So, anyone more familiar with Brampton than I, please leave your suggestions in the comments, or email me I particularly would like to go somewhere with good doubles.

And I’ll be sure to take pictures and review the place for those who also want to know!

Cocoa Sticks

Originally uploaded by Chennette

I have been wanting to post about cocoa for a few weeks now, to report on the various cocoas I have been trying - in the rolled and not-so-processed form - from T&T, Grenada, St Lucia and Guyana. But not like this.

As I was reading through the Guyana news online tonight, I discovered my own photo staring right back at me.

[Me screaming!!!!!]

I have sent an email to the editors, but I note the caption says it’s a GINA (Government Information Agency Guyana) so I don’t know who stole it originally. All I know is that I have never given anyone permission to use this photo and no one has ever contacted me about it either!

Fortunately, I have lawyers in Guyana…

[Edit: It's on the GINA page for July 14 2008, so I have emailed them also. Come Monday morning, my lawyer will be on it!]

TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO

The Trini Gourmet
Sarina’s blog was about the first I encountered when I started this enterprise, and her site was so snazzy and professional, I assumed she had been doing this for a good long time. Imagine my surprise when I realised she didn’t start that much earlier than I she’s just better at these grand undertakings! At the Trini Gourmet, you’ll find recipes both original and tested, lots of information on cooking essentials for the Trini/Jamaican and kosher kitchen, recommendations for books and gifts…it’s all there. We’ve even started a annual (2 years so far) tradition of visiting the Taste T&T together and increasing the posse every time we hope.

Lilandra…
…is my sister, and although she resists being described as a food blog (well, she IS a person, not a blog…) she has blogged many of her forays into cooking, whether it’s handmade chocolate truffles, trini macaroni pie, hops bread or lemon meringue pie and she has access to the same source for traditional Trini fare - our mother. And she’s my company (dare I say sidekick) when we go explore food in T&T, including at the Taste.

CanCookMustCook
TriniFood is a trini journalist in London, who has a passion for food and food-writing. Her interest has no boundaries, delving into books, and markets, trying out the traditional with no fear of using new techniques to adapt the old. You get reviews, recipes, deep thoughts and always something interesting.

The Caribbean Garden
Nicole was the first person I know in real life who came across this blog entirely on her own and figured out who I was. Of course, there may be others, but they haven’t let me know, so I can pretend to be secure in my anonymity She’s passionate about food and gardens, growing food and landscaping and travel! If people think I travel a lot…wait till you see her pictures of Laos! And yes, I count it as a food blog, because she posts her recipes

Simply Trini Cooking
A relatively new blogger, but prolific and regular. Traditional recipes for coocoo, stew chicken, curry cascadoo…lots and lots and he posts regularly, with step by step pictures. There’s also a glossary of useful cooking terms (emphasis on the Trini terms) and a Trini dictionary to help you navigate through our food talk.

All Tings Trini
Jevon is of Trini descent, living in the US and interested in food. He’s had chef training, and although he’s not a regular blogger, he has posted about Trini favourites including a pictorial recipe for sorrel.

So Epicurious it Hurts
Marsha is a Trini living in the US and she posts about food and places she’s eaten and her cooking, including of course some traditional Trini foods.

Mark Ruins Dinner
Mark is from the US, married to a Trini (Karen’s blog is here). I sorted him into the Trini category because I believe I first encountered his blog when he was proclaiming his #1 search status in March 2007 for “how to make Trinidad food” possibly due in large part to his post on making doubles, called “Two doubles, slight pepper”. Despite the name of his blog (and the latest post) he makes quite good dinners, and lunches and possibly breakfasts and desserts, with great pictures of the attempts and successes both. And of his helpers, the ever increasing tribe of boys.

Caribbean Recipes
This is in the T&T category because of the actual blogger name (trinidadrecipes) as well as his current base in Trinidad. He’s a Brit, married to a Trini I believe, and having lived and worked in Trinidad (and parts of the Caribbean) for some time, has posted about food and cooking. I only discovered this blog this week, but he’s only been blogging about Trini and Caribbean food since March.

