As long-time readers of Trinigourmet would know, I am something of a porridge junkie. My own particular affinity is for cornmeal porridge, however that doesn’t mean that there aren’t a wide array of others that are familiar to the Caribbean home. In recent months I have had requests for green banana porridge (coming soon!) and in the last week I had my first experience with Cassava Porridge!... 

Cassava latkes, an idea so simple, so obvious, and yet so left-field, that if it wasn’t for a chance comment from Ramin Ganeshram a year ago on Twitter, I may never have thought of whipping up a batch! I had been on a cassava kick, trying to see how many uses I could find for my favourite provision, besides the tried and true. I had made Vichysoisse Creole, and Cassava porridge, and then, as... 

This entry is part 6 of 11 in the series Trini Christmas Punch de Creme, is another of Trinidad’s traditional Christmas drinks. One thing that I really like about punch de creme (as opposed to traditional eggnog) is the use of citrus flavors like lime and Angostura bitters (which has orange extract). This gives the ‘nog’ a fruity lightness that alleviates the sweet creaminess (which... 

This entry is part 1 of 11 in the series Trini Christmas Gluten-free Trinidad Black Cake (instructions for gluten-free, traditional, and halaal follow below) Like sorrel, Black Cake in Trinidad is a Christmas institution. Made predominantly of alcohol drenched prunes, currants and raisins, variations abound (and I love taste testing when we make the visiting rounds). Still, the best black cake is always... 

This entry is part 2 of 11 in the series Trini ChristmasWhat is Parang? Well Parang is the soundtrack to Christmas here in Trinidad. More than that however Parang is also a culture, a way of life that sweeps through my island after the lights of Eid and Divali have been put away. The What is Parang? webpage has a wonderful overview of the history and features of Trinidad Parang. ‘Parang’... 

I adore brownies, and I definitely don’t make them often enough. Although there are now dozens of variations on the brownie theme (even blondies), for emotional satisfaction I still find that nothing surpasses the simple all-chocolatey goodness of the original. This simple recipe from Everyday With Rachael Ray has stood the test of the time as I have made it several times since first posting... 

This post was first published February 8, 2009. It has been updated twice since then. What do you get when you combine Fried Eggplant with the skill and experience of a world class chef? These out of this world ‘Eggplant Cutlets’. Like many of the Mario Batali dishes that I have tried, this recipe provides rich flavour and a satisfying contrast in textures, through what appears as relatively... 

This cake is Dorie Greenspan’s take on tiramisu, but, as the title alludes, in cake form. When I first baked this dessert, back in 2009, it was also the first time that I’d worked with mascarpone. I instantly fell in love. It’s so light and smooth and reminds me clotted cream (a rather unhealthy indulgence of mine ) Like all of Dorie’s recipes, that I’ve tried to date,... 

This post was originally published on October 13, 2006. It has been updated twice since then. Bake is a popular breakfast bread here in Trinidad. Hearty by nature, its heavy crumb keeps you feeling satisfied for hours. Especially when taken with a savory topping. My version here, raises the fiber content through a healthy dose of wholewheat flour. Be sure to pay attention to the resting time and... 

Writing is a funny thing. Some days the words seem to flow effortlessly and other days it’s a struggle. I’ve spent the last few hours hemming and hawing around beginning this post and it really isn’t anything that complex or profound. If it wasn’t for the fact that it’s for an online event that ends today I probably would just leave it with the 1000+ drafts that I currently... 

This recipe’s origins lie in an impulsive purchase of starfruit (carambola) in 2007. Somehow I had an idea of using it to make a cheesecake topping but the cheesecake never materialized and I was stuck with the silly things in my vegetable drawer. Rather than let them go bad I pondered what else I could use it for. See I’ve been committing myself to not only recreating and sharing as... 

June 23rd is Corpus Christi in Trinidad and Tobago, a public holiday. According to Gov.TT: Corpus Christi is a long-standing tradition in our islands, going back to our pre-British occupation by the Catholic Spaniards. Though mainly observed by Roman Catholics, it is a designated public holiday. This special Feast Day is celebrated on the Thursday after Trinity Sunday, in commemoration of the institution... 

Like any good food blogger I have amassed a huge list of recipes from other bloggers that I plan to ‘try one day’. One of my very first ‘Fabulous Finds’ was this Buttermilk Cornbread recipe that I got from Radmila’s food blog ‘ Read More →

This quick and easy rum pudding is the next installment in my retro Caribbean Beachcomber series. The name is derived from the tales of a rather prolific aristocratic serial killer. I was not aware of Bluebeard or the stories before making this dish and I must say I am glad, because I am hard pressed to find a connection between the two and would rather not have such visions in my head while enjoying... 

Gnocchi Pomodoro (recipe linked below) Shavuot is an annual Jewish festival of dual significance. Agriculturally, it commemorates the time when the first fruits were harvested and brought to the Temple, historically, it also celebrates the giving of the Torah at Mount Sinai. To mark Shavuot I always prepare a dairy-based menu that incorporates honey in some form or fashion. This year Shavuot is... 

Chalk it up to my high functioning autism, or my devotion to High Fidelity, but I just LOVE making ‘best of’ and ‘top’ lists. This time around I’m making a list of my Fave 3 Caribbean baked goods for May. Why for June? Well no reason really, maybe cos my Top 3 is constantly evolving and changing. So this is just a snapshot really, hope you enjoy it 1. Wholewheat Bake... 

This entry is part 4 of 4 in the series Your Wedding, Your Way Sandwiches and soup go together so well that I had to mention them in this series. If you are having an evening wedding, sandwiches can form part of your appetizer course (cut as quarters). However, for a breakfast or lunch reception they can share the stage with your soup course, forming a light entrée all on their own (cut as halves).... 

It often happens that culinary inspiration hits me late at night. Although this is great for my confidence, it’s not so great for my waistline The other night, as I was relaxing to a new episode of Jersey Shore (don’t judge me!) I started to get a craving for fried goodness. Maybe it was the boardwalk scenes, maybe it was the platters of home fries, but before I knew it I started to... 

There is something about Sundays. The pace of life is slower, the roads are empty, the neighbourhood is quieter, and the sunshine seems slightly brighter. Sundays lend themselves to leisurely baking like no other day of the week. That’s why last Sunday I decided to make some Baking Powder Biscuits. These biscuits remind me a lot of those that you get at Kentucky Fried Chicken (at least the ones... 

Valentine’s Day is less than a month away, a time of year when it seems our chocolate consumption rises exponentially – whether or not we are in a relationship! My Valentine’s Day menu and tablescapes will be up in the next few days, until then, feast your eyes (and hopefully more) on the following Top Ten Chocolate Recipes on Trinigourmet I can definitely vouch that you will want...