This entry is part 9 of 11 in the series Trini Christmas The following article appeared in the 24th December, 2006 issue of the Trinidad Express. It’s hard to believe that BWIA was still active then! Will you be spending the holidays where you want to be this year? I hope so! If not, hopefully the recipes posted so far (and still to come) will help HOME is best for the holidays, at least... 

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 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’... 

This entry is part 9 of 9 in the series Trinidad and Tobago CarnivalAfter the frenzied crescendo of Carnival Tuesday all merriment and debauchery ends (or is supposed to end) with the ushering in of Ash Wednesday and the start of the Roman Catholic observance of Lent. My father tells me that ‘back in the day’ all sound stopped at midnight and no calypso would play on the radio with the... 

This entry is part 7 of 9 in the series Trinidad and Tobago CarnivalNo Carnival writeup would be complete, especially this year without mention of the ever-popular yet ever-controversial Machel Montano. From an earlier incarnation of his MySpace page: Machel Montano began his career in 1982 at age seven. As early as 1984, he formed his band Panasonic Express now called XTATIK. Machels debut album... 

This entry is part 6 of 9 in the series Trinidad and Tobago Carnival This post was originally published on February 14, 2007. It has been updated twice since then. J’ouvert (joo-VAY) is the start to the Carnival celebrations. It begins in the pre-dawn hours of Carnival Monday and lasts until daybreak. J’ouvert (which is a Creole corruption of the French Jour Ouvert – day opening)... 

This entry is part 5 of 9 in the series Trinidad and Tobago Carnival This post was originally published on February 6, 2007. It has been updated twice since then. Dimanche Gras takes place on the Sunday night before Ash Wednesday. Here the Calypso Monarch is chosen (after competition) and prize money and a vehicle bestowed. Also the King and Queen of the bands are crowned, where each band to parade... 

This entry is part 4 of 9 in the series Trinidad and Tobago Carnival Image from the Trinidad Guardian If you are getting the sense that Carnival is one big long party you are right! So it only makes sense that one big long party would be made of many many big long parties as well. These parties in Trinidad are called fetes and are attended by hundreds sometimes thousands. Fetes feature the biggest... 

This entry is part 3 of 9 in the series Trinidad and Tobago Carnival Exodus Steelband performing in Trafalgar Square, England – photo by bram_souffreau It seems that every time a North American program wants to denote the ‘tropics’ you will hear the sound of a steelpan. It doesn’t even to seem to matter if the ‘tropics’ are in the Caribbean on a cruise ship or... 

This entry is part 2 of 9 in the series Trinidad and Tobago Carnival This post was originally published on February 14, 2007. It has been updated twice since then. It is hard to imagine Carnival without music. And the definitive music of Trinidad and Tobago Carnival is soca. So what is Soca Music? Well, why not let Soca Superstar Machel Montano say it in his own words? From Caribbean Music 101... 

This entry is part 1 of 9 in the series Trinidad and Tobago Carnival This post was originally published on January 24, 2007. It has been updated three times since then. With only a few days it is high time that I shine a spotlight on Trinidad’s largest cultural festival, Carnival. Indeed, I even got a little ‘bouff’ today via email for failing to cover it yet! In my defense this... 

Transcription: Wayside market in Bridgetown, Barbados. (Photo/Barbados Tourist Board) Back In Time Barbados Style This post was originally published October 7, 2010. It has been updated once since then. AKPC_IDS += "5363,"; Read More →

Malta Carib has been a staple in my home since I was a child. Growing up I felt like quite a ‘big woman’ drinking it from the bottle (I had no idea it was non-alcoholic ). During the 80′s it was promoted not just as an energy booster, but also as an aid for students preparing for exams! From CaribBeer.com Malta Carib is a full-bodied, refreshing non-alcoholic malt beverage that... 

As previously mentioned, Malta Carib was actually posited as an integral ‘educational aid’ I don’t know if it ever helped me in my exams, but I certainly loved (and still love) the taste. Yum! Please visit my earlier post for more information on Malta Carib. Amazon.com Widgets This post was originally published October 3, 2009. It has been updated once since then. AKPC_IDS... 

Carib Brewery, Eastern Main Road, Champs Fleurs Ask any Trinidadian to complete the following phrase. A beer is a … and you’ll instantly hear a loud uproarious ‘Carib’. For over 50 years the Carib Brewery has been producing Carib beer to the delight of Trinis both at home and abroad. I know that for myself seeing a Carib sign in a pub or a bar abroad was enough to make me... 

Call it nostalgia but it’s hard to convince me that the local commercials of the 80′s and 90′s didn’t have a certain ‘something’ that the current set lacks. There was something very magnetic about the hooks and taglines back then. Lion’s Baking Powder had a long running advertising campaign that really drilled home that not only would they make your breads... 

Ackee is one of my favorite ingredients, however it is not something that I think most Trinidadians (or people worldwide) know or have tasted. In fact if it wasn’t for my Jamaican mother I probably would never have tasted it all! I often see Western cookbooks comparing ackee to scrambled eggs, a comparison that I believe is more visual than taste-related. Ackee has a very creamy texture and is... 

Transcription: Pepper pot soup as served at the Barbados Hilton (photo/William Alleyne) The “Hilton Barbados” Today (is any form of the above elaborate pepperpot display still in existence? ) p.s. Is it just me or does the Caribbean map in the above video depict Tobago as located below Trinidad?! AKPC_IDS += "5310,"; Read More →

Image Credit: NIGO If, like me, you were a TTT baby (i.e. you grew up only knowing one channel that signed off at noon, and signed back at 2:30 p.m. with the call of “Caribbean Vibration”) then you probably also remember government promos touting the benefits of the mysterious locally-designed ‘Buffalypso’. Part Water Buffalo and part uh… Calypso? this breed, national... 

Trinidad Macaroni Pie is the #1 pie recipe here on Trinigourmet.com Is it a pie? Is it a tart? The answer may more lie in the recipe’s country of origin and it’s final presentation, than in the ingredients and composition themselves. From Baking911.com A pie is American in design and can be both sweet or savory and is served directly from its pan. Most pies are usually baked with a layer...