BARBADOS/GUYANA

Tastes Like Home
Cynthia is a food writer and photographer, who has a cookbook in the works! She posts every Saturday (oh for that discipline!) along with her column in the Stabroek News of Guyana. She’s Guyanese, living in Barbados who writes about her favourite traditional foods, intrinsically linked to her memories of home and family, as well as the new things she learns and tries out - like making paneer! Her adoring fans are many, and every post provides such gorgeous pictures. I can’t wait for the book!

BELIZE

Rice and Beans: A Belizean in DC
The title tells you part of what you need to know - Lyra is from Belize and lives in DC. She’s a great advocate for eating local, seasonal and organic produce, and healthy and her blog is delicious.

DOMINICA

Gourmet Global
A chef and entrepreneur in New York City, claiming several Caribbean heritages, but I believe primarily from Dominica. She reviews restaurants, provides recipes, and even blogged about her travels back to the homeland.

GRENADA

Spice Isle Food for Thought
Kimberly started blogging in February, with traditional recipes from Grenada. As she reminds us (me) on her blog, there are so many similarities in Caribbean foods, and particularly between T&T and Grenada, because we both received Indian indentured labourers and therefore the foods! 

CARIBBEAN MAGAZINES

There are two publications, one available online and one with a blog that should be part of the online Caribbean food experience:

Caribbean Beat
This is the inflight magazine of Caribbean Airlines (formerly BWIA) and in addition to showcasing major tourist events and attractions, and the people of the region, always has a good food article, sometimes even by TriniFood The issues and archives are available online, complete with any recipes featured. And as I have said before, this is one of my favourite magazines so disregard any preconceived notions you may have about infight publications. And no, that’s not just because my blog was once featured

MACO Caribbean
Toute Bagai publishes several Caribbean lifestyle magazines, highlighting Caribbean destinations and events, and of course sometimes, food :-D. Their website has recipes and plans to review restaurants in addition to providing information and reports on various food festivals around the region. MACO is also going to issue later this year a magazine on Food & Rum. 

————–

As I said, I don’t believe this is the complete list, so I am open to your contributions - any Caribbean blogs out there that I should know about? I know there are some recipe sites, and I hope to link to those, but in a another post/page.

I think that warrants a gratuitous posting of a poem other than the one that used to be on my front page, now relegated to About Chennette. And I think I’ll choose one that’s very timely and food-related:

Industrial Secret
by Gavin Gunhold

The oil companies don’t want you to know
That the average car will run on
Consomme,
If you can figure out a way
To get the parsley out of the carburetor.

And I have broken the recent trend with this, a THIRD post for this month. Momentous indeed.

I made whole wheat hops bread from Mom’s recipe, posted by Lilandra with modifications for whole wheat provided by Mom over the phone. Mom and Lilandra also made up a batch of wholewheat, so I expect Lilandra will has posted the adjusted recipe and her own pictures very soon.

Hops is a traditional Trini bread, crusty on the outside, light and fluffy on the inside, sold in every bakery and so good hot out of the brown paper bag. In fact our nearest “big” bakery has a special flashing electric sign “Hot Hops Available Now” so passersby on the main road know to stop.

Sold by the “quart” which was 12, then 10 depending on the economy. We used to buy a quart and a half; the half was for us to devour in the car on the way home. Hops goes with everything. It’s like the original vital supplies!

Wholewheat hops are never quite as fluffy as white, but these came out really good (yay Mom) and the niece ate one and asked for another (half) and even the nephew kept biting with his one tooth. We had it with butter, cheese, and some with Nutella. Tomorrow it will go really well with sardines.

Lilandra’s photos of the traditional white hops bread.

My Hops Bread Set on Flickr. The recipe makes 15 - I got 16 partly because I wasn’t sure of my pan sizes, and mostly because I am not too good at the eyeballing for even portions of dough. I also made a half batch later so I’d have enough for tomorrow and that came out ok too.

