Christmas

This beloved bread has evoked many passionate discussions that extend from the north to the south. The Northerners prefer their cornbread sweet and the Southerners never add sugar. This Trini will avoid that controversy. Allow me to exercise my First...

  Accra, cod fish fritter, saltfish fritter, cod cakes or bacalaitos, however it is referred to in your area of the planet, does not induce childhood memories. Heck, I don’t even recall eating it as a child, and prior to...

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="903"] Slice of macaroni pie on a plate[/caption] Macaroni pie is not to be confused with the American mac and cheese, which my kids would eat everyday if I allow them to. They would let you know...

  Last father's day, I prepared a feast for my hubbie. A feast which included these Caribbean pepper jerk shrimp. [Actual Menu.. In retrospect....what the heck was I smoking!!?? I must really like to cook!.....] I did not post pics...

If you loved my gulgula (banana fritters) recipe, then you must try this banana bread recipe. They are almost twins, except gulgula is fried and this is baked. Both have loads of banana flavor, are moist, dense and delicious with...

Pholourie is another very popular snack food in Trinidad. It's soft, chewy, fluffy, and savory, similar in texture to a fritter. Other popular snack foods include saheena, kachori, aloo pie, fish pie, shrimp pie, doubles, chow, chicken and cheese puffs....

Steamed Coconut Salmon My daughter had an interview this week. Her very first interview, ever. I kissed and hugged her endlessly and sent her off to the interview, down a lonely hallway, all by her lonesome, (I know, aye vey!)...

Before we venture into a delivious recipe for Trinidad Coconut Bake, here is an update! In my absence, I have celebrated turning 39, which I realized, after much contemplation, isn't so bad after all. Nineteen years ago, I came to...

  I started eating quinoa (pronounced KEEN-wa) last year in an attempt to add some variety and  nutrients to my diet. Two years ago I ate rice three times a day. That very restrictive diet worked for me at that...

When I create a dish I really like, I eat it everyday for a week...or two.…so when it finally comes up on my list of things to blog about, I'm usually at the point where I never want to eat...

  A few months ago I noticed hibiscus tea being sold at Whole Foods and thought, how strange that teas are now being made using hibiscus flowers(the one commonly grown in yards all over TnT). I made a mental note...

"These brownies are not too fudgy, not too stick to your enamels chewy, not too cakey, but are moist, chocolaty, with just the right texture (pour moi)….and divine" December is a ridiculously busy month with year-end chaos at work, decluttering...

What is Paratha Roti? What is Buss up shot /buss up shut roti? Paratha, also known as “buss up shut” is one of the various types of roti (leavened flatbread) ubiquitous in Trinidad, along with sada roti, dosti roti, dhalpuri...

Channa is also known as chickpeas, garbanzo beans, or ceci beans. Aloo, on the other hand, is what we Trinidadians refer to as potato. Hence the term curry channa and aloo. In this dish, channa and aloo are simmered in...

St. Lucian Green Fig Salad is the perfect side dish to serve along with curries, stews, baked or BBQ meats and seafood.    Some of my best relationships are formed with people I encounter in the ladies' room at work,...

Several weeks ago my train wasn’t working so my husband volunteered to drop me downtown Brooklyn to another train station. As a result, I had the opportunity to chat with his coworker, Cyrus, whom he usually picks up on his way to work. I knew...

I've been avoiding the kitchen like the plague. Recipe testing and emotional eating have taken a toll on my "physique"...it also doesn't help that I usually prepare six 5 star meals on the weekend for my beloved family...that "insanity" has...

"Trinidad macaroni salad is the perfect side dish to accompany your favorite baked or BBQ protein and seafood. It's loaded with flavor! " A few weekends ago, the beautiful lavender-hued chive blossoms in my garden inspired me to create a...

What is Stewed Chicken Stew Chicken (also referred to as stewed chicken or brown stew chicken) is a savory Caribbean dish featuring chicken browned in caramelized sugar('burnt sugar'), then simmered in a flavorful blend of aromatics like garlic, onion, and...

Ever so not-so-often, when I am fortunate to have both the luxury of time and patience, I enjoy the challenge of trying a new recipe. These are my notes on my attempt……In other words..the following is moi interviewing moi. Which recipe did...

  I have been making Paula Dean’s peach cobbler for years. One day I decided that it required a makeover with less butter and sugar. I know it’s an abomination, but occasionally I want to experience, “le plaisir sans la culpabilité!”...

    In Caribbean households, a roasted pork shoulder is often a staple at large gatherings and holiday feasts, carrying with it the warmth of family traditions and celebratory cheer. This dish is known for its juicy, tender meat and...

Lamb is definitely a huge favorite of mine. In this recipe, bite sized pieces of lamb are browned using "burnt sugar" and simmered with carrots, potatoes, tomato and fresh herbs including scallion, thyme, parsley and celery. The result is a...

If you would like a variation to the regular sweet potato fries or oven sweet potato fries....or maybe you are looking for a healthy "comfort food" to snack on......or a new side dish to serve alongside your Thanksgiving, Christmas, weeknight or...

What is curry chicken? Curry chicken is essentially pieces of chicken seasoned with green seasoning and simmered in a flavorful curry base. Each cook has their variation, however, there is one constant and that is the use of green seasoning....

Callaloo is considered Trinidad's national dish by many. A statement quite debatable since we, our Twin Island Republic, boasts of a wide range of scrumptious dishes! In my version of callaloo, spinach, ochroes, carrot, pumpkin and fresh herbs are simmered...

The weather is cooling down in New York (well, it did last week..hot this week...and we might have a blizzard next week...) and I must end my love affair with all things decadent for awhile—just until I get back to...

It was a tradition in our house when I was a child to eat fresh homemade bread, ham, and hot sauce on Christmas mornings. Now, even though I am older and have a house and family of my own, I...

What is Trinidad Pelau? Pelau is a savory one-pot Trinidadian favorite. Meat including chicken, beef or pigtails is first browned using “burnt sugar”(little past caramelization point), to which rice, fresh herbs, peas or beans, veggies and coconut milk are added...

I know I get excited about desserts and this is no exception. This berry cobbler made me speechless. I sat down at my desk and tried for several minutes to put the taste into words but this is all that...

OVEN BBQ RIBS: Steven Raichlen, the BBQ master recommends using pork ribs as it is one of the most perfect morsels ever to grace a dinner plate. How do you like your ribs? Do you favor a full flavored dry...

The purists might have a bone to pick with me for giving the classic Chicken Cacciatore a Trinidadian twist, but I’m more than willing to take that risk. The magic lies in marinating the chicken with our beloved “Green Seasoning.”For...

This coleslaw salad is made primarily of finely shredded raw cabbage, carrots, sweet peppers, and apples and tossed with a mayo dressing. It's creamy, crunchy, sweet, yet slightly tangy. The vinegar used in a traditional recipe is replaced with lemon...

When I am exhausted after a long day of work (i.e., five days a week, 52 weeks per year), I crave quick and simple meals like this carrot rice recipe! Meals with too many ingredients overwhelm and frustrate me, and...

Trini Fried Bake is a beloved staple in Trinidadian cuisine, known for its fluffy inside and golden, crispy exterior. Despite the name, fried bake is a soft, slightly chewy flatbread that's fried to perfection. It’s incredibly versatile, often served as...

This dish of tomatoes and saltfish or 'saltfish and tomatoes', garlic, fresh thyme, scallions, and onions is so addicting, that there will be no leftovers for the next day! Easy Like A Sunday Morning Served with Trinidadian Fried Bake, it's comfort food...

It's called Super Sunday French Toast because if you decide to vegetate or procrastinate and accomplish nothing else for the rest of the day(except religiously check "friends" statuses or look at pics after pics of total strangers on FB), it's still...