Q.
Come Easter weekend, Dad and I were more than happy to tuck into the Spice Bun and Cheese Mum laid out to celebrate the season. What do we know about this delicious Jamaican tradition?

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A.

Jamaican Easter bun is said to be an offshoot of British hot cross buns.

It was Britain who wrestled the island from the Spanish in the mid 1600s. Before Christopher Columbus and Spanish colonization in 1494, Jamaica – or ‘Xaymaca’ –  was home to Redware and Taino Indigenous peoples.

Jamaicans tasted the British hot cross bun – which itself dates back to ancient cultures – then looked for ways to add more island spice. Cinnamon, ginger, allspice, vanilla, cloves, aniseed, mace, nutmeg – you choose.

There would be dried fruit, of course, but let’s add some molasses, rosewater and Dragon stout.

And when this rich Easter bun loaf emerges from the oven, what better way to contrast the sweet spicy flavours then to add a sharp cheddar cheese?

Spice bun and cheese was a taste of Jamaica for Mum, and another way to mark this most important occasion in our household. ❤️

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Header Photo: Karolina Grabowska