Long time patrons of Trinidad’s first national airline BWIA, and its more recent incarnation Caribbean Airlines, are familiar with its highly respected inflight publication “Caribbean Beat”. However did you know that before that there was the “Caribbean Beachcomber”? A joint effort between BWIA, LIAT, Air Jamaica, the Jamaica Air Service, the Caribbean Travel Association and the Hilton International Company, Caribbean Beachcomber took a distinctly ‘connoisseur’ approach to Caribbean life and activities. Its pages a clear reminder that this was a time when air travel was still not a regular occurrence for many.

As the daughter of a man who spent most of his life committed to Trinidad’s aviation efforts I have been surrounded by BWIA memorabilia all of my life. This particular 1969 issue of Caribbean Beachcomber was devoted to the food of this region and for that reason I thought more than a few of you would enjoy a look back at a time which is now relegated to nostalgia, as well as the recipes (both classic and forgotten) of that era.

Since 2010 I have been sharing bits and pieces of this issue, as I cook my way through it. A round-up post of the entries to date, is long overdue!

Posts To Date In The Caribbean Beachcomber Series

• Caribbean Food Overview
• Caribbean Kitchen Magic: A Food and Drink How-To Introduction
• Vichyssoise Creole (recipe)
• That Big Fat Banana Is A Plantain! (recipes)
• Bluebeard’s Rum Custard Pudding (recipe)
• Fruit & Vegetables: A Succulent Variety (page 1)
• Pepperpot at the Barbados Hilton
• Sebastians On The Waterfront, St. Thomas
• Bridgetown Market, Barbados (video)
• Rumona Liqueur
• Broiled Banana Cake (recipe)
• Ackee

Belly full now? Sit back and enjoy this classic commercial for that now defunct part of our aviation history. It really brings back the memories!

This post was originally published August 9, 2010. It has been updated once since then.

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 could easily get cloying).

The method outlined below is true to form to how most Punch de Creme is made here. I’ve received some comments about heating the egg mixture vs. not. By all means follow the method that gives you the most peace of mind. I’ve never gotten sick and I’ve never met anyone whose gotten sick, or read about anyone getting sick, but again, everyone and everywhere is different I’m not gonna lambaste either approach.

No Punch de Creme post would be complete without a reference to the late Lord Kitchener’s classic calypso “Drink Ah Rum (and a Punch de Creme)”. Here it is!

Ponche De Creme
——————————————————————————–

Ingredients:

6 eggs
3 cups evaporated milk
12 oz. sweetened condensed milk
1.5 cups rum (preferably white)
2 teaspoons Angostura bitters
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon lime juice
grated nutmeg

Directions:

1. Beat eggs with lime juice until light and fluffy

2. Add evaporated milk
3. Sweeten to taste with condensed milk.
4. Add bitters, grated nutmeg, extract and rum according to taste.

5. Strain
6. serve with crushed ice.

Serves 12

Spelling Variations: Ponch de Crema, Punch a Creme, Ponche de Creme

This recipe is an exclusive TriniGourmet original. Please do not share it or post it to your site without crediting TriniGourmet.com.
This entry was originally published on December 14, 2006. It has been updated three times since then.

As promised, here is a recipe for Paime (pron. PAY-me)! Paime is basically a sweet version of the savoury pastelle. I only recently discovered that Paime is also a traditional Xmas dish. Well that explains why it seemed I never could find it lol! No one in my family makes this traditionally, so I have only been offered/given it by acquaintances of myself or my family. It is definitely a favorite of mine, being sweet (yet not candyish) and slightly chewy in texture (like a pone). Thanks to Titilayo I now know that in Barbados they also have a dish that is similar to paime, but they call it conkie and eat it around the time of Guy Fawkes day (who knew anyone in the Caribbean observed it!). Unlike paime it includes milk, flour and eggs. Jamaica also has a similar dish to Paime, but there they call it by several different names, some of which are Tie-A-Leaf, Blue Drawers (no don’t ask me why!), and Duckanoo …. we’re an interesting lot us Caribbean types!

Paime (from theThe Naparima Girls’ High School Cookbook)

Ingredients:

1 grated coconut
1 lb. cornmeal
1 tsp. black pepper
2 tsp. salt
4 oz. dried fruit
banana leaves
1 lb. pumpkin
1 oz. shortening
1 oz. margarine
sugar to taste (I used 1 1/2 cups)
1/2 pt. water
twine for tying

Directions:

1. Grate coconut and pumpkin (I decided to try out this cassava farine that includes coconut, sugar and spices. It worked out quite well!)

