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 it was Hanukkah, Ramin asked “Have you ever tried cassava latkes?”

Eureka! I mean why not? Cassava, like potato, is a starchy tuber. It’s a shoo-in! I immediately headed to the kitchen, grated my little heart away and half an hour later was munching on cassava latkes. In some ways I even prefer them to the traditional potato (imagines purists fainting at the very thought). Underneath the slightly sweet crispy exterior they retain that warm, slightly gooey texture that to me signals the best qualities of comfort food. Because cassava has a more neutral flavour than potatoes they respond well to slightly more aggressive seasoning, however if you prefer your latkes on the milder side that’s OK too. Serve them with the traditional sour cream, or if you like to venture to the spicier side of palate town, pair them with tamarind or mango chutney. Veni mangé!

Cassava Latkes

Makes 12 latkes

INGREDIENTS
3 cups peeled and grated cassava root (also sold as yuca and manioc)
1/2 cup grated onion
1/4 cup flour
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking powder
2 tbl chopped chadon beni/culantro (optional)
1/4 cup vegetable oil

TOPPINGS
Sour cream
tamarind chutney
mango chutney

METHOD
1. For crisp latkes you want to press as much liquid out of the grated cassavas and onions as possible. You can do this by pressing them against a strainer or colander with the back of a spoon, or by wrapping them in a clean dish tower (or 2 layers of paper towels) and squeezing vigorously.
2. Transfer the cassava and onion to a large bowl.
3. Stir in flour, baking powder, salt and chadon beni (if using).
4. Warm the oil on high heat in a large nonstick skillet.
5. Take 1/2 cup of batter per latke and drop into skillet.
6. Flatten with spatula.
7. Fry on both sides (about 5 min. per side) until brown and crisp.
8. Drain on paper towels.
9. Serve with suggested toppings.

This recipe is an exclusive TriniGourmet original. Please do not share it or post it to your site without crediting TriniGourmet.com and linking back to this site

This year Hanukkah falls from sundown December 20th – December 28th. Many people know this holiday as the Jewish ‘Festival Of Lights’ however it is also often mistakenly thought of as a Jewish equivalent of Christmas causing me to field many a puzzled look when someone wishes me a Happy Hanukkah around December 25th only to be made aware that it ended quite some time ago. Although there are times (like this year) when the two festivals do overlap it isn’t a regular occurrence.

Hanukkah cuisine is marked by an abundance of fried foods, all edible testimony to the story behind the festival.

I hope you will enjoy this listing and draw some inspiration from it for your table (or for the table of a friend if you are invited to a celebration)!

DECORATING/TABLESCAPES

Hanukkah Tablescape Ideas

APPETIZERS

Curried Potato ‘mini’-Latkes
Samosas
Trinidad Sahina
Trinidad Saltfish Accra
Trinidad Pholourie

BEVERAGES

Bubbly Guava-Ginger Ale

BREADS

Poori

DESSERTS

Trinidad Black Cake
Trinidad Kurma

ENTREES

Asian Crisp-Fried Noodles and Chili Vegetables
Caramelised Onion & Anchovy Tarts
Pan-Fried Snapper with Tomato Salsa

SIDES

Fried Okras
Oven-Crisped Potato Latkes
Pesto Latkes
Cassava Latkes (above!)

Ever since reaching out to readers on this site on a regular basis (both on Facebook and Twitter), I’ve found myself the welcome recipient of requests and suggestions on an ongoing basis. I am very grateful for these so keep ‘em coming! Today’s post is the direct result of one of those suggestions. It came via Twitter when a reader suggested that she’d love to see what ideas I have for simple, elegant tablescapes, especially coming from a Caribbean perspective.

This idea immediately resonated with me. My mom has been a a collector of design books all my life, and interior decor is definitely one of her passions. In fact I am currently writing this as the sounds of her watching HGTV float through the air I don’t know why it took me so long to seriously consider adding a design component to this site, but now that I have I must say that the process has left me feeling energized and excited you can look forward to many more in the coming year! Thanks @Dasheenbush !

So onto this Hanukkah tablescape I was inspired by the colours of the season blue and white. If you are looking for a metallic accent I suggest spare touches of silver -or- gold, however the key charm of this ensemble is to me its casual nature. For me at least, Hanukkah has always been a time of warmth and camaraderie, laughter and food. Don’t be afraid to forego a tablecloth (or to keep the one you use neutral). Mix and match tableware items (as long as they share a colour scheme) and keep your lighting accents simple and natural. Small votives placed in a hurricane jar or two will recall the miracle of light, while adding warmth to the table and leaving enough space for all your fare!

There’s no need for the festivities to stop when the table is cleared away either. A few symbolic pieces on a sidetable can make all the difference when it comes to changing the mood of your surroundings during any holiday season.