Well, what the title means is that I couldn’t think of any snappy name for this post, which is just to pass on two bits of information.

Lilandra and Chennette are making the Hajj this year. Insha Allah (God Willing). We’re going with our parents, and will therefore be traveling to Saudi Arabia and thereabouts for the entire month of December. To commemorate this, we (Lilandra) have started a blog, called Lilandra and Chennette Make Hajj. We’re creative that way. We couldn’t get hajj at wordpress.com, but we got thehajj - we’re it. THE Hajj. Go visit. so far Lilandra’s retroactively documented our (her) steps since our first official Hajj group meeting (for which I was fortunate enough to be in Trinidad). Maybe this will be a way to help me prepare even though I am away from the rest of the group.

And, if you’re part of the foodblogging community, you may have heard of a grand fundraiser for Briana Brownlow of Figs with Bri. Jugalbandi is hosting this special event for CLICK this month, Click for Bri: Yellow who is fighting a battle with breast cancer. In addition to the special prize for Bri’s pick of the Click photo submissions, there is a fundraiser with lots of great prizes being raffled off for donors. Do you want specialty international food items? Autographed cookbooks? Accommodation in Italy? It’s all there. Show support by participating in Click this month, and if you can, by giving a donation which goes directly to Briana’s account to help with her treatment costs. I have to admit that I didn’t know of Bri before this, but I am a great admirer of Bee and Jai over at Jugalbandi, especially since they launched and manage Click. So, this is my bit to spread the word.

You may have noticed that, as of late, I have been posting maybe twice per month if so much. So much for my plans loudly declared at the beginning of the year. And I am fast approaching my 2nd anniversary at Lifespan of a Chennette…but it’s work. That day job thingy that gives me very little time these days to think, write, think about cooking or taking photos. Sigh. Even Google Reader was conspiring against me this week and not loading so I could keep track of the blogosphere. But, c’est la vie.

See you soon, most likely at the deadline for Click, as per usual.

Lilandra and I went to the Taste on Sunday, the second night of the 2-night main event. She’s already posted her photos and blogged in great detail. I dubbed this Taste on the Run since we spent barely an hour and a half at the Taste, and still had to get through 2 Gourmet tickets (8 restaurants!!). This is also likely to be Review on the Run! (pictures and descriptions of food follow the link!

The rushed element was really mostly us - I only realised this was possible on the Wednesday before, and didn’t actually arrive in Trinidad until Saturday morning. We tried on Saturday to get tickets - the list we’d seen online only had Botticelli’s a Grand Bazaar as a location nearish to us and they were refusing to answer the phone…or they weren’t there! Later on we realised there was another list that included Marhaba, which was much closer to us…sigh…

Getting There

We didn’t get there until after 7 pm, with lots of phone calls between TriniGourmet and ourselves (yay! she had a cellphone this year!) to confirm that yes, we were on our way. She was there from 5 pm. FIVE PM, when the gates weren’t supposed to open until SIX. But she was the wise one. For when we arrived, expecting there’d be parking somewhere (for which we were willing to pay) we realised we had to hunt through the surrounding crammed streets. Now, we didn’t just imagine this idea of parking - they had it setup last year, and this year the information online gave FOUR different places where parking would be available. But it was not to be. We eventually drove all the way down to Ariapita and managed to park in the carpark of the Princess Elizabeth Centre, due to the kindness of the security guard. And then we walked (fast) ALL the way back to the complex. In a rush.

I can understand that there may be various reasons that parking was not provided eventually - but if it was included in the information publicly available, then it’s a bit of a setup not to advise otherwise. Also, how can you purport to run a tourism-oriented event, claiming you want to attract visitors to the country without something in place to ensure they can get there? If you don’t know the somewhat confusing streets in the area, where would you park? Is it only for tourists who take taxis? Or who are staying in walking distance? As for local visitors - not everyone lives in or knows Port of Spain well enough to know what to do or where to go. Next year, if TDC can’t arrange parking, please organise a shuttle service or something. Something! Because there are so many people coming to this thing and I am not a shoulder parker!