2. Add all other ingredients
3. Stir in enough water to make a dough of dropping consistency (I think 2 1/2 – 3 cups in all will do)

4. Wipe banana leaves and heat them to make them pliable (or use foil if you’re lazy like me )
5. Cut into pieces about about 8″ by 8″
6. Place about 2 tbsp. mixture on each piece

7. Roll up, fold over and tie. (Click here for a video on how to fold the leaf/foil)

8. Place in boiling water and boil for about 20-30 minutes.

9. Test one to see if it has set, if not, cook for a longer period of time, depending on size of paime.

Makes 12 paimes

Spelling variations: paimee, paimie

This post was first published December 15, 2006. It has been updated twice since then.

One of Trinidad’s seasonal delights, pastelles are a steamed cornmeal pie wrapped in banana leaves and filled with stewed meat, olives, and raisins. I’ve been told that they are very similar to Latin American tamales, and indeed Venezualan foodblogger Tomasnomas has a link to the exact same dish, referring to it on his blog as Tamal Navideño. It makes me so happy that this dish is yet another cultural tie that our geographic neighbour shares with us, despite our language differences

On this page you will find two approaches towards pastelles. Firstly there is the traditional meat-based recipe for pastelles which comes from Wendy Rahamut of Caribbean Gourmet and author of Modern Caribbean Cuisine and Caribbean Flavors the second is decidedly non-traditional yet and was developed in response to the many requests I have gotten through the years for a vegetarian alternative.

Up until now most of the local attempts at a meat-free pastelle have used soya mince or lentils as fillings and, at the risk of causing offense, I have usually found them rather underwhelming. We’re a creative people, surely we could come up with something exciting, something that would make meat-eaters want seconds for themselves, something a little more Caribbean Glam! Yet I myself, wasn’t sure what direction to go in.

It wasn’t until I received a copy of Taymer Mason‘s “Caribbean Vegan” that I realized what the missing link would be. In her book, Taymer takes on that most meat-centric of traditional Caribbean dishes, black pudding. Recreating something that most people would think of as impossible to do with nothing but plant based ingredients. Her secret weapon? Sweet potato! Shocked? So was I. When combined with browning, the potato (grated finely) takes on the color and texture of high quality ground meat. The bitterness of the browning turns the potato into an ingredient more savory than sweet, and heightens the silky feel. I knew that this approach would be the one to create a vegan pastelle filling that would both amaze and delight. Because the base of this recipe is naturally milder in profile it needs to be more strongly seasoned. Feel free to adjust the balance and sweet and sour to suit your own preferences, in my original testings I omitted capers and used more raisins than olives. Again, shift the ratios to suit your own tastes. To date my taste testers have all given this recipe two hearty thumbs up and none were able to identify the ‘secret ingredient’. It sure was fun to see them try though I hope you enjoy it as well!

Note: I often get asked about fish pastelles. For fish pastelles I prefer working with steamed and shredded mild white fish. Tuna is a common choice but I find that it often imparts a dry, harsh quality to the pastelle. Taking the extra time to steam and shred white fish lends to a much moister and delicately flavoured result. It can then be combined with the remaining ingredients of the meat-based filling.

Also, for those with problems with the cornmeal coming together. It’s very important to use hot water otherwise the cornmeal will not swell adequately. The original recipe called for lukewarm, but I have modified it to reflect my own practice.

Trinidadian Beef/Chicken Pastelles

To prepare fig leaves, steam them in a large pot of boiling water for ten minutes until they become pliable and soft. They may also be softened by waving them over an open flame. You can also use sheets of tin foil.

Cornmeal dough and pastelle assembly

Ingredients

2 cups yellow cornmeal
3 cups hot water
1/2 cup butter
1 1/4 tsp salt

1. In a food processor or by hand, combine cornmeal with butter and salt.
2. Add water and process to make a soft, pliable dough.
3. Divide the dough into 12 balls. Cover with a damp cloth to prevent drying.
4. Place one piece of dough on a greased fig leaf and press into an eight-inch square.
5. Spoon two tablespoons of filling onto the middle of the dough and fold and seal pastelles.
6. Wrap in fig leaf and tie into a neat package. (you can also use foil)
7. Steam pastelles for 45 minutes until cooked.

