Cooking for the holidays doesn’t have to be stressful! Check out these tips from six of my favourite foodie friends to learn how to do more in less time! COCKTAILS If you’re looking for a unique way to spice up your favourite drink consider […]
On October 19th, I attended a Dewar’s Tasting Event at the Trinidad Hilton. Rain had been falling heavily throughout the day and as the night wore on, the pictures and stories coming across social media alerted us that this was quickly shaping up to become […]
Where to go for righteous rotis, judiciously spiced Jamaican jerk, and unbelievably good beef patties. Source: The Absolute Best Caribbean Restaurants in Crown Heights NY Peeps! Would love to hear your thoughts on the Caribbean restaurants listed in this article? Yay? Nay? In-Between? 🙂 […]
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 […]
I was talking to a Brazilian friend a few years ago and she was surprised at some of the differences between our Carnival and theirs. You see it was a few weeks prior when she decided to look and see what costume/band she should […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
With only a few days before ‘High Mas’ it is time again to shine a spotlight on Trinidad & Tobago’s largest cultural festival, Carnival. Where did the word “carnival” come from? Hundred and hundreds of years ago, the followers of the Catholic religion in […]
I love checking out the various culinary stories from around the world that show up both in my Trinigourmet Times and via iGoogle. They give me a glimpse into cultures and traditions from places I’ll probably never see, as well as spots right next door! […]
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 […]
Caption: President of the Santa Rosa Carib Community, Ricardo Bharath-Hernandez singes a banana leaf over a fireside, as he prepares to make pastelles at the Carib Community Centre in Arima yesterday. The community prepares dozens of pastelles annually for sale. PHOTO BY AZLAN MOHAMMED This […]
So funny the things we take for granted sometimes. Growing up around plantains all my life it never occurred to me, until recently, that this fruit is almost completely unknown in many parts of the world! It was only through various conversations with people, primarily […]
(image: Stand at Port of Spain Market) Transcription: The marketplace is the best source of local gossip, news and camaraderie. Also available is a magnificent display of the fruits and vegetables which add flavor and distinction to the Caribbean table. Fresh greens, creamy ripe avocados, […]