Rant over.

When we finally made it to the entrance, we decided to go ahead and get Gourmet Tickets for Groups A and B (one each). The Gourmet tickets allow you to get a plate from 4 different chefs, plus complimentary wine and this year dessert! Last year, we were still hungry after our 4 plates, so we decided we’d still take one each, as there were supposed to be much more local foods available - winners of the Iron PotSpoon Throwdown and all. However, this year most of the offerings were much more substantial. A real meal. So much so that we ended up collecting half of the plates just to take home. Good thing Lilandra walked with those little disposable plastic containers (Ziploc or Glad? depends on who pays me to drop a brandname…) and foil was readily available at most places. This way, however, the parents (too tired and too cheap to pay go for Gourmet themselves) got to share in the joy and sample the Taste, when we got home.

We met up with TriniGourmet inside, who’d already eaten and imbibed starting with the dessert to get her dairy out of the way. TriniFood was also there, all the way from London and we bounced into her while she was busy tasting and tracking down chefs to interview. Unfortunately, we didn’t get a chance to sit and talk since we had to leave early. It was great to have this little foodblogging reunion, but next time, we need to meet up where we can hear each other talk. And where we don’t have to physically chase down the food

And now to the food!

We chose Groups A and B, as did TG and some other friends we bumped into, because they had the most offerings that were friendly to those with dietary restrictions. And as it turned out, some of them even offered up non-advertised veggie alternatives (which as I recall was only really offered by Itahki last year). Fortunately for us, all of the chicken was halaal, and even some of the other meats, but for anyone strictly vegetarian there would have been somewhat lighter plates.

GROUP A

Chef Bernard Long of Bernard’s Gourmet Caterers - “A Triwee Barbeque” - A New Zealand BBQ with a Trini Fusion (A combination of Shrimp, Chicken and Tenderloin of Beef served with Grilled Corn, Garlic Bread and a Fresh Caribbean Garden Salad)

Last year we weren’t too impressed by Chef Bernard - we could only eat the shrimp and so the offering looked a bit paltry with some shrimp, a itsy tortilla and some sour cream. This year we could have sampled it all, but as we were rushing I skipped the slicing of the tenderloin. Lilandra has a photo, but I was busy packing it into a container to take home. And yes, I snagged the garlic bread as I did that. I think we (the four of us who ate it at home) basically liked this but it was nothing particularly special. But an improvement from last year.

Chef Joseph Hau of Benihana Restaurant - Trincity Roll (Crab and Salmon Tempura served with a Wasabi and Lemon-Mayo sauce); Pierre’s Balls (Crab & Salmon Sashimi and Cream Cheese Tempura served with Mango-Passion Fruit sauce); California Roll (Crab and Cucumber roll); Vegetable Roll (Cucumber, Tomato, Purple Cabbage and Carrot); Edamame and Wakame salad

I love sushi. So it was a given that I would like this. But I think even non-sushi lovers would have been able to try this and liked it - not really an emphasis on the raw fish, but a nice combination of flavours throughout. And a really healthy serving, perfect for sharing between two…or more. And the wasabi…whew…I could do with some now! It went straight to my sinuses with great power, but no lasting heat. mmmm…

Chef Mario Hernandez of Chilli Pepper Restaurant - Mexican Blackened Breast of Chicken served with a Yellow Rice Pilaf scented with Cumin Black Beans and a Fire-roasted Chunky Tomato Relish

This was one of the plates eaten at home. The chicken was good, the black bean rice was great (Mom loved it especially) and the taste of chadon beni was resplendent throughout so I had no real complaints. Plus people got to see the Chef grilling chilli peppers live

Chef Johnny Chow of Aloha Caterers - Polynesian Fried Rice; Grilled Tuna Fillet with a Pineapple and Guava Glaze; Coconut Infused Vegetables

We didn’t get a whole fillet because of timing, but the bits and pieces that we got made up more than a regular portion, and was easy to share up at home. The rice was ok, as were the vegetables, but since they were topped by crispy rice noodles, yum (I like crispy noodles!). The tuna and the glaze were a good combination, but the glaze got on eveything and overpowered the other items (may have had to do with the long drive home). I wouldn’t mind trying out some other polynesian dishes, but other than the tuna and noodles, the rest of this didn’t stand out.