Makes 12-15 pastelles.

Chicken and Beef pastelle filling

1 lb chopped beef and chicken, chicken only, or beef only
2 onions, finely chopped
2 tbs olive oil
1 cup chopped chives
1/4 cup chopped fresh thyme
2 pimento peppers, chopped
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1 tbs chopped celery
1/2 Congo pepper, seeded and chopped (optional)
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp salt
1/4 cup tomato sauce
4 tbs capers
3 tbs stuffed olives, sliced
1/4 cup raisins
2 tbs fresh thyme

1. Combine beef with chicken. Add salt and black pepper.
2. Add a quarter-cup chopped chives and one tablespoon thyme.
3. In a large saute pan heat olive oil.
4. Add onion and garlic. Saute until fragrant.
5. Add pimento peppers, remaining chive, pepper and thyme.
6. Add meat and cook until brown.
7. Add tomato sauce, cover and simmer for about 15 minutes.
8. Add raisins, capers and olives and stir to combine.
9. Cook for about five minutes more. Taste and adjust seasoning.
10. Add two tablespoons fresh thyme and stir to combine.

11. Remove from heat and cool.
12. Prepare dough as in recipe above and fill and fold pastelles as indicated.

Makes 12-15 pastelles.

Sarina’s Vegan Sweet Potato Pastelles

Ingredients:
2 1/2 cups finely grated sweet potato
2 medium-large onions, minced
1 cup chopped chives
2 pimento peppers, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon dried thyme
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp salt

1 tablespoon olive oil

3 tablespoons chopped olives
1/4 cup raisins

1/4 cup water
3 tablespoons margarine
1 tablespoon browning
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon tomato paste

Method:

1. Combine first 8 ingredients (sweet potato through salt) in large mixing bowl.
2. Heat olive oil over medium heat
3. Add potato mixture, sauté for 5 minutes.
4. Turn off heat
5. Add water, margarine, browning, brown sugar and tomato paste.
6. Stir to combine.
7. Add raisins and olives.
8. Stir to combine.
9. Taste and adjust seasonings (especially salt and pepper) to suit.
10. Proceed to fill pastelles as above

Want even more Pastelle related info?

Why not check out the following two links from fellow Trini Food Blogger ‘Can Cook Must Cook’!

• Can Cook Must Cook provides two additional recipes for Trinidadian pastelles
• Can Cook Must Cook provides an interesting history of the Trinidadian pastelle

This post was originally published November 27, 2006. It has been updated twice since then.

Christmas in Trinidad is a diverse multicultural affair. Not just for the Christian population, but also through the secular participation of the nation at large through the enjoyment of our local christmas songs (called parang) and especially the creation and consumption of our traditional Christmas foods. No Christmas in Trinidad would be complete without some rum-soaked black cake cold thick Punch de Creme, piping hot pastelles or a cold refreshing glass of sorrel.

Sorrel, made from the sepals, of the sorrel flower is fruity and fragrant. I have fond memories of sitting at my aunt’s feet as a child, helping her to handpick the flowers. The seed of the sorrel is covered with fine prickly hairs that eventually find their way into the pads of your fingers. They are not painful but definitely annoying! A friend once told me that the petals are quite delicious raw with some salt. At first I thought she was insane but once I tried it I was hooked.

Similar in taste to hibiscus tea, sorrel becomes even more heavenly with the addition of rum Made properly your sorrel should be thick and syrupy. Fear not, just dilute it with some cold water or club soda when serving.

Recipe:

1 cup dried sorrel petals
1 tablespoon cloves
piece of dried orange peel
Brown sugar syrup (1 cup water + 1 lb brown sugar boiled together)
Dark rum, optional

1. Boil 2 quarts of water.
3. Once water is boiling, add sorrel, orange peel and cloves.
4. Boil for 30 minutes.
5. Cover tightly and steep overnight.
6. Strain and add sugar syrup and rum (optional) to taste.
7. Chill and serve.

Makes 4 servings

This recipe is an exclusive TriniGourmet original. Please do not share it or post it to your site without crediting TriniGourmet.com. A link back to our site is not necessary but always appreciated

This post was originally published November 22, 2006. It has been updated twice since then.

