Posts Tagged ‘food’

Steve
Steve

Taste of the Caribbean: Spice Up Your Thanksgiving Ham with Some Trini Chow

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Thanksgiving Day is coming up on Thursday here in the U.S., and while most everyone is gearing up for a taste of turkey, we mustn’t forget that other pink ‘n pretty meat that’s so much a part of this heartiest of holidays – ham!
In the Trinidadian household where Patrick and I were raised in St. Croix, Thanksgiving morning always meant ham. Baked, glazed and artfully pricked with cloves, Mom’s ham breakfast often outshined the turkey dinner to come.
Now that ham didn’t need any help in the flavor department, but if anyone wanted to add a bit of Trini spice to their plate, there was always some Chow on the table.

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Steve
Steve

On-Site Nassau: My One Night Stand on Arawak Cay

The New Big 10 on Arawak Cay, Nassau/SBPR

What would you do if you only had one night to enjoy the most developed and commercial (read: touristy) of Bahamas islands? I posed that question to our Facebook fans ahead of a one-night business trip I had planned to Nassau a few weeks ago. The responses were so unanimous, so fervent in their insistence that I just had to obey. Indeed, if I was to have just one night in Nassau, there would only be one place for me: Arawak Cay.

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Steve
Steve

Taste of the Caribbean: Ti Toques, Martinique C’est Tip Top!

Cafe Royal at Ti Toques in Le Marin, Martinique/SBPR

Martinique never ceases to amaze me with the absolutely superb quality of its cuisine, and the absolutely innumerous places where you can find it. Whether it’s a roadside BBQ, a shack on the beach, or even a fast food joint, you’re virtually guaranteed an exceptional dining experience anywhere on the island. I’ve traveled here nearly 10 times since 2006, eating at dozens of different places along the way, and never encountered a bad meal (except for one ill-conceived venture to a Tex-Mex place). Yesterday, though, I thought my luck had finally run out.

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Steve
Steve

Taste of the Caribbean: Can’t Miss Cracked Conch in The Bahamas

Cracked Conch at Compass Point, Nassau/SBPR

Earlier this year, I wrote about traveling to Grand Cayman and enjoying my first taste of turtle. Predictably, this was not one of our more popular posts. Reader responses generally ranged from outrage to disappointment. Turtles are cute and endangered; how can anyone think of eating them?
I can see where my detractors were coming from (though most ignored the conservation side of the story), but I’m wondering how these same people will feel about the subject of today’s Taste of the Caribbean: the regal, if not ravenous Queen Conch.

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Steve
Steve

Taste of the Caribbean: When in MoBay, Don’t Pass on the Pork Pit

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Popular perception holds that the best jerk in Montego Bay can only be found at Scotchie’s. A recent poll by Island Stylee proves it, as does this. I even wrote as much last year.
On my most recent trip to Jamaica, though, I discovered a very worthy contender…

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Steve
Steve

Taste of the Caribbean: Monkey’s on the Menu in St. Kitts & Nevis?

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I don’t know that too many people actually visit St. Kitts & Nevis expressly to check out the monkeys, but believe me, once you’re there, they are impossible to ignore. Whether taking a stroll across a golf course, frantically raiding a mango tree, as we witnessed at The Golden Rock Inn last year, or boozing it up with hilarious consequences, the Vervet Monkeys in this twin-island nation put on quite a show.
For visitors, the show is all in fun; an exotic attraction worthy of some serious post-vacation bragging around the watercolor back at the office.
For residents, especially local farmers, it’s quite the opposite.

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Steve
Steve

Taste of the Caribbean: Channa Nuts, Trinidad’s Onetime Favorite Movie Treat

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While the good old days are alive and well in many ways throughout the Caribbean, as I argued a few days ago, it is undeniable that certain cherished elements of island life have long ago faded away. For instance, if you grew up in Trinidad during the 1950s and 60s, then the sight, smell, taste or mere mention of these somewhat spicy treats may jog memories of a special night out at the movies.
You’re looking at Channa Nuts, one of the most beloved snack foods to ever come out of Trinidad & Tobago.
Channa are essentially fried or roasted chick peas (garbanzos), seasoned with salt and peppers (some hot) to taste.

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