Island Shop: Cayman Pepper Jelly

By Sarah Greaves-Gabbadon
CJ Travel Editor

It’s not every day that I recommend buying a $20 condiment. But it’s not every day that I come across a pepper jelly that tastes this good.

The pricey-but-worth-it spread is the creation of Caymanian Carol Hay, who uses fiery Scotch Bonnet peppers and 15 other secret ingredients in her “one-woman weekend operation” that yields three dozen mason jars of the relish a week.

Available in Grand Cayman supermarkets (I snagged mine in Bay Market at Camana Bay), the spread is definitely spicy but also deliciously sweet.

It’s the perfect accompaniment to cheese and crackers; can be combined with chicken stock to make a flavorful marinade; or mixed with sour cream, plain yogurt or mayo for a creamy dip with a Caribbean kick.

I’ve been told that because of all those peppers the preservative-free spread doesn’t need refrigeration, no matter how long you keep it in the cupboard.

But that’s never been an issue in my house. Because, as the label rightly says, it “never lasts long enough to expire.”