*Sorrel flowers are harvested around November and December. For those not in the Caribbean they can be purchased pre-packaged from Caribbean or African stores.

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 the recipe that one grew up with. In this case my black cake comes from my aunt, who also uses this recipe to make grooms’ cakes for weddings (in Trinidad these are also traditionally black cake).

You’ll notice the insane amount of liquour that goes into this dessert. Not only does that make the final cake unbelievably moist it also renders it virtually ageless. My aunt makes a batch of these at xmas time, keeps them in ‘old time cake tins’ and even in July and August we are still eating the remnants!

Trinidad Black Cake

Ingredients:

Cake:

1 lb unsalted butter (use margarine for pareve)
1 lb sugar
8 eggs
1 tsp lemon essence
2 tsp lime rind (zested)
2 tsp almond essence
2 tsp vanilla
1 lb all-purpose flour (use 1/2 cassava flour + 1/2 lb rice flour for gluten-free)
4 tsp baking powder
2 tsp mixed spice
1/2 tsp grated nutmeg

Fruit Base:

1 lb pitted prunes
1 lb raisins
1 lb currants
1 bottle cherry brandy
1 bottle rum and/or Bailey’s
2 tbsp Angostura bitters

Browning:

1 lb brown sugar
1/2 cup boiling hot water

Have on Hand:

1 more bottle of rum

Method:

Three to Five Days Before:

Up to 5 days before you make the cake, chop up all the fruits for the fruit base. Place in a large bowl, pour in Angostura bitters, cherry brandy and rum (I use Bailey’s when I have extra $$$ and it really makes it extra special ). Leave in a cool corner, covered, to soak up the liquor. As I said 3-5 days before is the best option, 24 hours minimum if you must be ‘so last-minute’!

On the Day Of:

Blend Fruit Base:

I pour the soaked fruit and juices into a blender and blend until thick and still a bit chunky (like tomato sauce). Note: If you have been macerating your fruit for a minimum of a month in advance you can skip this step

Prepare Browning:

Burn sugar until caramelized, add hot water gradually. Mix well and leave to cool.
Please be extra careful at this stage as a ‘browning’ burn is NOT a fun thing!

Once that is done…

1. Preheat oven to 250F (no that’s not a typo)
2. Cream the butter and sugar.
3. Add eggs one at a time, mixing to incorporate
4. Add lemon essence, lemon zest, almond essence and vanilla
5. Mix and sift flour, baking powder, mixed spice and nutmeg.
6. Gradually add sifted ingredients to creamed mixture
7. Mix in fruit base puree and ‘browning’
8. Pour batter into greased tins that have been doubly lined with brown paper or parchment paper
9. Bake for 3 hours
10. Once removed from the oven soak the tops with equal portions of the remaining bottle of rum. Don’t be surprised if the top of the cake starts to look pale and ‘weird’. Kinda like below

Believe me, after several hours, and definitely by the next day all that alcohol will be absorbed and you will finally understand how this cake got its name!

NOTE: For those who avoid alcohol for religious or personal reasons, soaking can be done using grape or apple juice! Thanks to Chennette for that tip! You can find her recipe for non-alcoholic halaal Trinidad Black cake here.

This post was originally published November 26, 2006. It has been updated three times since.

What 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’ is the present Trinidadian interpretation of the Spanish word, parranda . Parranda is the action of merrymaking and also refers to the group of carousers who serenade their friends throughout the year. The word parranda in general Spanish is used mainly in the expression andar de parranda, which in the modern Trinidadian vernacular is ‘to go paranging,’ akin to the Venezuelan parrandear, meaning not only merrymaking in the original sense, but also ‘liming’ or enjoying oneself, with or without music, moving from place to place with no time limit in mind. (Moodie-Kublalsingh 1994, 65-66).

Growing up parang meant two women in particular, Daisy Voisin and Sharlene Flores. Daisy Voisin was the Grande Dame of Parang and no one will ever touch or claim her crown, I think all would agree. Her voice and passion for the music have not been matched and it really is a shame that more has not been done to document her life, her performances, and her artistic legacy. I am really glad to be in possession of one of the last CDs she made before her death in 1991. Fortunately through the magic of YouTube we never have to be without her voice or image

For more on Daisy Voisin:
• Alexandra “Daisy” Voisin – de Queen of Parang (TnT Island)
• Daisy Voisin (Wikipedia)

Unlike Daisy, Sharlene Flores was the ambassadress of a new musical hybrid ‘parang soca’. Distinguished by English lyrics and a more secular message she put a fresh young face onto the art form. I haven’t really heard her much from her since the 80′s, and those songs from my childhood still remain her most popular, becoming local standards.