GROUP B

Chef Moses Ruben of Mélange - Chicken Bhagi Roulade complemented with a Spicy Roasted Sweet Potato; Smoked Tomato and Bell Pepper Bouchées; Garlic-scented Vegetable Kebab

This was the prettiest plate, most colourful and so delicious. The Chicken Roulade was dry, which was odd considering the bhagi (spinach) filling was moist and lovely. We wondered what on earth had they done to dry out the chicken and retain the moisture of the inside? But the sweet potato..mmmm… And the blue cheese dressing on the veggie kebabs was a nice touch. I think the bouchée was ok, I can’t really remember. Such is tasting on the run! You have to be excellent to stand out.

Chefs Jimmy and Mona Hadeed of Boomerang caterers - Fillet of Fish with Tahini Sauce; Arabic style Chicken Breast; Channa and Rice; Fried Kibbe; Baklava

This was one of the best plates of the night - even if the colour palette wasn’t much varied… You could choose channa rice or lamb rice; veggie kibbe or beef kibbe; and chicken or fish. We took the chicken rather than the fish, although now I wish I had been able to taste their tahini sauce. The chicken was done pretty perfectly - moist and flavourful but clearly grilled on the outside. The channa rice was nice, the meat kibbe was excellent. Really nice. And the best part - great, light and flaky, with just the right amount of honey BAKLAVA!!

Chef Christian Grini of Chaconia - Chicken Breast filled with Spinach in a Coconut Cream Curry Reduction

Ok, again, the picture may not look like much. It’s also a borrowed picture from Lilandra as mine weren’t really very good. But never mind, this was delicious. Really. And it was a big serving, served on mashed potatoes, which was surprising, but didn’t affect the overall taste at all. This one was also enjoyed en famille.

Chef Sharaz Mohammed, of Marhaba - Stir Fry Balti Shrimp served with Vegetable Biryani and Tamarind Chutney

This was the smallest serving of the night. But I think they were leaning towards presentation as they carefully molded the rice, placed the huge shrimp and artfully dribbled the chutney. As seen at left (somewhat desaturated photos). And a teeny wedge of lime. The shrimp was very good, and the rice was not to bad either. This is a fairly new restaurant in Charlieville, Central Trinidad, close to home and all halaal.

Well, maybe someone who tasted Group C can post somewhere. Some of that stuff looked really good. Caribbean ratatouille from Botticelli’s? Curry Crab ravioli from Battimamzelle? Anyone?

Dessert was a choice of ice cream or cheesecake - Ponche Creme, Piña Colada and Black Forest. Only the latter had alcohol (weird ent? of all the ones to be alchohol-free…), so we took a Ponche Creme and Piña Colada straight home. They were good. Creamy and nice flavours.

From our hurried forays through the parts of the complex that were open to the public, it seemed like there were many substantial food stalls - Bake and Shark, Doubles etc winners of the showdowns. There were the usual marketing stalls - Kraft, Crix etc. It was enough to spend a several hours tasting. But having spent the TT $300 on each Gourmet Ticket, we spent our precious minutes gathering up that food, thankfully not too far from each other. Or worse, like last year when the groups themselves were split across the Complex.

Decor and Entertainment

This year like the last, the decor was by Brian MacFarlane. I really like the colour combination last year - the oranges and golds were very evening-festive. This year he did it in white. White flags, and bridges, and white pierrot grenades, drummers and dancers. I don’t have any photos of it; since Sarina was there in daylight, look out for her pictures! There were also these old classic cars on display - as wedding transportation. And the musical entertainment was varied and constant on 3 different stages (hence the not being able to hear people talk). When we walked in there was an Alternative Quartet - string instruments playing a variety of genres, and very well. I liked them. They were followed by Arabian dancers, waving and glittering their way through the crowd. All quite festive.

