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 judging from the number of Trinis flying in for Christmas and the not-so-happy ones who are leaving.

“When you live in a different country you die a little bit,” Robert Mooking, home for his first Trini Christmas in 37 years said.

“There is nothing like being in your own country, back with your roots. Its a feeling you can only get at home. That feeling of completely belonging. I come home to eat some black cake and re-live old times.”

Mooking has lived in Venezuela for the past 37 years where he has married and has a family.

“Everything is not so different. In Venezuela there are pastels and parang, but there, New Year celebrations are more important. Still there is no place like home for the holidays.”

The two major airlines flying in to Piarco have both reported heavy in-flow passenger traffic and far fewer people departing.

American Airlines country manager Ernesto Quidgley said flights coming in have been full starting from two Fridays ago. American has two daily flights from Miami with one flight a day from San Juan, Puerto Rico.

“In-bound traffic is full. We expect departures to pick up after the holidays from about December 30.”

BWIA’s corporate communications manager Dionne Ligoure said that the airline has had a “quite healthy” number of passengers coming in with full flights from North America.

“There is just no comparison,” Wayne Goitia Snr said.

Goitia is here for Christmas for the first time in 25 years and has brought his 13-year-son to experience his first Trini Christmas. The Baltimore resident says he hates feeling cold and has gladly left the snow behind.

“I feel like something was missing, something that I had to get back in touch with. There is nothing like being home. I can’t wait to drink ponche de creme and souse and meet old friends.”

Odette Athanas is one of those “sad Trinis” leaving the island for the holidays.

She has been living in Toronto, Canada for the past 32 years and came home for a village reunion.

“My mother is ill so I want to go back to Canada to spend Christmas with her. It saddens me to leave,” Athanas said.

“I wish I could stay. I was so happy to see people still fixing up for Christmas, painting and baking. I want to parang and be in all the bacchanal. In Canada it so different. Nothing can compare to being home for the holidays.”

Point Fortin resident Lystra Grant is looking for something different this holiday season. She is leaving for a three month stint in New York.

” I am looking for something a bit different this Christmas. To get away from the noise and rum drinking.” One Irishman working here for the past year and on his way to Dublin said he would never take sides as to which Christmas was better, here or in his home country. “I enjoyed my Christmas here very much last year but this year I am going home to spend the time with my family.”

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
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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.

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.

After 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 end of Carnival Tuesday. Things have definitely changed since then! Although you still see many individuals with ashes on their forehead heading to work, you are also equally as likely to see the throngs of people who take the day off work and head to the nation’s beaches for a ‘cooldown’.

SIGHTS:

SOUNDS:

Here you can see some video of Trinidad’s most popular beach, Maracas Bay. The little huts are concession stands, the most popular offering of which is ‘Shark n Bake’

TASTES:

For many in Trinidad Ash Wednesday is a day for relaxing (or partying) at the beach. And, as mentioned above, the defacto beach snack here in TnT is Fried Fish n Bake

No 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 TOO YOUNG TO SOCA, released in 1985, was an instant hit which earned him many rave reviews and standing ovations wherever he performed.

In 1986, he appeared on Star Search in Hollywood bringing Soca Music to the screens of US National Television. He was described as a Stevie Wonder of Soca. Machel and XTATIK have performed with many popular international entertainment personalities including: Freddie Jackson, TLC, Third World , Shaggy, El Debarge, Destinys Child, The Boyz, Kris Kross, Buju Banton, Ziggy Marley, Garnet Silk, Shabba Ranks, Bounty Killa and many others.
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In 1987, at the age of twelve, Machel became the first Trinidadian and youngest Entertainer to win the Caribbean Song Festival. In 1991 at sixteen, he won the Young Kings Competition. XTATIK won best playing music band on the road for CARIBANA 94 and MIAMI CARNIVAL 94. In 1995 Machel won Party Vocalist of the year and in 1996 XTATIK won Party band of the Year. In 1995 and 1997 Machel & Xtatik journeyed to London and mesmerized the sold out crowds.
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In 1997 Machel became the youngest ROAD MARCH KING of Trinidad & Tobago and XTATIKS album HEAVY DUTY has been described as one of the best selling SOCA Albums ever.

SIGHTS:

In 2007 I watched him play an almost 90 minute non-stop set at the Zen nightclub… that was pure musical brilliance. The first 1/2 he performed his popular tunes (new and old) in a stripped down acoustic styling (think MTV Unplugged). Many of the uptempo numbers were retooled as ballads crossing several genres and the air was crackling with a feeling of spiritual release and oneness.