For more on Sharlene Flores:
• Sharlene Flores (Wikipedia)

In the past 2 decades the lines between carnival soca and parang soca have become increasingly blurred. The parang soca of Sharlene Flores’ day seems downright languid compared to the faster rhythms of today’s fete joints. first by melding calypso rhythms to become parang soca, and most recently by incorporating classical Indian rhythms and tonalties to form ‘chutney parang soca’. Much like our cuisine, the possibilities for musical fusion seem endless!

The current Queen of Parang Soca for the past decade or more has definitely been Marcia Miranda! This song brings to mind the roving bands of parang singers (parangderos) that used to be very popular criss-crossing the country. You’d welcome them into your home and they would sing in exchange for food and drink. Pretty similar to Christmas carollers I suppose. I haven’t seen them as much in recent years, but I know that they are still going strong in many communities around the country. Unfortunately however, as the below video demonstrates, it seems Marcia’s vistors left with a whole lot more!

So far I have been focusing on the ladies of parang and you would be forgiven if you thought there were no men. The fact is that the men in recent years have not been as prominent, however for many decades the Lara Brothers ruled as Parang’s Kings (alongside Daisy’s Queen).

The men of parang today are much more likely to be found in its more lucrative hybrids. Parang soca is pretty much owned by Scrunter.

And for chutney parang you need look no further than Neeshan Prabhoo

Wikipedia has a pretty exhaustive entry on the parang genre as does the National Library and Information Service of Trinidad and Toabgo

So, there we have it. Christmas as Parang. It could only happen in Trinidad!

Over the following days I will be sharing the following with you (links will automatically update as each post goes live ) …

TriniGourmet’s Official Christmas Recipe Round-Up!

• Trinidad Black Cake
• Sorrel
• Sorrel Rum Punch
• Ginger Beer
• Ginger Beer (quick)
• Pastelles
• Paime
• Punch de Creme/Punch a Creme/Ponch de Crema

This post was originally published December 7th, 2006. It has been updated once since then.

Top 10 Soup Recipes on TriniGourmet.com

	1. Trinidad Corn Soup with Cornmeal Dumplings (recipe) Corn soup is a street food favorite here in Trinidad, especially at carnival time when vendors ply large pots of it that they spoon into styrofoam cups outside of fetes and clubs.
	2. Trinidad Callaloo (vegetarian recipe) Callaloo is a fond memory for many Trinidadians, myself included,
	3. Best Ever Lentil Soup (recipe) Don’t you just love when a recipe has superlatives built right into the title? This recipe for ‘Best Ever Lentil Soup’ was one that came bundled with my copy of MacGourmet and comes from the beautiful vegan blog Vegalicious.
	4. French Onion Soup (recipe) The most labour intensive part of this recipe is the browning of the onions which takes almost an hour. The results are well worth it though. The onions become melt in your mouth, and decadently sweet and flavourful.
	5. Black Bean Soup with Cilantro Pesto (recipe) Without a doubt this is definitely one of the best bean soup recipes that I have tried.
	6. Homemade Tomato Soup (recipe) This recipe from Michael Chiarello is one of my all-time faves for tomato soup. It is so simple and easy to put together.
	7. Creamy Broccoli Soup (recipe) Another hearty soup that I prepared on a damp, rainy night. It’s so thick and creamy no one will believe it’s also dairy-free! And, I can imagine that if there are kids or adults out there who usually don’t like broccoli this is a great way to sneak it to them as well!
	8. Easy Vegan Spicy Peanut Soup with Fresh Mung Bean Sprouts (recipe) Made on a rainy night, this spicy vegan peanut soup was a cinch to throw together. The flavours of peanut and ginger combine to create a spicy, sweet and silky texture and the crisp, cool crunch of the bean sprouts prevents the overall flavour profile from ever becoming cloying. This is a rather non-traditional (in this part of the world) take on comfort food. Although I used supermarket
	9. Butternut Squash Bisque (recipe) I’m a huge fan of soups, especially thick creamy soups, so this butternut squash bisque was right up my alley.
	10. Butternut Squash Soup with Ginger (recipe) Adapted from a recipe in Bon Appetitmagazine, this warm and creamy soup became an instant classic in my home and graced the table at 2009′s Passover Seder.

