-8 p.m. at the Inn where he will present a three-course meal featuring locally grown ingredients common to Jamaica.
The event is the brainchild of Robbins who presented Burton, an alternative crop specialist with UMES’ Small Farm Program, with the idea. The event will highlight both of their areas of expertise.
“Being the new chef at the Inn, I wanted to let people know who we are and what we do while diversifying our clientele,” Robbins said. “Nadine is a great resource for farmers and for small businesses that want to use local ingredients.”
Burton researches and grows specialty crops like callaloo, scotch bonnet peppers and hibiscus among other crops on UMES’ Research and Education Farm on Stewart Neck Road. Through extension activities, she works with local producers like Mike and Kelly Edwards of Wood Duck Landing Farm demonstrating how to cultivate and market them under growing conditions on Delmarva.
“When Chef Robbins reached out to me about his idea for a Jamaican night, I felt it was an excellent opportunity to introduce foods with excellent nutritional value and to show Eastern Shore farmers that herein lies an opportunity for crop diversification,” Burton said.
Robbins will take Burton’s recipes and offer a menu starting with Jamaica’s national dish, ackee and saltfish. The entrée is a sampling of braised oxtail, jerk chicken and curry chicken accompanied by callaloo, rice and peas and Jamaican pumpkin rice with saltfish as sides. The meal is topped off with candied sweet potatoes and fried plantains with Jamaican caramel sauce. Special beverages with accompany each course.
Honoring one of the many diverse cultures that make up the restaurant’s neighboring community, including the university, was one of the goals of the project, he said. Presiding over the kitchen at the historic (1744) Washington Street Inn since February, Robbins “grew up in Exmore, Virginia and has been cooking in restaurants on Delmarva for the past 20 years.”
Reservations are recommended through Open Table by visiting www.washingtoninnandtavern.com or by calling 443-399-3353. The evening is limited to 40 diners and costs $50. For more information about UMES Extension and specialty crops, visit www.umes.edu/Extension, or contact Burton at nmburton@umes.edu, or by calling 410-651-8353.
Caption:
From left, Washington Inn and Tavern Chef Russell Robbins is working with UMES Extension’s alternative crops specialist Nadine Burton and farmer/owner of Wood Duck Landing Farm Michael Edwards to present a special culinary event, “Taste of Jamaica,” at the Inn Friday, Aug. 6, at 6 p.m.
Gail Stephens, agricultural communications and media associate, University of Maryland Eastern Shore, School of Agricultural and Natural Sciences, gcstephens@umes.edu, 410-251-7009.
Photos by Todd Dudek, agricultural communications photographer, University of Maryland Eastern Shore, School of Agricultural and Natural Sciences, tdudek@umes.edu.
