In addition to Jamoji App updates, we celebrated our 4th birthday since publishing in the App Store on June 17, 2016 (Google Play came shortly after on the 30th). I didn’t want to make a fuss over a young birthday, but then I thought, why not? If this year has taught me anything, it is to celebrate every day and celebrate often. To celebrate, I’ll share the story that gave me the courage to press, “go.”
It was the first week of April 2016 and I was at a rehearsal dinner. With a background in Economics, I naturally found myself chatting with an SVP Investment Bank professional. We discussed the idea of me getting back into banking, but then, I boldly shared this idea that I’d been toying around with for about all of two weeks. I shared with her the concept of Jamoji and how the idea came about (see bio) and then she asked me, “What’s so different about Jamaican fruits?!” I was shocked. Here was a woman who was well traveled, educated and an executive of a top investment firm asking what/how/why would my experiences and tropical being be any different from what the new world had to offer. I honestly didn’t have the words for her so I did what I knew best, I Googled an image of the Jamaican Apple. When her bright eyes lit up with true fascination and awe, it was at that very moment I knew what I had to do and that it was good. I wanted to recreate that wonder and unearth that delight over and over again.
The Jamaican Apple, like many of the Island’s fruits, is only available in season — summer. It is crisp, light, refreshing and sweet, but sometimes tart and at times dry. It’s best enjoyed chilled on a hot summer day. Before North American apple varieties were widely available in Jamaican supermarkets, the only chance we had to taste or even see a “red delicious” was when my mom once smuggled the fruit in on an overseas stay. We had no access to apples of that kind, except for rare sightings, in the 90’s, once we had access to cable TV. Sidenote: a smuggled apple was top shelf commodity, low crime and high reward even if you didn’t like it (which I didn’t, I later learned that I’m a fuji apple variety kind). However, no North American apple variety came close to the pleasure and joyous satisfaction that a Jamaican Apple brought, maybe it’s decadence of not having it available year round. Having said all that, I will take note then and make a fuss, as anniversaries only come once a year!
Happy Birthday Jamoji!