5 More Soup Recipes from my favourite Food Blogs!

1. Breakfast Miso Soup (Morsels & Musings) 2. Avoglemono (House of Lime) 3. Italian Onion and Bean Soup with Parmesan Toast (Lisa’s Kitchen) 4. Hot and Sour Soup(Simply Recipes) 5. Indonesian Carrot Soup (Food Blogga)

And, if you want even more ideas. Here are 5 Soup Cookbooks, handpicked for your enjoyment

	1. Enlightened Soups: More Than 135 Light, Healthy, Delicious and Beautiful Soups in 60 Minutes or Less If one food conjures up comfort, it is homemade soup. A dose of serenity sipped from a spoon, soup is as comforting as home itself. Homemade soup also comes close to being the perfect meal: easy to make, naturally low in fat, rich with nutrients, and convenient and economical, it is a superfood from most every perspective. That’s the heart and soul of Enlightened Soups.
	2. New England Soup Factory Cookbook: More Than 100 Recipes from the Nation’s Best Purveyor of Fine Soup Druker, executive chef and co-owner of Massachusetts eatery the New England Soup Factory, joins veteran Boston-based food writer Silverstein to weave personal stories of the region with mouthwatering recipes in this instant classic, a must-have for soup lovers.
	3. Saved By Soup: More Than 100 Delicious Low-Fat Soups To Eat And Enjoy Every Day Soup seems to revive the spirit even as it contents the stomach. In Judith Barrett’s case, it also helped her lose 10 pounds. These low-fat and reasonably low-calorie soups, she claims, provided filling comfort as she cut back on calories and on the overall quantity she ate, helping her lose weight and keep it off.
	4. The Best Soups in the World The ultimate soup cookbook-from James Beard Cookbook of the Year award-winning author Clifford Wright Soup is an affordable, popular dish the world over. In The Best Soups in the World, renowned food scholar and cookbook author Clifford Wright compiles the globe’s most delicious soups into a single collection, exploring the history and cultural significance of each recipe along the way. Perfect for cooks at any level of experience, the book includes traditional American and thrilling international flavors alike-from Old-Fashioned Chicken Noodle to Thai Mushroom and Chile to Mexican Roasted Poblano and Three Cheese to Tuscan White Bean.
	5. Cooking Light Cook’s Essential Recipe Collection: Soup: 57 essential recipes to eat smart, be fit, live well (the Cooking Light.cook’s ESSENTIAL RECIPE COLLECTION) Ah, the comforting allure of soup, as brought to you by the creative experts at the Cooking Light Test Kitchens. With 56 easy-to-follow soup recipes, this new cookbook is as beautiful as it is practical; a handy reference for delicious recipes that are nutritious as well as satisfying. Sure to be well-thumbed, its smaller size and hardcover design lend themselves to frequent perusing and planning. This attractive volume will be a “must have” for beginning and seasoned cooks alike.

This post was originally published July 3, 2010. It has been updated once since then.

I see plenty of recipes for accra in West Indian Cookbooks but often they bear little resemblance to Trinidad Accra. My Jamaican mother tells me that what she knows as accra is a saltfish fritter, flat, fried brown. Here in Trinidad however accra is a puffy fried dough ball, made of a highly seasoned dough into which shredded saltfish has been mixed. I’ve had it at weddings, gatherings, and of course bought it from street vendors. This recipe comes together quite quickly once the saltfish has been boiled and picked. For those of you who hate the time-intensive shredding I found that after the initial picking apart to remove the bones (and boneless saltfish is also available) by adding the chunks to a food processor/chopper for a few seconds of pulsing I was able to get a bowl of perfectly shredded saltfish, and no one is any the wiser. Aren’t shortcuts great?

February 20,2009 ETA: Need to be gluten-free or cooking for someone who is? I’ve now adapted this recipe for gluten-free flours. Enjoy!

