no place Nothing more colorful to name than the Caribbean. This is especially the case for the variety of foods/drinks widely enjoyed across our islands. Do you remember my old post about Cock Soup and Naked Boy? Today we’re trying something new (at least to me) with another uncommon name. I’m talking about Jackass Corn.
Okay, the first thing you need to know about Jackass Corn is that it is actually a Jamaican thing. (At least that’s what I heard.)
The second thing to know is that eating these foods doesn’t in and of itself make you act like an idiot.
What is Jackass Corn?
Jackass Corn (aka: Donkey Corn or Donkey Jawbone) is a hard, crunchy biscuit that is all kinds of sweet. Ingredients include a collection of basic Caribbean kitchen essentials. Flour, coconut, sugar, water, nutmeg, salt, vanilla, ginger – that’s it. Combined with dough, rolled thinly, cut into rectangles and baked, these biscuits become crunchy little snacks.
If you don’t think there’s anything in this description that suggests a connection to donkeys, well… You are right.
So what is it that puts donkey in this Jamaican snack?
Where Jackass Corn Gets Its Name
Of course, the exact origin of the name is debatable. However, many people agree that the name Jackass Corn comes from the sound it makes when eating it. This snack has a firm texture. So you tend to have to chew every mouthful. Some people claim that the sound made during the process is similar to the sound of a donkey eating corn.
Okay, so eating these snacks doesn’t make you an idiot, but it does make you sound like one.
A place where you can taste sweet sprouts and corn
Like most beloved Jamaican snacks, Jackass Corn is widely available in West Indian grocery stores throughout the United States. If you’re in the South Florida area, Bedessee is the best.
You can also order supplies online here.
If you want to try your hand at making your own biscuits, I have a recipe for you to try soon. Stay tuned for my follow-up post to see how my results turned out!