Need more ideas? Here are some items that I’ve handpicked to get you started

It’s December and the sounds of parang are filling the air around the clock. The streets are jam-packed and people have that frenzied look that comes with too much shopping still to do, and not enough time. Whether you are a Trini, or looking to add some twists to your traditional festivities, this tablescape is sure to have something Caribbean Glam for you

For this setting I was heavily influenced by the sounds of parang and colour of poinsettias. No cotton wool ‘snow’ scenes or ceramic Santas here. As a child growing up in the hills of the scenic Northern Range, my mother grew large poinsettia plants. As the temperatures would start to dip, it would trigger their leaves to flush bright red, a process I found endlessly fascinating. Red is also our national colour, and it ties in beautifully as well with the costumes of many paranderros. When dealing with a colour as strong as red you want to keep patterns and contrasts to a minimum. Work with subtle additions of gold (added here through a poinsettia centerpiece, votive candle holders and napkin rings). Patterned napkins work wonderfully with single-tone napkin rings, solid napkins with multi-toned rings.

As you’re enjoying the company of loved ones and great food put on some CDs of Trinidadian Christmas music, as well as music from the other islands, and light some strategic tea light candles. Having the cases on side tables is sure to trigger conversation, trips down memory lane and musical requests

Speaking of Caribbean Glam, I recently attended a local soireé that epitomized the concept. I include some images of that evening here as further inspiration for your own home entertaining this season.

The best holiday parties share a flair for ambience and flavour. With a table setting like the one above, it’s easy to see that this was a hole in one. Fluid gold detailing was the perfect frame for a menu which included stewed peas, caramelized plantains, mini pastelles, and some of the most delicious salmon I’ve had in recent memory. Dark earthen tones, allowed the lustre of the dishes to become even more evident under the glow of clean-burning oil votives. Warm tropical nights are made for congregating outdoors, and this evening was no exception. Enveloped by lush foliage guests mingled under gently flickering Japanese lanterns.

Continuing the theme of re-imagining and re-presenting local holiday delights the dessert course (prepared, as all the food was, by Khalid Mohammed’s Chaud) offered this surprising Biscotti with Pots de Punch de Creme which I am determined to reverse engineer for my own offerings *smile*. Punch de Creme in custard form? Yes please! Also turning up were squares of traditional Black Cake, made new when flanked by melt-in-your-mouth handmade marshmallows and macaroons.

Tomorrow is Divali in Trinidad and Tobago, a public holiday. Divali (also known as Diwali or Deepavali) is the Hindu festival of lights, and one of my favourite religious celebrations.

Growing up, much of the students at my prep school, including myself,would assemble on the evening of the Divali celebrations to help our Hindu classmates to fill and light the deyas and to take part in the puja which featured performances by our friends

To learn more about the meaning and history of this festival visit Divali on Wikipedia.

This year our menu will consist of the following. Recipes to follow!

• Chana Dal Soup (from The Ayurvedic Cookbook)
• Potato Roti (Aloo Puree)
• Pumpkin and Cashew Curry
• Roasted Cumin Raita
• Spicy Eggplant and Green Bean Curry
• Trinidad Barfi
• Trinidad Parsad

Divali celebrations are held throughout Trinidad at both private and public locations, and participation is not restricted to Hindu followers. One of my favourite locations to take in the lights is Adam Smith Square in Woodbrook. The cross-section of families and individuals from all walks of life always brings a smile to my face and reminds me of the Divali celebrations of my childhood. Last year I live tweeted video and pics of the festivities so be sure to follow me on Twitter if you’d like more of that this year Until then, here is a snippet of video that I took there in 2008

For more information on Divali in Trinidad:

* Divali Nagar on Facebook
* Divali Nagar website
* Divali Flickr Set

This post was first published October 2008, it has been updated twice since then.

This year the Jewish New Year, Rosh Hashana begins at sundown on September 28.

Normally at Rosh Hashana I have a rather fixed menu, sneaking in one or two new dishes for variety. Two years ago I decided to shake things up, discarding my customary Coconut-Raisin Challah with Supermarket Vegan: 225 Meat-Free, Egg-Free, Dairy-Free Recipes for Real People in the Real World
)
• Baked Fish Provencal Style (recipe coming soon)
• Calypso Rice
• Banana-Apple Crisp

I wish everyone who celebrates a happy and safe New Year with much joy and prosperity following in the year to come!

Trinidad & Tobago celebrates its Republic Day on September 24th. This day is usually quieter and more understated in celebration than Independence Day, but equally looked forward to for it is respite from the work week

Here is a menu suggestion for your table!