Trinidad Saltfish Accra
——————————————————————————–

INGREDIENTS:

1 egg
1 small onion, finely chopped
1/2 lb boneless saltfish
1/2 cup water
1 tablespoon pepper sauce
1 1/4 cup flour (1 cup rice flour + 1/4 cup gluten-free white flour for gluten-free version)
1 tsp vegetable oil
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 cup water (inc. to 1 cup for gluten-free version)
1/4 cup finely chopped spring onions
1 tsp italian seasoning
Freshly ground black pepper
Pepper and salt to taste

METHOD:

1. Boil saltfish in sauce pan for a few minutes in 6 cups of water.
2. Throw out the water and boil for a second time in a new 4 cups of water for 30 minutes

3. Check to see how salty the fish is. If it is overly salty you will need to boil it a third time
4. Use a fork to shred salt fish, you can also use your fingers or a food processor

5. Mix all the ingredients in a bowl and stir vigorously until the batter gets thick. Let batter rest for 30 minutes.

6. Teaspoonfuls of batters should be deep fried over moderate heat, until golden brown

7. Ensure that the inside of the fish cakes are well-cooked and the outside is not burnt before it is cooked
8. Carefully monitor the heat
9. Use absorbent kitchen paper to drain the fish cakes on

10. Serve hot with pepper sauce.

For more Caribbean Recipes check out the Caribbean Cooking section of Veni Mangé – the Trinigourmet Amazon Bookstore.

Makes 6 servings

This post was originally published on February 2nd, 2007. It has been updated twice since then.

Alternative terms: acra, akra, saltfish cakes

Several years ago, the UK based Trini food blogger Can Cook Must Cook posted on “Those Disappearing Pleasures”, the snacks of her childhood which no longer appear on Trini shop shelves. Out of the names she called I could only recognize ‘rock cake’. Bellyful? Shaddock Candy? Kaser Balls? Wha dat?

This made me more than a little sad. Apparently many of these items fell out of favour as Trinidad grew into the heady rush of prosperity that was the oil boom of the 1970s and early 80s. Our tastes turned outward and American advertising influences and shopping sprees took their toll on the local cornershop.

It was at this time that a local lady by the name of Sylvia Hunt hosted an immensely popular and long-running cooking television show and published several cookbooks. For lack of a better analogy Sylvia Hunt was the Julia Child of Trinidad. I only have vague memories of watching her cooking show “At Home with Sylvia Hunt” and wanting to contact her P.O.Box for recipes, except I had no clue what a P.O. box was so I used to dial (remember those?) the P.O. box numbers onto the phone instead LOL! Even as a young child I was attracted to her warm, charismatic persona and soothing voice. She had a way of making every dish seem undaunting, approachable, and effortless. Unfortunately no reruns of her shows appear, nor do any substantial photos or citations exist online. A shameful gap in our indigenous media and culinary heritage.

Although to the untrained eye local snacks may still appear plentiful aloo pies, tamarind balls, chip-chip to name a few, it also seems that there have been many casualties of industrialization and foreign influence. As thebookmann blogged in his entry “Green Paw Paw Balls and Paradise Plum”, even those things we currently take for granted are continuing to die in the face of commercial apathy. As American-styled fast food continues to establish itself as a permanent food group and women (and men) are less able to spend as much time in the kitchen learning and passing on the tastes of their own childhood, the gap between our past and future grows ever wider.

Unfortunately Sylvia Hunt’s own cookbooks disappeared from the shelves almost as quickly as they appeared, amidst a royalty battle between her surviving relatives after her death. This dealt a severe blow to those of us who came of age much later on and want to learn about and prepare these dishes, having never tasted or seen them first-hand. The Naparima Girls Cookbook has been a great stop-gap measure, however the relatively contemporary nature of its debut is reflected in its table of contents.

Now that our economic boom has receded, double digit inflation is nipping at our pockets and we are all looking for more economical ways to prepare food I think more than ever we need to revisit the ghosts of our culinary past to restore some balance to our lives and national identities. Upon starting this site in 2006 I made it my mission to one day own a copy of Sylvia Hunt’s “Proud Legacy of Our People”. I wanted to give her recipes a shot, the way she knew them, and to share those experiences with Trinis and the world alike. The search was much harder than I expected though. Not only were library copies unavailable the only two people who I were aware had copies were both unreceptive to my requests for assistance (sigh). The past 5 years only brought up 2 ‘hits’ where online auctions and second-hand book sales were concerned as well. One auction had closed before I got to it and well that second hand book went for almost $200 USD! (eep). Still, I felt calmly confident that someday I would have a copy in my hands.

