Jamie Oliver's 'jerk rice'

[PPPMA]

Jamie Oliver has been accused of cultural appropriation for calling a new product "punchy jerk rice".
The decision to label the microwavable rice "jerk" has been criticised, because the product doesn't contain many of the ingredients traditionally used in a Jamaican jerk marinade.

What we think of this?! As someone of Caribbean descent, who loves jerk, and raised an eyebrow when I looked at the ingredients, I couldn't help but raise an eyebrow... not offended, just baffled!

AIBU to think that if you create something new, you call it something new...?

So yes @Queenbean eat your 'jerk' rice and move on. We're still coming. We're getting there.

They will need to suffer from the consequences for as many years as they are here much like my ancestors had to.

If you are white then you should literally go out your way to be my ally

Your posts sound absolutely loopy now

My dh is from the Middle East and we have a good chuckle at some of the shit couscous, falafel, hummus on the market these days. Perhaps he should have been offended instead.

Eeeek! I'm not joining the race debate. I'm not angry about that. I just think it's funny that Jamie has tried to recreate something as culturally significant as jerk! Never saw it as a race issue, though I will always try to be sensitive to these things!

Ainsley and Levi are somewhat individual and prolific successes. Many men like them don't ever get a sniff of that level of success. Stop comparing Apples to Pears.

Jamie Oliver is also an unusually successful chef. The vast, vast majority of white people dont get a sniff of that level of success either.

A 'jerk' product marketed by Jamie/Levi/Ainsley will get high levels of exposure and great distribution. A jerk product marketed by Joe Bloggs will not, regardless of race.

As far as I can see Jerk only contains 2 consistent spices - allspice and scotch bonnet peppers.

Everything else that's added is down to the person making it. So it's not even a consistent recipe anyway. What a load of fuss about nothing.

Most food is culturally significant to where originates doesn't mean people should try to cook in there own way.

@nokidshere not entirely true! There are lots of things that are traditionally used in Jerk. Those are just the main two ingredients that you need for the base.

@Bicyclethief pardon?

what a load of fuss about nothing

Well precisely, but some people aren’t happy unless they are making a fuss.

I think what I find incredible is that an MP has found time to discuss this. There are hundreds of more pressing matters that need to be addressed yet she is discussing some chef's take on a recipe. I'm finding harder and harder to justify voting for this party anymore.

@nokidshere not entirely true! There are lots of things that are traditionally used in Jerk. Those are just the main two ingredients that you need for the base

There are loads of things that are traditionally in apple pie but the only two ingredients the same are pastry and apples. Everyone I know has their own version of it. So traditional could be different for each area, or even each family

Having a quick look on google and I see the word 'Jerk' comes from a Spanish word (meaning dried meat).

Also it was African Maroon slaves who were brought to Jamaica and taught the locals this particular method of smoking food, with herbs, in pits dug into the earth.

So it seems Jamaicans have culturally appropriated the word Jerk and its method of cooking.

Maybe time for some apologies?

I agree Bicyclethief although what winds me up about Jamie Oliver is I've seen him do recipes and claim them to be from a certain country/culture and they're really not. I saw one recipe called Egyptian duck flatbreads. I lived in Egypt for several years and I'm very familiar with the cuisine there. There's nothing remotely like it. You don't even get flipping flatbread there.

www.independent.co.uk/news/people/jamie-oliver-recipe-paella-chorizo-spain-controversy-a7346081.html

Because only black people get annoyed

Total and utter nonsense.

No such thing as cultural appropriation utter bollocks along with self ID and cis.

MissEliza totally agree with you, I have an Italian background so I get it but I see it as a compliment whilst chuckling like you.

I lived in Egypt for several years and I'm very familiar with the cuisine there. There's nothing remotely like it. You don't even get flipping flatbread there

Really? I just googled that and found at least a dozen recipes for Egyptian flatbread! And this....

This delicious bread, which has been part of Egyptian cuisine since the time of the Pharaohs, gets beautiful color and vibrant flavor from dukka, a blend of spices and nuts widely used in the Middle East.

Omg chorizo in paella really winds me up! It's not just Jamie Oliver that does it though.

You'll get more disagreement than agreement on cultural appropriation - this is Mumsnet after all (are you new here?)

I just laughed when I saw it. He hasn't even included the right ingredients and seasoning so it's not jerk rice at all, just his own invention I guess. He's not the 1st or last one to do this and we're likely not the only culture who've been appropriated in this way.

Let them get on with it, its not as if we're the target audience or would buy it anyway

He and Marco should do a Caribbean Cookery vid together😁

@Roxers you're aware that the recipes you are linking to have never, not once in all the history of Jamaica, ever been cooked and placed on a dinner table for a family to eat?!
There is rice & peas, plain white rice, vegtable rice (which is quite rare) and rice with butter & ketchup there has not ever, nor will there ever be jerk rice! Why?because you CANNOT jerk rice!!

Only on mumsnet could a thread about Jamie Oliver's questionable rice morph into the white population atoning for the sins of their ancestors.

Walkingdead that's so sad. You can't even allow people to fight for what culture they have left.

To be Jamaican sometimes feels like being all and nothing. I am mostly African slave but I had a Scottish surname. Whatever culture I had was taken/beaten from that lineage, and then we were free... and then we created our own culture from what we remembered or was exposed to by the people who freed us and said we should be grateful.

Spanish word? What else did we have but the languages we were made to talk.
African cooking techniques. FFS.

Christ walkingdeadfangirl are you taking the absolute piss?

The professionally oppressed and offended yawn yawnyawn