Tears came to my eyes several times. I won’t lie! For the second half many of the tunes were re-performed in all their uptempo Carnival frenzy. It was like 2 albums/concerts in one!

SOUNDS:

Today is Carnival Tuesday and many are wondering if, after a brief hiatus, Machel will once again be crowned Road March King (he won it in 1997,1998 and 2007). He’s already nabbed this year’s Power Soca Monarch Crown (a fact that is still being hotly debated). Will he take even more Advantage?

Advantage (Official Video)

To learn more about Machel Montao check out:

• Machel Montano (official site) – www.machelmontano.com
• Machel Montano on Wikipedia – en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Machel_Montano
• Machel Montano on Twitter – twitter.com/machelmontanohd

TASTES:

As I’ve previously mentioned where there’s a fete or nightclub street food is not far away. That Friday night in 2007 was no exception. Outside of the nightclub I spotted a corn soup vendor.

There were also two food stands.

One well lit one attracted many patrons

The other’s dubious choice of neon green lighting made it stand out from the crowd, but not in a good way. Does anyone really think yummy and hearty when they see a neon green glow?

Guess who my friend and I ate from?

The sign reads “Bake & Shark, Burgers (Beef/Chicken), Fries, Soft Drinks, Hops & Cheese)” and at the bottom “Real Trini Style”. Now that’s more like it! We both ordered beef burgers. They come standard on a bed of coleslaw with ketchup. Dont’ be fooled by the plain appearance, my friend and I both agreed that was one of the best burgers we’d ever hard. The patty was redolent with garlic and herbs to a degree that I had never had. And straight off the grill, so so good! It was the perfect end to an awesome evening

I have done my best to recreate that flavour and taste in this post for Trini-Style Hamburgers.

This post was originally published February 20, 2007. It has been updated once since then.

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) is also known as ‘dirty mas’. It seems to symbolise us going down to our rawest most animal and basest selves in the cover of the night, before the sun emerges to reveal us in our finite forms and encourages us to wash all the mess and stress away and be reborn in our shiny new costumes

J’ouvert is marked by smaller groups and bands and a general free for all vibe. J’ouvert bands congregate around main themes based on what they will cover their bodies with. That’s right. Cover their bodies. You see, J’ouvert is also like fingerpainting gone wild. There are mud bands, paint bands, pitch (oil) bands, (baby) powder bands, and most recently chocolate bands! Each band smears themselves in the coverings of their choice and dances through the streets looking for ‘victims’ And when a blue band meets a mud band (or any other) at an intersection… well it is sheer joy for each side to smear the other with their own ‘branding’

I remember when I first played J’ouvert. I was a teenager, and it was probably 1993 or 1994. I went playing with my friends and had no idea what to expect. Crime was not what it is today and my parents had no concern of me and my friends walking from our home through the suburbs with no adults or car ride to find out what was going on in the capital. I naively had resolved that I would not dirty because that sounded absolutely awful to me. Well I soon learned what was what. I had reached St. Clair (an affluent suburb) and was chipping (moving forward, shuffling my feet to the beat) with my friends when a middle aged man turned to me and smiled. He seemed safe enough and I smiled back. Out of nowhere his hand appeared from behind his back and moved across my right cheek. I felt something left in its wake and in shock gasped as he threw his head back, laughed lustily and danced off into the crowds. I had been marked! I think it was pitch too! Shock soon dissolved into laughter of my own too and all I could think of then was that i had to get my own jar of SOMETHING! I was gonna mark everyone I saw!! That’s really all I remember of my first J’ouvert It was a blur!

For more J’ouvert information:

• J’ouvert Morning, Trinidad Carnival (a UK perspective)
• J’ouvert on Wikipedia

SIGHTS:

J’ouvert is also a time for traditional carnival costumes to be revived. Known as ‘ole mas’ these costumes are part of Carnival lore. On Carnival Friday they also have their own parade through the streets of Port-of-Spain. It is a very thrilling sight!

The above picture is of some tired ‘Sailors’ on a Carnival Monday.

My favorite Ole Mas character is the…

Moko Jumbie!

How moko jumbies dance and move effortlessly through crowds is beyond me The jumbies in the above photo are all from The Dragon Keylemanjahro School of Arts and Culture.

For pictures and complete descriptions of Trinidad’s Traditional Carnival Characters visit our National Library’s Traditional Carnival Character’s Homepage.

Like every part of Carnival J’ouvert also has its own judging platform. And homemade costumes really get to shine here, many of them mocking current events and headlines both locally and overseas.

