For upon |Stush in the Bush at Zionites Farm is nestled in the hills near St Ann, Jamaica. The 15 acre organic farm offers a unique farm-to-table eating experience. Tony Page takes a seat at the table and samples the wares of one of the island’s best-kept secrets.
Related Posts
Tucked away and far from the main road adventurous foodies and pilates devotees can find ‘Stush in the Bush’ – the Jamaican equivalent of the ‘The Good Life’.
Stush in the Bush is an escape, it is an oasis and it is unique. It sits in perfect isolation off the beaten track and requires an, how shall I put it, ‘interesting’ drive to find it.
Set high in the hills on a 15-acre organic farm called Zionites, Stush was founded by Christopher Binns on land left to him by his father and the undulating former banana plantation now offers a sanctuary for those seeking healthy eating and mind and body wellness through the venue’s pilates breaks. With his American wife Lisa and two daughters, the family have created an idyll which you can share for a while complete with a totally home-grown organic lunch.
Being a fully paid-up meat eater, I tend to steer clear of vegetarian food and I was expecting to come away dissatisfied and feeling hungry. Nothing could be further from the truth. The starter’s dips and tortilla chips were amazing. The homemade ‘fiyah’ grilled pizza tasted like nothing I had eaten before. The flavours of the ingredients had been retained and gave bursts of piquancy long after the first mouthful. It was, for me, a totally new experience in vegetarian eating and one that has changed the way I look at meat-free dishes on restaurant menus. Having said that, I still have yet to find a meal as complete and as well composed as I did at Stush in the Bush!
The whole experience of visiting Stush was enjoyable and informative. There are few places that can genuinely claim to deliver everything from farm to plate – but this is core to the philosphy Chris and Lisa, with produce growing literally within picking distance of the kitchen. Despite having torrential rain the entire visit, we had a wonderful time with good food, good company, good wine in a unique and tranquil environment.
As a visitor destination in the Kingston area, this sits high on my list of ‘must do excursions’. I’m even inspired to recreate the flavours of Stush at home with some of their renowned sauces such as blow fyah pepper sauce, chimmichurri sauce, mango, lime and ginger vinaigrette or their delectable passion fruit butter!
The article was originally published here.
Comments are closed.