Montego Bay High School

NAME OF FEATURE | THE GLEANER | WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2020 16 MONTEGO BAY HIGH SCHOOL 85TH ANNIVERSARY W E GET a buzz every time we conduct a food tour because we love show- casing Jamaica! We get an extra buzz and a special vibe when we host Jamaicans because swapping culinary stories with our fellow countrymen adds an exciting dy- namic to the experience. But host- ing a tour for our sisters from the Montego Bay High School Alumni – lawks … well dat sweeter dan cook food!! And that’s exactly how we felt when we welcomed a group of our alumni sisters from the Kingston and Montego Bay chap- ters on our Falmouth Food Tour in August 2019. Their excitement was evident from the moment they streamed off the bus, eagerly anticipating a taste of the her- itage, culture and food that the historic town of Falmouth has to offer. For the next three hours, our expert team guided the ani- mated group through the vibrant streets of Falmouth, recounting the story of this once small fishing village which rose to become the richest New World Port south of Charleston in the 18th century. In-between stops at renowned Georgian architectural sites and historic monuments steeped in poignant stories of slavery and the fight for freedom, our sis- ters paused to savour authentic Jamaican dishes and the intrigu- ing stories behind the cuisine. We shared tidbits – like how the Scotch bonnet pepper got its cu- rious name, while alumni mem- bers shared childhood memories of Falmouth and nuggets from their family culinary traditions. It was a mutually rewarding day! Later that year we enjoyed a sim- ilar rich experience, first with the dynamic group of MBHS 76ers, and then with a group of retired librar- ians, organised by one of our very own alumni. Sisters supporting sisters – Good food for thought! Members of the Past Students Association of Montego Bay and Kingston chapters supporting their sisters on the Falmouth Food Tours in 2019. Jamaica Culinary Tours is owned by past students Anne and Janet Crick.