I am glad that this year there seemed to be a lot more to enjoy for those who didn’t want the Gourmet (expensive) experience. I only wish we’d had time to sample that part of it. Good thing I am a Trini and know these foods…but next time…ooh next time. Lilandra said we should have got a room in town so we could have stayed really late and then still get to the Canadian High Commission at the crack of dawn without the extra driving…and lack of sleep… Now that would have really been a gourmet” experience. Maybe if I was doing this thing with an expense account

I greatly appreciate the comments and votes here and on my Flickr, but since I have only a few hours, and Bee herself is rushing me here it is! My closeup of cooked brown lentils in a bowl. I used a wooden chopping board as my base, and a knife block as the background. Loaded the lentils into a bowl from our Asian set, and ran into the back to snag a few leaves of bandhania. Used my favourite kitchen window light et voila!

As always I am running late (I have one more day!), but fortunately during my long weekend home, Mom made lentils. Cooked with onions, garlic, chives (sive), bandhania and probably a bit of browning and whatnot.

Yummy eaten with rice and stewed chicken. I ate it in the airport waiting for my flight back to Guyana.

I garnished with some leaves of bandhania/chadon beni fresh from the garden for green and because it’s my favourite herb.

If anyone has any preference, I would love to hear it! I’ll edit the post when I(we) have decided. And thanks to anyone who feels like participating in yet another of my rushed blog-event submissions

This was a completely unexpected trip to T&T - I only realised I could be here on Wednesday, so unlike the Trini Gourmet, I don’t have any fancy scans of gourmet tickets…We plan to head there in time for free entry and then scout for tickets and enjoyment.

I hope there are enough veggie or seafood alternatives, and local food of course. You can read my review from last year’s Taste, which was a great night out, especially since I got to meet the Trini Gourmet herself I am not going to prejudge this year’s event, but I do have to say from the outset that since my excited post in March, I cannot recall reading or seeing much about the Taste online. I wonder then, if this is a plan to draw in tourists to come specifically for the event, how was that going to work. I will admit, that I could be at fault in having missed the campaign, but the truth is - this is how I keep up with home, online, so something must have been missing. I didn’t even read about the Pot Spoon Throwdown until after the fact; did I miss the reports? The fanfare?

But onto the present!! In a few hours, we head to Port of Spain to taste, meet and greet, lime, take pictures and notes in our heads!

Today.

The theme for the month of April (which ends today, I know) is Au Naturel! And, my entry…the lovely POMMERAC, ready-to-eat, unprocessed and untreated. Delicious. And pretty, with the redness and the whiteness next to each other. And the furry centre.

Pommerac is the French patois name in T&T. Also called Jamoon in Trinidad. Known as Malay Apples. These are much more fibrous in texture than an apple, not crunchy, but with high water content. Different taste, however, that I haven’t figured out how to describe! Latin name: Syzygium malaccense.

In Jamaica they call it an otaheite apple (ignore what other people call the otaheite apple). From a comment on my Flickr I was advised that they call it Ponmdo in creole Martinique, Pomme d’eau in French. In Guadeloupe it’s called Pomme Malaka. As it’s not really sweet they say also “acre” and in creole that word is “rak“. That becomes Ponmrak or Pommerac if you turn it Frenchy (according to jendayee).

UPDATE (6 May 2008): From a comment left by Trinikreyol on my Flickr:

Ok i am a trini and i speak creole also known as patois, i can give you an explanation of the word pommerac. In trinidad unlike martinique and guadeloupe our creole has been strongly influenced by spanish. The word pommerac comes from a combination of the words pomme which is french for apple and the spanish word maracas which is what some trinis call shack-shack. The fruit does look like the instrument as well as an apple! Hence the name!

Some other shots.