Courtesy is key to Patricia Tomlinson's shrimp-selling success

Karrie Williams, Gleaner Writer

WESTERN BUREAU:

Many Jamaicans love to snack on peppered shrimp, and nowhere else is this treat in abundance than in Middle Quarters, St Elizabeth, where vendor Patricia Tomlinson offers some of the island's tastiest.

Tomlinson, who has been selling shrimp by the road side since she was a teenager, is often sought out by motorists who have heard stories about her succulent shrimp, and her warm, friendly nature.

"I have to give God thanks. I have built my house and sent my five children to school from selling shrimp I have been blessed," Tomlinson told Western Focus.

According to the veteran vendor, cleanliness is key to the preparation of her signature peppered shrimp.

"When we go to purchase the shrimps, they are very dirty, and so it requires a lot of washing in cold water to get them cleaned up and ready for cooking. I always wash my shrimps until the water remains clear. I also ensure that my pot is properly scoured and washed clean (because) if the pot is dirty, then the shrimp will not come out clean, and cleanliness is very important to me," she said.

She said the key to cooking peppered shrimp is to use a limited amount of water, which allows them to become parched, which is the best way for them to be eaten. According to Tomlinson, using too much water causes the shrimp to boil and come out soft.

Approaching potential customers

But in addition to preparation, Tomlinson said knowing how to approach potential customers is an important aspect of her trade.

With several shrimp vendors lining the roadway throughout Middle Quarters, motorists who stop to purchase the favoured snack are often bombarded by the highly energetic approach of the vendors, with everyone simultaneously trying to sell.

But Tomlinson says that thanks to a customer-service course she and some of her colleagues attended some time ago, she likes to approach her customers in a polite manner.

"I do not believe in rushing the customer into buying my shrimps. First I want to greet them properly, find out what they are looking to buy, and then I make them an offer to buy from me. It's all about courtesy," she said.

Though noting that "selling shrimp has become a part of me", Tomlinson confesses that there are times when sales are so hard to come by, she has to resort to selling other items such as boiled corn, bammy, peanuts, and coconut drops.

She said that there were also days when she had to journey to neighbouring Santa Cruz in order to get her shrimp sold.