The Jamaican Patty

The patty descends from the Cornish pasty by way of colonial cooks and picked up everything else on the way: the pastry is coloured and flavoured with turmeric or annatto, laminated with fat so it flakes, and folded around a filling of minced beef cooked down with scotch bonnet, thyme and breadcrumb until it is almost a paste. Chicken, curried goat, ackee, shrimp and vegetable versions followed. It is the national convenience food, sold from dedicated chains, bakeries and every petrol station, and the standard way to eat one is inside a coco bread, a soft folded roll made with coconut milk, which makes a carbohydrate sandwich nobody apologises for.

What you actually see

• The turmeric pastry - yellow, flaky and laminated.
• The beef filling - cooked down with scotch bonnet and thyme.
• Coco bread - the soft folded roll a patty is eaten inside.
• The variations - chicken, curry goat, ackee, shrimp and vegetable.

When to go

Year-round and at any hour. Patty shops run all day and the chains open early. They are best hot from the warmer; a patty that has been sitting goes soft and disappointing.

Honest expectations

Quality varies a great deal, and the big chains are consistent rather than good; small bakeries usually do better. The beef filling is spicy by default and there is no mild option at most counters. In a coco bread it is a very heavy snack. Fillings can be greasy at the cheaper end.

Nearby

Every town has patty shops; Kingston has the widest choice.