• Grated Carrot and Raisin Salad
• Trinidad Callaloo (vegetarian)
• Angel Hair Pasta with Pine Nuts and Sundried Tomatoes
• Banana Sour Cream Pancakes
• Bittersweet Chocolate Chai

Happy Republic Day!

From the National Library Service:

Trinidad and Tobago became a Republic on August 1st, 1976. The event is celebrated as a public holiday on September 24th because this is the date when the first Parliament met under the new Republican Constitution. The date was removed from the official calendar of holidays from 1999 to 2001 to make way for the Spiritual Baptist (Shouter) Liberation Day which is celebrated on March 30th. The Republic Day holiday was reinstated in 2002.

DEFINITION OF A REPUBLIC

Republic [noun]: A state or nation in which the supreme power rests in all the citizens entitled to vote (the electorate), and is exercised by representatives elected, directly or indirectly, by them, and responsible to them.

Source: Webster’s New Twentieth Century Dictionary of the English Language Unabridged 2nd ed., 1973.

• Learn more about Republic Day in Trinidad & Tobago via the National Library Service’s Republic Day portal.

Opening of the Churchill-Roosevelt/Uriah Butler Interchange, May 1 2009

August 31st is Trinidad’s Independence Day. This year’s menu is a trifecta of the new, the old, and a new twist on an old favourite What will yours be this year?

• Sarina’s Spinach-Ginger Salad
• Bertie’s Trinidad Pelau
• Sarina’s Independence Day Sugar Cakes

To learn more about Independence Day Celebrations in Trinidad, as well as the Independence Day Movement visit the Independence Day portal at the National Library website.

August 1st is Emancipation Day in Trinidad and Tobago, a public holiday. Trinidad and Tobago was the first country in the world to commemorate the abolition of slavery with a national observance, and since that time several other countries (mostly in the Caribbean) have followed suit.

For quite a few years now the last week in July, building up to the holiday (August 1), has been set aside for a series of festivals, lectures, films and fairs in honour of the occasion.

This year the African Food Festival is being held on the Sunday before the actual holiday – (click here for my writeup of the 2010 Fair!)

Emancipation Day Display 2007, Piarco International Airport, Trinidad

TriniGourmet’s 2010 Emancipation Day Menu

• Sarina’s Savoury Peanut Chicken
• Red Red
• Sarina’s Spicy Ochro/Okra Melee
• Calypso Rice
• Pawpaw Nectar

For more information on Emancipation Day visit:

• Emancipation Day – Trinidad and Tobago’s National Library Portal

This post was originally published August 1, 2007. It has been updated twice since then.

“June 19, Sir, is a day which, in the minds of the workers, marks a landmark in the history of the working class movement.” – Adrian Cola Rienzi

June 19 is Labour Day in Trinidad and Tobago, a public holiday

Labour Day marks the labour uprising on 19th June 1937 which is generally recognised as the start of the modern trade union movement in Trinidad and Tobago.

From Gov.tt:

Labour Day in Trinidad and Tobago is held annually on June 19th, the anniversary of the day of protest in 1937. This effectively led to the recognition of the modern trade union movement.

Although some Trinbagonians actively take part in small local celebrations, many simply take the day as an extra day for recreational and leisure activities.

In keeping with the no-frills activist spirit of this day I have put together a simple yet flavourful menu.

LABOUR DAY MENU

• Wholewheat Bake (recipe)
• Grated Carrot and Raisin Salad (recipe)
• Pan Fried Snapper with Tomato Salsa (recipe)
• Sarina’s Spicy Ochro/Okra Melee (recipe)
• Coconut Rock Buns (recipe)

KEY PLAYERS IN THE FORMATION OF THE LOCAL LABOUR MOVEMENT

ADRIAN COLA RIENZI From Wikipedia: Adrian Cola Rienzi (born Krishna Deonarine in 1905, died Desh Bandu (National Patriot) on July 21, 1972) was a Trinidad and Tobago trade unionist, politician and lawyer. He founded both the Oilfields Workers Trade Union and the All Trinidad Sugar Estates and Factory Workers Union, and was involved in the establishment of three other trade unions. He was also the first president of the Trinidad and Tobago Trades Union Council, from its foundation in 1938 until 1944. In addition to working for workers rights, Rienzi also worked hard for the rights of Indo-Trinidadians. He helped secure more employment of Indo-Trinidadians in the public service, the right to cremation, the recognition of Hindu and Muslim marriages and the establishment of schools by non-Christian religious groups. Rienzi also served four terms on the San Fernando Borough Council (three as Mayor of San Fernando) and represented Victoria on the Legislative Council from 1937-1944. He then worked in the public service as a Crown Counsel. The Rienzi-Kirton Highway in San Fernando is named partly in honour of him and the Rienzi Complex in Couva also bears his name. • EAST INDIAN – WEST INDIAN: The Public Career of Adrian Cola Rienzi by Dr. Brinsley Samaroo • Adrian Cola Rienzi (National Library Bio)

