This post was originally published on June 18, 2009. It has been updated once since then.

I’ve fallen off my raw food adventure wagon BADLY. And I do mean BADLY. With all of the stress of the past 2 months and the nonstop up and down around the island it’s been hard to keep any kind of routine, health or fitness-wise. Maybe it’s telling that this post is now being written as my stresses have begun to wind down. My body fortunately hasn’t succumbed to flus the way it would have in the past and I do attribute that to the solid foundation that the months of healthy eating gave me, and quite honestly I miss it. A Lot! With many of my favourite fruits and vegetables coming back into season, and with the summer months kicking in in the Northern Hemisphere what better way to inspire myself (and hopefully some of you out there) to enjoy a refreshing and nutritious guilt-free drink, like this Banana-Papaya Smoothie?

Papayas (or pawpaws as they are called here in Trinidad) are something of a wonder fruit, being packed chock full of vitamins as well as immune-boosting and disease-fighting components!

Banana-Papaya Smoothie

INGREDIENTS:

1 papaya
1 cup fresh coconut water
1 ripe banana
1 tblsp coconut oil
1 small handful of ice

METHOD:

1. Toss all ingredients into a blender and blend. Doesn’t get more simple than that!

This recipe is an exclusive TriniGourmet original. Please do not share it or post it to your site without crediting TriniGourmet.com. A link back to our site is not necessary but always appreciated

Want more raw recipes? Check out the raw recipe section of Trinigourmet, and make sure to visit the Raw Cookbook area of Veni Mangé – my Amazon store!

Fifteen-Minute Magic: Chocolate Amaretti Torte
Page 276-277, Baking: From My Home to Yours

Makes 8 Servings

6 large double Amaretti di Saronno or 18 mini amarettini cookies (2.75 oz) (other brands can be used as well)
3/4 cup almonds (blanched or not; whole, sliced or slivered)
1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup sugar
3 large eggs, at room temperature
4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, melted and cooled

For the Glaze:

4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons water

For the Almond Whipped Cream (Optional):

1/4 cup heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon pure almond extract
1 1/2 teaspoons confectioners’ sugar

1 or 2 amaretti or amarettini, crumbled, or a few spoonfuls of toasted sliced almonds, for decoration

Getting Ready:
Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter an 8×2-inch round cake pan, line the bottom with parchment or wax paper and butter the paper. Dust the inside of the pan with flour, tap out the excess and put the pan on a baking sheet lined with parchment or a silicone mat.

Put the amaretti and almonds in a food processor and pulse to grind them finely and evenly. Turn out onto a piece of wax paper and set aside.

Put the butter, sugar and eggs into the processor and process for about 3 minutes, until the batter is very smooth and has a satiny sheen. Stop to scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed so the ingredients blend evenly. Pour in the amaretti and almonds and the melted chocolate and pulse just until they are thoroughly incorporated. Turn the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top with a rubber spatula.

Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until a thin knife inserted into the center of the cake comes out almost clean – streaky is more what you’re looking for. The cake will dome slightly and the top will look dry; it might even crack – don’t worry. Transfer the cake to a rack to cool for 15 minutes.

Run a knife around the sides of the pan and unmold the cake onto the rack. The cake will be very thin. Peel off the paper liner, invert the cake and cool to room temperature right side up.

When you are ready to glaze the cake, put the cake, still on the rack, over a sheet of wax paper (the drip catcher).

To Make the Glaze:

Put the chopped chocolate in a 2-cup Pyrex measuring cup or in a bowl with a spout.
Stir the cream, sugar and water together in a small saucepan, and bring to a boil over medium heat. Pour the cream over the chocolate and wait for 1 minute, then, using a small rubber spatula, gently stir until the glaze is smooth, blended and shiny. Pour the glaze over the top of the cake and, with a long metal icing spatula, spread it over the top, allowing it to spill over the sides of the cake; then smooth the glaze over the sides. Refrigerate the cake for about 30 minutes to set the glaze.

To Make the Optional Almond Whipped Cream:

Working with a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment or with a hand mixer in a medium bowl, whip the cream on medium-low speed until it holds soft peaks. Beat in the almond extract. Sift the confectioners’ sugar into the bowl and fold it into the cream with a rubber spatula.

Slice the cake and top each slice with a spoonful of almond whipped cream, if you have it, and a sprinkling of crushed amaretti or toasted almonds.

Playing Around:

Dorie says: I like to use this cake as the base of a hot fudge sundae. Top each wedge of cake with a fat scoop of ice cream, cover with Bittersweet Chocolate Sauce and top with a respectable amount of whipped cream, some toasted almonds and, if you’re the old-fashioned type, a maraschino cherry.

Individual Tortes:

Prepare four 4-inch round cake pans, divide the batter among the pans and bake for about 25 minutes. If you need to make more servings, the recipe is easily doubled.

This post was originally published on October 13, 2006. It has been updated once since then.

Bake is a popular breakfast bread here in Trinidad. Hearty by nature, its heavy crumb it keeps you feeling satisfied for hours. Especially when taken with a savory topping. My version here, raises the fiber content through a healthy dose of wholewheat flour. Be sure to pay attention to the resting time and icy water, it’s necessary for tender results

Wholewheat Bake

Ingredients:
1 cup white flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
3 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
3 oz butter (or margarine)
1 1/2 oz vegetable shortening
1 cup ice cold water

Method:
1. Sift flour with the baking powder and salt

2. Rub in the fats
3. Slowly add the water to make a smooth dough (dough will be sticky at this point)
4. Begin to incorporate enough wholewheat flour to make a smooth, dry, but elastic dough. Knead well.
5. Shape the dough into a bowl and allow to rest for 60 minutes
6. Preheat oven to 400F
7. After 1 hour, place dough onto floured board
8. Roll to a thickness of 3/4″ to 1″

9. Place dough onto a greased baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes
10. Serve hot, cut into wedges.

makes 4 – 6 slices

This recipe is an exclusive TriniGourmet original. Please do not share it or post it to your site without crediting TriniGourmet.com. A link back to our site is not necessary but always appreciated

*note: Hover your mouse over each title for more details!

	1. Modern Caribbean Cuisine Description: Modern Caribbean Cuisine demonstrates the new directions into which Caribbean cooking is now moving. For this and other Caribbean Cookbooks check out the Caribbean section of my Veni Mangé Amazon Store!
	2. Corelle Hearthstone Stoneware Square 16-Piece Dinnerware Set, Service for 4 Description: * Corelle Hearthstone Square 16-piece set, service for 4 * Includes 4 each: 11-1/2-inch dinner plate; 8-3/4-inch luncheon plate; 28-ounce soup/cereal bowl; 14-ounce mug * Crafted of durable stoneware in choice of 5 colors * Modern square design influenced by Asian styling * Safe for use in the oven, microwave, and dishwasher; 1-year chip warranty For this and other tableware check out the tableware section of my Veni Mangé Amazon Store!
	3. Moko Jumbies: The Dancing Spirits of Trinidad Description: Seventeen years ago, Glen ‘Dragon’ De Souza founded the Keylemanjahro School of Arts and Culture on the island of Trinidad in the Caribbean. The school’s mission was to revive the almost-forgotten West African tradition of the moko jumbie, or ’stilt-walker’, and adopt it into the annual Carnival celebration. Not only would it restore a centuries-old tribal custom that had been squelched by colonialism and slavery, but De Souza dreamed it would also keep underprivileged children from street life and drugs. Today, more than one hundred moko jumbies – boys and girls from the age of four years old – practice at the Keylemanjahro School. Internationally recognized photographer Stefan Falke spent six years documenting these ‘dancing spirits’ of Trinidad. With rare power, he captures the vivid costumes and haunting beauty of the moko jumbie dances in over 200 dazzling colour photographs. For this and other books on Trinidad & Tobago check out the Trinidad & Tobago: General section of my Veni Mangé Amazon Store!
	4. The Sephardic Table: The Vibrant Cooking of the Mediterranean Jews Description: A collection of 175 recipes from Morocco, Libya, Algeria, and Tunisia in North Africa; from the Ottoman communities of Turkey, Rhodes, and Greece; from Syria, Lebanon, Egypt, Iraq, and Iran in the Middle East. For this and other books on Jewish cuisine check out the Jewish section of my Veni Mangé Amazon Store!
	5. Baking: From My Home to Yours Description: Greenspan, coauthor of books with culinary icons such as Julia Child (Baking with Julia), Daniel Boulud and Pierre Hermé, shares her favorite recipes in this tantalizing collection, which covers all the baking bases, from muffins, cookies and brownies to spoon desserts, pies and cobblers. Instructions are clear and easy to follow, and Greenspan uses everyday ingredients readily available to the home chef. Recipes like Perfection Pound Cake and All-American, All-Delicious Apple Pie convey a comfortable, almost homey, familiarity that will bring readers back to this collection again and again. In addition, she provides insight into matters many cooks may not often consider, such as leaveners, technique and choosing the right pan. For this and other books on Baking & Desserts check out the Bread, Baking & Desserts section of my Veni Mangé Amazon Store!

	6. The Multi-Cultural Cuisine of Trinidad & Tobago & the Caribbean Description: This book features the multi-cultural Cuisine of Trinidad & Tobago and the Caribbean on a whole. It has received glowing praises and is regarded amongst many as a premier guide to Caribbean cooking. If you’d like to try your hand at the delicious Caribbean dishes that you have tasted, this is definitely the cookbook to buy. For this and other Caribbean Cookbooks check out the Caribbean section of my Veni Mangé Amazon Store!
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	9. Cooking with Three Ingredients: Flavorful Food, Easy as 1, 2, 3 Description: There’s magic in the number three. And when it comes to cooking, the number three can create culinary magic in your kitchen. In this fabulous, original collection, three ingredients add up to much more than the sum of their parts. There are three-ingredient pasta sauces, delectable vegetables and sides, and even “almost instant” desserts. Using only three ingredients means less shopping, less preparation, less cleanup — and best of all, less time. And with the many creative ways author Andrew Schloss has put these together, no one will guess that you haven’t slaved for hours in the kitchen. You’ll find these recipes exceptionally easy — and unbelievably delicious. For this and other General Cookbooks check out the General Cookbook section of my Veni Mangé Amazon Store!
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This post was originally published on November 5, 2008. It has been updated once since then.

Mmm pone. A sinfully sweet childhood memory. Not a pudding, not a cake, but something somewhere in between. Pones are usually made from root vegetables. You can also make them with carrots, sweet potatoes and pumpkin. This time around I decided to try my hand at a popular local version made from cassava. Cassava is intriguing in that although it appears excessively dry when in its raw state, once baked it melts and morphs into a wonderful ‘gelatinous gloop’

As a lazy, modern lady, I decided to buy my cassava pre-peeled and frozen.

I saved even more time by handing the duty of grating over to J Boys as human food processors?Who knew! …. Alll I really had to do at this point was mix and stir That’s the lovely thing about pone, it’s pretty much foolproof. The only thing you have to worry about is overbaking it. You don’t want it to dry out, as part of the decadence, is the creamy, moist texture.

Follow these instructions to the tee and your batter may seem slightly fluid when the oven timer goes off. Have no fear, as long as there is a good crust, and the batter is more like firm jello, than milk you should be alright. Make sure to let the pone cool completely before cutting. All will be well

Cassava Pone
Makes 6 servings

INGREDIENTS:

1 ¼ cups brown sugar
1 lb. raw cassava grated
1 cup milk
½ tsp. nutmeg or mace
½ pack dried coconut flakes
2 cups hot water
1 cup coconut milk
2 tbsp. melted butter
1/2 cup raisins (optional)
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp, ginger
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. vanilla

METHOD:

1. Combine cassava with milk, sugar and spices and mix well.
2. Add raisins (if using), coconut, hot water and melted butter.
3. Mix briskly and taste for sweetness desired.
4. Add more sugar if necessary, pour into greased Pyrex dish. (This time around I used a non-stick baking pan. As it was black I lowered the temperature from 375 to 350 F.)

5. Bake at 375 F for 45 – 50 minutes

6. Let cool and cut into slices or cubes to serve.

This recipe is an exclusive TriniGourmet original. Please do not share it or post it to your site without crediting TriniGourmet.com. A link back to our site is not necessary but always appreciated

Reader’s Question: I came across your recipe (for Trinidad Black Cake) just last month. I baked the cake and by a turn of events I gave one to a colleague who is getting married in June. Her fiance tasted it and is now hinting that he wants me to make his groom’s cake and a sheet cake to feed 250 guests. I have no problem baking the cakes, it’s the frosting and decorating. I don’t do that. I live in New York City. Do you know of anyone in Brooklyn or the Bronx who frosts black cakes?

TriniGourmet’s Answer: First of all congrats on preparing a successful Trinidad Black Cake! I am so happy to hear that the recipients enjoyed it so much that they want it at their wedding I asked my readers your question via Twitter and Facebook and one reply in particular stood out.

“Hey! I do baked goods, including black cake, wedding cakes, etc. My website for inquiries is www.kimberlyparris.com.”

After checking out her site (and talking to her on Twitter), I definitely have to say it looks like this lady knows what she’s about. Why not visit her site to learn more about her, and how she can help to cater your next NYC event!

Chef's Table: Ciabatta-Wrapped Sea Bass (ABC News)

Combining the flavours of a saffron sauce with a tomato-fennel stew, and easily adaptable to kosher restrictions, this will definitely be gracing my dinner table in the near future (I’ll probably be leaving out the capers though, can’t stand those! )

Ciabatta bread is still relatively unknown here in Trinidad however gourmet stores and bakeries are increasingly including it in their offerings (I personally buy mine at Peppercorns when in a rush – the holes are not as large as one would like but the crust is wonderful).

Even better, why not try making your own?

Image: Sarina’s Coconut Rice With Lentils and Cashews (recipe here)

Not that I need any encouragement, nor am I sure do many of my regular readers, but the BBC ran an article last year touting the benefits of regular curry consumption. Among one of the findings was that a key component in curries (curcumin) can help to prevent the onset of Alzheimer’s disease or dementia.

Excerpts:.

Curcumin appears to prevent the spread of amyloid protein plaques – thought to cause dementia – in the brain.

Professor Murali Doraiswamy, of Duke University in North Carolina, said there was evidence that people who eat a curry meal two or three times a week have a lower risk of dementia.

Dr Susanne Sorensen, of the Alzheimer’s Society, said: “Indian communities that regularly eat curcumin have a surprisingly low incidence of Alzheimer’s disease but we don’t yet know why.

“Alzheimer’s Society is keen to explore the potential benefits of curcumin in protecting the brain and we are conducting our own research into this area.

Read the whole article here.

Curcumin is also being studied for its properties in battling arthritis and cancer, looks like another serving of curried pumpkin and rice may be just what the doctor ordered!

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’ (more on that coming soon!)

TASTES:

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

By this time tomorrow we should all know if he has been able to achieve an unbelievable 4 consecutive “Band of the Year” titles. MacFarlane is currently my favourite band designer. I am not a fan of the generic beads and feathers style of mas, it doesn’t capture my spirit or imagination, and the half-hearted attempts by bandleaders to give their thongs and headpieces some kind of ‘narrative’ or ‘backstory’ always comes across as disingenious.

MacFarlane is not without his critics, and I’m sure some of them will come forward, however at the moment he is for me the only torchbearer of the idea of mas as street theater and populist performance art.

The attention to detail (historical and technical), and the fabrication that borders on the couture, this is the mas and other-worldly escapism that riveted me, moved me and inspired me the most as a child holding me to the screen.

Right now the Midnight Robbers are crossing the screen and the smile on my face couldn’t be broader I so wanted to play this year. Oh well Here’s to another win!

From his website:

Brian MacFarlane’s heart has always been into carnival, starting out as an unpaid proletariat with one of the bigger names in mas, Raoul Garib. He learned quickly and turned into a ‘mas man’ himself.

Brian’s first Carnival King was portrayed by Junior Regrello which won South King of Carnival for his portrayal ‘Prisma-Man of Colour’. He continued to do Kings and Queens of Carnival between then and 1994 which always placed in the top four of their respective competitions. It was in 1994 that Brian won his first King of Carnival and the best designer with the portrayal, ‘The Conquest’ by Anthony Paul. This costume went on that same year to be crowned ‘Carnival King of the World’, at the first ever, International King and Queen of Carnival Competition in Trinidad and Tobago which hosted entrants from some thirty-eight countries.

Brian has also designed for international bands, including one for Carnival in Australia. His creation won band of the year. A feat he repeated when he designed a band of the year for Carnival in Vancouver, Canada. In 2000 Brian designed for Rosalind Gabriel’s junior Queen of Carnival entitled ‘Exodus the Power and the Glory’. This spectacular creation gave the appearance of an entirely different design when the individual moved in different directions and broke all records for Carnival, winning the seventeen competitions in which it was entered. Later that year at the request of the Trinidad and Tobago Government, this costume was used in a performance for Prince Charles of The United Kingdom on the occasion of his official visit to Trinidad and Tobago.

Over the years Brian has designed Kings, Queens, and worked with all forms of mas. In 2005 he designed and led his first full presentation, ‘The Washing by fire by water’, which copped band of the year medium category title and created great hope for mas in Trinidad & Tobago. In 2006, his creation ‘Threads of Joy’; won several accolades: Band of the Year Downtown, on the Greens, at the Renegade competition and 2nd place at the Savannah.  

Brian continued his carnival tradition of hand crafting costumes for the theatre of the streets in last year’s (2007) portrayal ‘India: The Story of Boyie’ which was the first ever portrayal of an entirely east Indian large band. This creation surpassed his efforts of 2005 and 2006 and received the top awards at all of the Carnival venues at which it was viewed. His 2007 presentation again copped Band of The Year Downtown, and on The Greens of Piccadilly. In addition, “India – The Story of Boyie” received the prestigious award of Band of the Year at The Savannah and was the highlight of the Champs in Concert.

LEFT: His Worship, the Mayor of Port of Spain, Mr. Murchison Brown and Brian Mac Farlane (image via TriniSoca.com)

In 2008 Brian’s presentation “Earth – Cries of Despair, Wings of Hope” copped first place in all of the major judging points.
A first for Trinidad Carnival, this band highlighted the effects man has had on his environment, and along with the endorsement of the United Nations sought to educate both masquerader and spectator of the potential benefits lifestyle changes can have on our environment.

Ladies in Waiting – Masqueraders from Brian MacFarlane’s 2008 Carnival Band
(Photo courtesy Bobolee Pix)

2009 saw Brian again at the forefront Trinidad Carnival when his presentation “Africa – Her People, Her Glory, Her Tears” copped first place in all large band categories as well as the King and Queen of Carnival.

Brian’s 2010 presentation “Resurrection – The Mas” promises to be as spectacular as his previous productions.

SIGHTS:

SOUNDS:

TASTES:

Callaloo

Callaloo, is a well-known local dish, one that is considered by some to be our national one.