That ‘someday’ arrived last month when my father handed me a package that had arrived from St. Vincent! Last year a reader on that island had offered to copy her edition for me and I had shared my contact information with her. I am always touched when someone reaches out to me and I don’t hold a grudge or ‘remind’ them if I don’t hear back. I know lives are busy and circumstances/priorities change so the gesture alone is appreciated. So, I was quite shocked when I opened the package and saw in my hands my own copy of Sylvia Hunt’s “Proud Legacy of Our People”! You’ll forgive me I’m sure if I also add that the enormity of the moment and effort also brought tears to my eyes. Thanks so much ‘C’, you have no idea what this means to me! *bighugs*

I think it’s quite significant that Hunt named one of her books “Proud Legacy Of Our People”, she championed our culinary traditions for much of her life and it is a true loss that several generations have now grown up without any ability to access her works or knowledge of her life. Flipping through the pages I am struck by titles such as Topi Tambu Pie’, ‘Breadfruit Spaghetti’, ‘Granadilla Ice Cream’, ‘Calypso Marmalade’ (made from cucumbers) and ‘Covity Pocham’.

From the Back Cover:

The name SYLVIA HUNT is synonymous with good cooking. As teacher, caterer, television personality she has for many decades been compiling, creating and collecting recipes that represent the cultural heritage of the people of Trinidad and Tobago.

Her great love for the culinary traditions of our country has been manifest from an early age when an only child, she joined her mother, Mrs. Miriam Dryce in the family kitchen and learned to make her first sugar cake.

She also had the good fortune to grow up close to an aunt, Mrs. Lydia Gittens who specialised in old fashioned or traditional Home Economics, thus Sylvia Hunt was brought up with an appreciation of handiwork, from needlepoint to homemade wines.

This collection of recipes is a small part of the thousands of recipes she has created and collected in a lifetime dedicated to her country’s cooking heritage.

Where are those ‘thousands of recipes’ now?

As a graduate of Julia Child’s alma mater Smith College, I have in recent years keenly noted how Child’s legacy has been upheld and revered not just by the institution through it’s now annual Julia Child Day, but also the high regard with which the US mainstream and government treated her work. Not only are her programs still in rotation (on PBS and the Cooking Channel), but PBS also has a wonderfully exhaustive portal dedicated to her programs and works. Furthermore, the Smithsonian Institute painstakingly deconstructed and recreated her kitchen for permanent display at Washington DC’s National Museum of American History.

In sharp contrast, not only can I not tell you where Sylvia Hunt may have gone to school, not even a single clip of her shows can be found online (video recorders were not very prevalent in her heyday). Her programs have never replayed since their initial runs, and I have little reason to believe that they ever will. To rub salt in the wound, successive years of Taste Trinidad & Tobago have taken place without any acknowledgement of her name, face, or works and I would be shocked if she is mentioned in Home Economic classes today, as she wasn’t even when I was in High School. It’s a damn shame. It really is. Still I’d like to believe that she is in a way the grand dame of Trini food bloggers such as myself, Chennette, Trinifood and Caribbean Pot. We have all made nods and mention of her in one way or another, as has Trini beauty blogger Afrobella. Where institutional praise is non-existent I can only hope that what she inspired in each of us will be enough to keep her name and face around just a little bit longer.

Sylvia Hunt Bibliography:

HUNT, Sylvia – Menus for Festivals. (Port-of-Spain: Bank of Commerce Trust) 1989. Food. Nutrition. Festivals. Trinidad. A cookbook

HUNT, Sylvia – Sylvia Hunt’s Cooking: Proud Legacy of our People. (Cascade, Port-of-Spain: Superservice Printing Co) viii,58 pages pb, 1985. Food. Nutrition. Trinidad. A cookbook. LOC

HUNT, Sylvia – Sylvia Hunt’s Sweets: Proud Legacy of our People. (Port-of-Spain: Published by the Author) vi,37 pages, [ca 1985]. Food. Nutrition. Trinidad. A cookbook. LOC

This post was originally published on December 14, 2006. It has been updated twice since then.