SOUNDS:

“Talk Yuh Talk – 3Canal” (hard hitting classic political commentary with J’ouvert imagery and percussion driven acapella Jouvert sound

TASTES:

In the years since I have played J’ouvert a few more times. Always with the J’ouvert bands that have popped up. These bands provide basic ‘jouvert kits’ for their members, as well as a hearty breakfast. This breakfast invariably is some combination of street foods and always includes the ubiquitous fete fare, corn soup (shown below).

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 costumes for the next two days submits a king and queen, from which an overall winner is chosen. These usually involve huge, complex, beautiful costumes.

For a historical look at this annual event visit Terry Joseph’s article “Dimanche Gras”

SIGHTS:

The compositions performed on Dimanche Gras night tend to be socio-political commentaries on the issues of the day (both local, regional, and international)

SOUNDS:

TASTES:

Bertie’s Trinidad Pelau (my father usually makes 2 ‘big pots’ of pelau that last us through Carnival Sunday to Ash Wednesday). Carnival is not a time to be slaving over a stove daily! His pelau making days are now behind him though, and I will be taking the helm this year for the first time!

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 soca artists of the season and can go on until daybreak. As the Carnival season draws near the number of fetes grows exponentially, and are not restricted to weekends either. It is not uncommon for people to attend a fete until well after midnight and then to go to their day job as usual.

Fetes are often held by schools and non-profits as fundraisers, by corporate sponsors and of course, by party promoters.

One of the best sources for fete listings, invitations and more is Trinidad Carnival Diary.

SIGHTS:

At a fete you will usually see people waving huge flags and other such colorful ‘accessories’. And of course no Trini worth their red, white and black would think of showing up at a fete without their own rag or ‘kerchief to wave and jump with

SOUNDS:

Fetes sometimes have ‘rhythm sections’ that add to the frenzied sound and atmosphere. One of the most popular and well-known rhythm sections is the Laventille Rhythm section. They were part of the cultural contigency sent to Germany as part of our 2006 World Cup delegation. You can see and hear them in the below clip.

TASTES:

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 in Hawaii! If you ask someone from those parts of the world what instrument they are hearing you may even hear them say ‘steel drums’ … oh my my my.. It is time for some Steel pan 101. A Pan-o-vention if you will

The steel pan (not drum) was invented in Trinidad and is the only acoustic musical invention of the 20th century. It should then come as no surprise that it is our national instrument and one that we hold dear!

As a kid I played in my prep school’s steelband, I started on the cello and moved up to the tenor where I stayed until I left there to enter high school. Oh the memories

Steelband – The Beginnings
“Pan as an item was not invented by any person. It evolved and there are a number of people, including myself, who advanced it through certain stages of that evolution.” (Elliott Mannette, October 25, 2000)

Between 1838 and 1883, the beating of skin drums was an integral part of Carnival celebrations. When a ban on all drum-beating was imposed in 1884, Carnival celebrants had to look for an alternative to the skin drum. They turned to bamboo after they discovered that dried bamboo of various diameters produced different sounds, when cut to differing lengths and struck with wooden sticks. Bands that used bamboo to produce music were called Tamboo Bamboo bands and the first report of such a band taking part in Carnival was in 1891. With the passage of time, Tamboo Bamboo bands were integrated into Carnival and flourished until the 1930s.

With an innate sense of rhythm and a burning desire to express this feeling by beating on something other than bamboo and skin drums during Carnival, some poor, Black, skillful Trinidadians turned to metal containers for music in the 1930s. Although there are varying opinions as to when the first sound from beating on metal cans was heard, there is strong evidence that such a sound occurred in 1935 when the Gonzales (Port-of-Spain) Tamboo Bamboo Band hit the road during Carnival with a bass can. As word of this innovation spread, aspiring metal can players all over Trinidad began crafting the bottoms of any metal containers (pans) that they could put their hands on, by pounding and partitioning the flat ends with hammers and steel punches to create different sounds. This art would later come to be known as tuning and the players were called panmen. By 1937, paint cans and cookie tin-cans were being played alongside Tamboo Bamboo bands during Carnival. In 1938, Victor “Toti” Wilson of the Calvary Tamboo Bamboo Band played a paint pan that had four notes tuned to the chimes of the clock at Queen’s Royal College. By 1939, bands comprised of pans only began to form and were called steelbands. They initially took on names from popular American movies and the first two steelbands in the history of Trinidad were Alexander’s Ragtime Band and Hellyard. In 1940, calypso music and the steelband began their long marriage when the Roaring Lion composed a calypso specifically for Alexander’s Ragtime Band.
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Read more about ‘Steelband – The Beginning‘

Phase II Pan Groove Panyard – photo by caribbeanfreephoto
Phase II Pan Groove is one of the ‘elite’ steelbands in Trinidad and Tobago, their arranger is the legendary composer and panman Len ‘ Boogsie’ Sharpe.

