Jasmin Melissa Taylor combines her Jamaican roots with a love of Mexican culture and food in a dinner of Caribbean influences, great ingredients and bright, fresh flavours.
“My heart is in Jamaica and my feet are in Mexico. This is the story of love and wonder. My feet have always wandered to the driest parts of Mexico and other Latin countries, where tourist are few, and nectar is plenty. As my tongue sampled various chilies, corns, nectars, and meats, my heart was never far from Jamaica. Upon my return to Toronto, I would always blend Jamaican with Mexican and other Latin Americas flavours to connect the heart to the feet. To ground love with adventure.”
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Tostones
A favourite side dish in the Dominican Republic, these slightly sweet, twice-fried plantains are jazzed up with a homemade tamarind sauce spiked with a little kick of cayenne pepper.
Agave Jerk Chicken Breast
One of the signature flavours of Jamaica, Jasmin blends her own jerk marinade with fragrant thyme, fruity and hot scotch bonnet peppers, and the sweetness of agave nectar. The chicken breasts are marinated for 24 hours to infuse them with these sweet and spicy flavours. Served with a Mexican-inspired red quinoa salad with creamy avocado, spanish onions, black olives and tangy lime dressing, and a fresh salsa of local tomatoes, sweet onions, garlic and cilantro.
Intermezzo — cool watermelon to refresh the palate.
Jamaican Honey Yam Pudding
A childhood favourite of Jasmin’s, Jamaicans often refer to this dish as potato pudding; a combination of sweet yam, coconut, sugar, and eggs beautifully caramelized by a long slow baking.
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$40 +HST
B.Y.O.B. (no corkage fee)
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Jasmin Melissa Taylor is a social worker, craft artist, entrepreneur, foodie, traveller, and cat lover. Her many travels have taken her to Jamaica, her parents homeland, as well as all around the Caribbean, to Mexico, Dominican Republic, Cuba, Costa Rica, and Panama. Everywhere she travels, she makes the effort to eat in local restaurants and homes and take in the unique flavours of each place.
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Every weekend The Depanneur invited talented cooks – amateur or professional – to host an informal, family-style, dinner party.
