Ivy’s Cayman Treats

The Grand Cayman Islands offer treats of all kinds whether the search is for a bank, a diamond, or a t-shirt. The sky was a blue that most only ever see on postcards, and the heat could have fried an egg on the sidewalk. Sweat hung along the my hairline.

We cooled off at a sweet little creperie off Canama Bay for a bite to eat and some wifi, and then my sister and I wandered down the street in search of the Cayman Craft Market.

Other tourists bustled past us, hurrying to their next destination or ducking into another shop.

I wanted to soak up this Cayman island. With only a few hours at this location, I wished to just be. No rigorous searches through souvenir shops for the perfect trinket for a friend or parent.

[Tweet “There can be joy in the wandering.”]

The craft market held only a few booths, but we meandered under the Cayman Craft Market arch anyway. Chickens flurried around the edges of the courtyard while the women lounging in their chairs called to each other from behind their tables. Laughter shared liberally and often.

Colors. Shapes, Beauty. So much to see.

Now, I love food so I sashayed right over to a table that held all sorts of sauces, jams, and foods. Ms. Ivy greeted me and my sister immediately. Ivolyn Thomas, originally from Jamaica but now living in Cayman, loves to bake, cook, and share her foods with others.

Nothing pleases her so much as to know that her sauce will end up on a table miles and miles away from her Cayman Craft Market booth.

She has repeat customers, too, from other countries, who visit the islands just to get their hands on Ivy’s Cayman Treats.

As I turned bottles in my hands and admired the rows of peppers balancing on lids, Ms. Ivy talked our ears off. No, in a good way. I loved every bit of story she told from her life and experience. I guess she treats every customer like one of her grandchildren, sharing little tidbits of advice and clues to living a life that multiplies happiness.

“Life isn’t about money. It’s about making other people happy.” Ms. Ivy explained to us. “I love to make other people happy by cooking food for them or sharing these sauces with them.”

I’m not sure if making other people happy is really the purpose of life, but I think she’s got a point. Spreading goodness and kindness will feed the heart as money never could.

[Tweet “Spreading goodness and kindness will feed the heart as money never could.”]

Ms. Ivy’s jerk sauce packs a punch of spice, and it’s the right kind of jerk to have in your life. Use it in your barbecue or dot it across a slice of toast. A little will go a long way.

Make sure this is the only jerk in your life. Wink.