TUBAL URIAH “BUZZ” BUTLER Trinidad and Tobago’s national labour hero wanted to see what he termed “a better and a brighter day.” Butler was born in 1895 in Grenada. He was a tremendous fighter for human rights and he wanted to educate the workers about their rights. On 19th June 1937, Butler was involved in a major riot at Fyzabad Junction. His dream was to see an independent Trinidad and Tobago, and that came through in 1962. He is remembered for his struggles and was honoured on Independence Day 1976 with the Trinity Cross. Since 1973 Labour Day has been celebrated on 19th June. Butler died at age 80. He is remembered today as a charismatic leader of genuine working class background. He is honoured with a statue in Fyzabad and awarded Trinidad’s highest honour, the Trinity Cross, in 1970. In 1988 the Princess Margaret Highway was renamed the Uriah “Buzz” Butler Highway. • Tubal Uriah “Buzz” Butler on Wikipedia • Tubal Uriah “Buzz” Butler portal site (Trinbagopan.com)

CAPTAIN ARTHUR ANDREW CIPRIANI From National Heroes (site now defunct): Arthur Andrew Cipriani was born in Port of Spain in 1875, the son of white creole landowners of Corsican descent. When the First World War broke out, Cipriani was one of the first West Indians to enlist in the British army; he was also active in recruiting new soldiers to the cause. Cipriani rose to the rank of Captain and Commander of the British West Indian Regiment. Throughout his military career his concern for the welfare of the soldiers under his command never flagged. He campaigned for them to be paid for their services and defended them against the racism of the War Office. He was idolized by his men; on his return home in 1919, he was elected president of the Soldiers and Sailors Union. He was also prevailed upon to accept the presidency of the Trinidad Workingmen’s Association (TWA), the most important working class organization of the time. This marked Cipriani’s entry into politics. Realizing that the fate of the workers depended on who comprised the government, he began his lengthy struggle for adult franchise. Between 1919 and 1937, the TWA was the main vehicle for leftwing ideology in the Caribbean; under Cipriani’s leadership it metamorphosed into the Trinidad Labour Party (TLP), with close links to the British Labour Party. Cipriani’s battle for the vote was partly responsible for the British government’s decision in 1921 to investigate the question of representative government in the colony; the head of the Royal Commission of Enquiry, Major E.F.L. Wood, recommended partial franchise. In Trinidad’s first national election, on February 07, 1925, Cipriani won the Port of Spain seat on the Legislative Council, a position which he retained until 1945. Upholding the interests of the “unwashed and unsoaped barefoot man” against those of big business and government, Cipriani fought tirelessly for workman’s compensation, old age pensions, an eight-hour day, minimum wage laws and compulsory education. He defended legislation to protect trade unions and in 1932 was successful in getting a Trade Union Ordnance enacted by the British government. Cipriani was also active at the municipal level. He was a member of the Port of Spain City Council continuously from 1926-1941, serving as mayor a record eight times. In the City Council, he fought for state ownership of the electricity and telephone companies, and for the election of women to the City Council. Cipriani did not live quite long enough to see his dream of representative government become a reality; he died in 1945, one year before adult suffrage was instituted. Listen to “Captain Cipriani”, recorded by Lord Beginner (Egbert Moore) in 1935 Excerpt: In the Legislative, this is what he do, Got shorter working hours for I and you, Compulsory education, he fought it on, That children should be proud of the land they born, If you get damage on work, They can’t say is through tack, For he has got the Compensation Act, Let’s wish him long life, health and prosperity, Honourable Captain Cipriani

A memorial to Captain Cipriani lies in the heart of the capital’s Independence Square (as shown below) and is dubbed the Cipriani Roundabout. His name is also carried on through the Cipriani Labour College. (There is also a Cipriani Boulevard but I’m not sure if this was named after this Cipriani or another )

This post was originally published June 19, 2007. It has been updated twice since then

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 being observed from sunset May 7 – nightfall May 9, I don’t think I’ll be holding an actual seder but I will be cooking up a storm. Here is this year’s menu

Shavuot Menu 2011:

Olive Paste Bruschetta (from Gluten Free Italian)
Italian White Bean Soup (from EdenFoods.com)
Gnocchi Pomodoro
Caramel Sweet Potato & Honey pie
Sweet Pumpkin Pie Smoothie

For more kosher holiday recipes check out the Jewish Cooking section of Veni Mangé – The Trinigourmet Amazon Bookstore!