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From Wikipedia.org’s Steelpan entry
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There are 11 instruments in the pan family:
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* Lead/Tenor (There are many variations of tenor pans: Spiderweb lead( 4ths and 5ths), 3rds and 5ths, left handed, etc…)
* Invader lead/Tenor (Variations include C and D invaders)
* Double tenors
* Double seconds
* Double guitars
* Quadduet (double seconds with extensions)
* Quadrophonic (four pans)
* Triple guitars
* Cellos (Three and four pan variations)
* Tenor bass (Three and four pan variations)
* Five bass
* Six bass
* Seven bass
* Nine bass (up to 12 bass)

Just like an orchestra, these different types of pans combine to form ‘bands’. Steelbands.

Once a year the various steelbands (often with corporate sponsors) compete at Carnival time in a festival called Panorama.

One of the things that never fails to amaze me is the sheer passion and dedication of the panplayers who volunteer countless hours, memorizing 20 to 30 minute arrangements without the aid of sheet music, formal training (for the most part) or the visual metronome of a conductor.

Trinis are really amazing!

SIGHTS:

Trinidad and Tobago Steelpan and Panorama Links:

• Pan Trinbago: The World Governing Body for the steelpan
• Steelpan – National Instrument of Trinidad and Tobago (directory of links)

SOUNDS:

The steelband has spread all over the world and online I have found clips of it in schools and festivals in ways and places that I would never have imagined! Below is a clip of the Church Rock Academy Elementary School Steel Drum Band from the Navajo Nation near Gallup New Mexico, share their love of music and celebrate their culture as they perform at the National Museum of the American Indian in Washington DC.

TASTES:

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 (the original link no longer works unfortunately):
What is Soca?

Soca is a modern form of calypso with an up-tempo beat. There is a popular misconception that soca is a fusion of American soul music and traditional calypso. Hence the name “so-ca,” soul/calypso. Though this sounds plausible, it is simply not true. Soca music originated as a fusion of calypso with Indian rhythms, thus combining the musical traditions to the two major ethnic groups of Trinidad and Tobago.

Unlike calypso music (which revolves around social and political commentary), soca is usually about partying, escapism and feel good vibes. Unlike reggae and dancehall music, soca and calypso have not made an imprint on the international mainstream the way that many think they should have. Whether this is due to poor marketing or a cultural barrier is something that no one can really agree on. However there are some soca tracks that have been breakout hits in North America and Europe. Most notably,

* “Hot Hot Hot” – Buster Poindexter (originally recorded by Arrow)
* “Follow the leader” – Soca Boys (originally recorded by Nigel and Marvin Lewis), a more recent version by S.B.S.
* “Who Let the Dogs Out” – Baha Men (originally recorded by Trinidadian Anslem Douglas)
* “Sweet Soca Music” – Sugar Daddy
* “Turn Me On” – Kevin Lyttle
* “Tempted to Touch” – Rupee
* “We Not Givin’ Up” – Machel Montano and Xtatik (Trinidad)

SIGHTS

The best places to see, hear, experience soca and calypso are the numerous fetes, reviews and tents that pop up over the Carnival season. Growing up there really was only competition that mattered, that was the one to be named Calypso Monarch on Dimanche Gras night. However nowadays, as the genre has grown and splintered, numerous concerts and competitions have popped up to meet the demand for musical expression and recognition.

Additional Soca/Calypso Links:

• TriniSoca.com: Trinidad and Tobago Calypso, Soca, and Carnival
• Muriel’s Treasure (a virtual encyclopedia of calypso links!)
• Trinidad and Tobago: National Geographic World Music

SOUNDS

Nowadays Trinidadian Soca music (itself a sub-category of calypso music) has spawned 3 distinct sub-categories.

1. Rapso : Trinidad dialect ‘hip-hop’ with smooth calypso melodies and bold socially conscious lyrics

2. Chutney-soca: A fusion of traditional Indian percussion and style of singing and Calypso; Tempo usually around 154 BPM

3. Ragga Soca: A fusion of Jamaican Dancehall and Trinidad’s Soca – uptempo calypso beat with moderate bass and electronic instruments.

Soca has been experimented with in Bollywood films, Bhangra, and new Punjabi pop. It has also been utilised by Japanese singer Minmi!

For more Soca clips visit Toronto-Lime.com

TASTES: