These sablés are dangerous! No, it’s not because of their bittersweet chocolatey goodness. And no it’s not because of the chocolate chips strewn throughout that provide bursts of sweet creaminess. And no, it’s not even their brownie-like denseness that makes me issue this indictment. No, what makes these chocolate sablés so worth of a public warning is their miniature bite-sized goodness evilness. It’s easy to snarf down 20 of these in one sitting and still have room for 20 more! And yes, I’m talking from experience :blush:

Try this recipe and let me know what you think. I also have several more listed afterward, equally as chocolatey and good. You weren’t really intending on keeping that New Year resolution were you?

Chocolate Sablés
Recipe from: Homemade: Delicious Foods to Make and Give
Makes 30 cookies

INGREDIENTS:

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup Dutch-process cocoa powder, sifted
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup superfine sugar
1 large egg, at room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
3/4 cup mini semisweet chocolate chips

DIRECTIONS:

1. Combine the flour, cocoa powder, and baking soda in a mixing bowl and sift them together two times

2. Place the butter in the bowl of an electric mixer and beat until creamy.
3. Add the sugar and continue to beat until light and fluffy
4. With the motor running, add the egg and then the vanilla, beating until the mixture is almost satin smooth

5. Add the sifted dry ingredients to the creamed mixture, beating to incorporate.
6. Stir in the mini chips
7. Scrape the dough from the bowl and form it into 2 logs, each about 1 3/4 inches in diameter
8. Wrap the rolls in plastic film and tightly turn the ends closed
9. Hit each roll against a countertop to make it square.

10. Refrigerate for at least 6 hours
11. When ready to bake preheat the oven to 350F
12. Unwrap the logs and using a serrated knife, cut them crosswise into 1/4 inch thick slices
13. Place the cookies about 1 inch apart on the prepared cookie sheets

14. Bake for about 10 minutes, or until the cookies have risen slightly, are firm to the touch, and are lightly browned around the edges.
15. Remove from the oven and place on wire racks to cool before serving or storing.

Other popular Chocolate Recipes on TriniGourmet

• Upside Down Chocolate Pudding
• Fudgy Chocolate Cake ‘Brownies’
• Easy Hot Spiced Mexican Chocolate
• Chocolate Armagnac Cake
• Chocolate Valentino

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

From time to time people reach this site by running a search for “Vegan recipes from Trinidad and Tobago”. Veganism as a movement isn’t very pronounced here however many of our most popular dishes (such as doubles) are actually vegan, and many are easily adaptable to vegan requirements. I am currently going through my archives and retagging recipes (where appropriate) as Vegan in nature. You can see a list of them by clicking this Vegan category link.

I have also come across this great starter link for Vegan Recipes from Trinidad and Tobago. I’m particularly interested in trying her vegan version of Accra!

If cookbook titles are something you’re looking into I also have a growing selection of Vegetarian and Vegan publications in my Amazon Store, Veni Mangé. These books are ones that are loved from my own personal collection, as well as ones that are popular with you, my readers

Hopefully you now have more than enough ideas to get started!

This post was originally published March 2, 2010. It has been updated twice since then.

When Trinidad was all abuzz with preparations for the Summit of the Americas I got the wild idea to feature the foods of the member nations as part of a buildup to the actual event. Except for one entry unfortunately that didn’t happen as things got unexpectedly busy on my side. I did however cook up a storm though and those regional specialties will eventually all see the light of day on here

This recipe from Dominica is deliciously addictive and is guaranteed to go straight to your waistline! It reminds me a lot of a Puerto Rican coquito.

Dominican Coconut Rum Punch
Source: Adapted from a recipe on Dominica Recipes

INGREDIENTS:
3 cups coconut milk
1 box evaporated milk
1 tin condensed milk
2 cups white or dark rum
1 drop almond essence
2 drops vanilla essence
1 pinch ground nutmeg
Couple sticks of cinnamon

METHOD:

1. Simmer coconut milk with cinnamon half to one hour with cinnamon sticks.
2. Cover and let cool overnight.
3. Add condensed milk & evaporated milk, rum, nutmeg and essences.
4. Serve over ice cubes or crushed ice.

This post was originally published on June 16, 2009. It has been updated three times since then and has been featured on Wellsphere.com.

I’ve been making a lot of muffins lately. Largely in part because of my newfound obsession with making bento boxes for myself and J. They are a surprisingly exciting way to lower the cost of daily lunches while exercising portion control (all those with weight-loss/financial New Year resolutions). Muffins freeze extremely well and thaw effortlessly. They also come in a myriad of combinations ranging from dessert to savoury and when made at home are invariably lower in sugar and fat than the ones at your favourite coffeehouse chain.

But how do you make a perfect muffin? The short answer to this is don’t overthink them. Muffin-making really is supposed to be foolproof. If you are finding that your muffins are too heavy, leathery, or dry, it normally comes from some of the following common errors. Once those are eliminated I’m sure you’ll be -this- close to wanting to open your own Kaffee Klatch

DO

1. Make sure that your ingredients are all at room temperature before you begin
2. Sift your dry ingredients
3. If the recipe calls for baking powder (most do), make sure it is still active. You can do this by dropping some vinegar on a test teaspoon. If it fizzles it’s still fresh
4. Combine your wet ingredients in a separate bowl from your dry ingredients (not including any ‘chunks’ e.g. chips, dried fruits or nuts). When combining the wet and dry ingredients, create a well in the middle of the dry ingredients and pour the wet ingredients into the well, along with any chunks you may be using.
5. Combine quickly until all the dry ingredients are moistened. The mixture should still be largely lumpy.

DON’T

1. Dont put the batter into a cold oven. Preheat!
2. Don’t overmix or try to smooth out lumps, you will end up with a leathery dough and/or large airholes
3. Don’t overfill the muffin tins. If you’re using a 12-cup tray fill each cup no more than 2/3
4. If you have empty cups don’t leave them empty as the muffins are more likely to burn/dry out. Fill any empty ones with water.
5. Don’t make muffin removal/cleanup any more of a hassle than it needs to be. Cupcake liners/silicone pans are lifesavers!

Ready to put these tips to the test? Here are some ideas to get you going!

TOP 3 MUFFIN RECIPES ON TRINIGOURMET.COM

	1. Cinnamon-Apple Streusel Muffins (recipe) These muffins are light, airy, and delicately sweet from the natural sugars of the apple chunks studded throughout. The light streusel topping is equally subtle and far from overpowering.
	2.Carmen’s Carrot Muffins (recipe) This recipe is one of many to be found in mom’s homemade scrapbooks. Light and moist, it is not a sweet muffin. The only sweetness comes from the raisins and carrots, so it is quite healthy in that respect.
	3. “Almond-Peach Muffins (recipe) Light, moist, and not too sweet they make an effortlessly glam complement to an afternoon tea

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

As Carnival Tuesday draws to a close one song, and one song alone will be crowned as the “Road March” winner. To win “Road March” one’s song needs to be one the played most often over the two day Carnival period, at the various judging points throughout both islands. In many ways the “Road March” is the People’s Choice as it is the tune that the crowds most respond to in terms of keeping their energy and stamina up.

SIGHTS:

SOUNDS:

Machel is once again the favourite to win this year, with “Pump Yuh Flag”

TASTES:

Portable snacks are the way to go, Saltfish Accra is easily popped into a paper bag and carried ‘on de road’. Feel free to pop in some pepper sauce or ketchup in a small plastic bag as well. These used to be easily bought on roadsides but I have seen them less and less in recent years.

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 ago when she decided to look and see what costume/band she should play with. She was shocked when all the Trinis were like, whoa you are way too late. You see, here Carnival bands launch their designs in the final quarter of the previous year. Designs go on sale shortly after and the hottest sections sell out very quickly, sometimes within hours, as people put down their deposits. Several weeks before Carnival the actual costumes are ready for pickup with the rest of your deposit. Oftentimes people don’t have the money or desire to pick up their costumes. However since costumes are sized to the measurements of the buyer if you are trying to pick up a costume last minute you may be stuck with one that is 2 sizes too small, or too large.

Carnival bands range from small local affairs to large elaborate franchises. They may focus on Las Vegas showgirl styled costumes, or on imaginative social commentaries and folklore. On Carnival Monday and Tuesday the bands file through the streets along a prior pre-approved route, complete with music trucks with live musicians and DJs. This route passes past viewing and judging points for the title of ‘Band of the Year’.

SIGHTS:

Additional Carnival Band Links:

• National Carnival Bands Association of Trinidad and Tobago
• Trinidad Carnival Diary”
• 2011 Carnival Band Listing

SOUNDS:

Carnival is not just for the adults though Before the adults have their time in the sun the children also have their turn with their very own Kiddies Carnival

For many Trinis this is where they first get their taste of ‘mas’ I never played in the big Kiddie Carnival but always took part in my prep school’s private one

There I am!

You can see some lovely Kiddie Carnival pics (like the one above) at the website for the carnival band Spoilt Rotten Kids

TASTES:

Saltfish Accra – fried shredded saltfish in a highly seasoned dough, served with pepper sauce

This post was originally published on February 3, 2007. It has been updated three times 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 14, 2007. It has been updated three times 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!

This post was originally published on February 6, 2007. It has been updated three times since then.

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: