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

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

This entry is part 3 of 11 in the series Trini Christmas mom’s ginger beer brewing in the sun The above scene and bottle feel as though they have always been with me, they occur with such comforting regularity. Ginger beer is something that is enjoyed by both Trinis and Jamaicans however in my experience many Trinis enjoy theirs much weaker than my mother makes hers. Many people can’t... 

This entry is part 4 of 11 in the series Trini Christmas 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... 

This entry is part 5 of 11 in the series Trini ChristmasOne 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... 

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 7 of 11 in the series Trini Christmas 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... 

This entry is part 8 of 11 in the series Trini Christmas When I first made this in 2006 it was my first time using a pack of dried sorrel for a recipe. I was pleasantly surprised. If you allow it to steep overnight the results are pretty good. The below recipe is my adaptation of the Jamaican Sorrel Rum Punch Recipe at Epicurious.com. Because the pack of dried sorrel that I bought already has cloves... 

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 10 of 11 in the series Trini Christmas 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... 

This entry is part 11 of 11 in the series Trini ChristmasWell you know how Trinis like how to do everything las’ minute? If you don’t have enough time to try my mother’s ginger beer recipe, here is a Quick Ginger Beer recipe from Epicurious.com that needs only 24 hours fermentation. Best of luck! Click here to read: QUICK GINGER BEER Recipe at Epicurious.com Excerpt: This is...