Snow whirls outside my kitchen window. The jar I found at a local gourmet shop sits open on my counter. Its amber contents nudge childhood memories. I lick the knife and drift back. Guava trees flutter in the tropical breeze. Hungry from running, hiding, playing pretend, my cousin, twin sister and I —three Musketeers — flop around my aunt’s kitchen table. We laugh, slice hot Johnny cakes, spread butter. Jostle for the jar and slather with jelly. With one bite sweetness explodes. Heaven. Now, I smother my bagel with jelly. It’s not Auntie Mary’s, but it tastes of the island. Home.
A native of Sint Maarten (Caribbean), Pamela Conner lives in Beaconsfield, Quebec with her family. She loves sun, sea, travel, desserts, writing, running, and family.