Lunch in the Caribbean
>> Saturday, 25 April 2009
Breakfast we can forego, mid-morning snack, tea and dinner we can miss or have something light, but not lunch. We want it heavy and we want it hearty. We want real food.
Coming from such a lunch-eating background then, read about an invitation to lunch I had in the USA several years ago that left me hungry and frustrated.
In Barbados, Lasagna Bolognese makes a daily appearance on the many lunch-buffet tables.
Thanks Marie and Maryann for sharing your thoughts and recipes for review.
Spinach (bhajee) rice is a favourite of mine and I first had it for lunch in Trinidad. Bounjal baby-shrimp is very popular in certain parts of the region also and is served with plain white rice or alongside dhal and rice.
Recipe for the lasagne can be found at the bottom of the column. For the spinach rice and bounjal shrimp, please do not hesitate to email me.
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64 comments:
both dishes look so tasty...I visited cartagena, columbia and they embrace lunch it seems the same way you do....
Cynthia, In India too lunch is heavy with rice and curries with curd/yoghurt. When our family or friends visit us they cannot bring themselves to eating cereal for breakfast or sandwhich for lunch. It was considered an insult to them.
Lovely recipes. Spinach with shrimp and dhal sounds delicious.
I am that person that would scrape the sides off that lasgna dish just to eat it.
I always look forward to your mouthwatering photos. You have such talent.
You are very welcome, Sweety :)
Your dishes look delicious!
Both dishes look mighty tempting and extremely scrumptious! Yummy!
Cheers,
Rosa
that shot of the lasagna spilling over with gooey goodness is just inspired :-) now...was that intentional? or making the best of what happened? :-D
Cynthia I know your pain when I first came to the UK I encunteed the same thing. In the first instance my university dept. stated they were seving a buffet lunch and when I showed up (ready to eat) all I found was little finger foods and they were all cold on top of it.
Then I was invited to a party and expected, like we do in Bim, to find food there even if not 'proper food' at least some nibbles...sigh...only alcohol not even nuts were available.
Lol, I think the light lunch was started by greedy corporations that didn't want their employees tired, sedated and lethargic after lunch :D I think It's healthier for people to eat a lil heavier during early - mid day and lighter at dinner... that way we can burn off the calories, in stead of sleeping them away after a heavy dinner. But after a long day, a big dinner is so satisfying, Isn't it? Who am I kidding, I'll take a heavy meal for breakfast, lunch, AND dinner :) The lasagna looks delish!
That lasagna looks great.. but Cynthia I have all my attention of that spinach rice & the baby shrimp. Reminds me of the elaborate lunch back home, esp.on the weekends, since we would go easy on the weekdays on lunch with both parents working.
its saturday lunch time here & my tummy is rumbling just seeing these... Smack!
I would love to eat lunch cooked by you anytime Cynthia!
I cant stand a wimpy lunch. Barabados sounds like my sort of place.
I am with you Cynthia, lunch has to be hot filling foods just like it is back home. The incident make me make a mental note to myself to always check if the guest wants a light or heavy meal.
The bounjal shrimp looks inviting.
Your lasagna bolognese looks simply heavenly! By the way, us Finns are a lunch people, too. :)
Greetings,
Tiina
Lush lasagna--yum--both dishes look wonderful. Now I am surely hungry.
Thank goodness you told us that lunch story! Now I can be prepared if ever we meet for lunch. I know exactly what you mean about a specific meal being very important to you, but not to others.
But Cynthia, I don't want you to think that lunch in the U.S is bad. It's just usually not multi-coursed. Some coffee shops are great and have HUGE sandwiches.
Great recipe!
Cynthia, both of these look fantastic!mom also makes spinach and rice as in this picture.delish!
That lasagne looks amazing. Look at all that cheese oozing down the sides. My dinner looks anemic all of a sudden.sess
OMG!! how do you take such pics!
Look at that lasagna!
what kind of beans/lentils did you serve with the rice Cynthia? i don't think i recognize them.
You are the only person that has managed to take a droolworthy picture of lasagna!!! Both recipes have been bookmarked...lovely for winter!!
OMG, the lasagna is a killer, Just droolworthy the rice and shrimp dish!
Lord Cynthia that lasagne looks amazing. It's making me want to rush off and make it now andit's breakfast time!!!
We've had a family exodus to your lovely island this past few months. First us in January. My daughter and family have just returned. They adored it too and are returning next year. My son and his fiancée are going out this week. Now off to get your lasagne recipe:)
the rice dish looks just amazing .. We are just like yu, we love good food for lunch
They both look delicious ... and I'd be hard pressed to choose one over the other! Yum!
I could certainly go for a slice of that lasagna for lunch today!
MMMMMMM...the 2 dishes look excellent!
I really want a piece of that lovely lasagna!! Yum!
I would be very happy with both dishes, right now ;)
In Brazil lunch is also the main meal.
The lasagna looks fantastic. I wanna have some myself- and I don't even eat meat.;D
Love your photos!! Everything looks tasty!
I had to laugh when I read this. When I first came to the U.S. and most folks were okay by just having sandwiches for lunch..I thought...that's only a snack. I needed to have rice to have a meal. That lasagna Bolognese though is filling enough as lunch for me :).
Hi Cynthia,
Your dishes on display here looks spectacular!
I have read your escapade with the whole lunch dilemma.I think it would have been prudent for Angela to ask you, the guest, what you wanted to have for lunch!
If you had visited me though, I would have gone to town by making unique dishes( more like a seven course meal), I always do this for visitors from out of town or anyone for that matter!!!
Back home in South Africa, people would just rock up at your house and the hospitality came in all kinds of culinary delights.I still possess this kind of hospitality, my Mom taught me well.
However, now that I am an American, I have adapted to this life style. We mean no disrespect, it is just our way of life here.
Next time come and visit me and I shall know how to treat you right girl LOL!
P/s Nobody would be able to do their work after a heavy lunch ha! ha!
Me thinks lunch is really under rated too. That's time I'm super hungry. I'm going to imagine that is a veggie lasagne and drool some more.
lasagna bolognese is my daughter's favorite...I prefer the spinach and shrimp rice and dhal which is a wholesome and healthy meal! I love your recipes and photos :)
Here in Canada lunch is a light affair. It would be better health wise to eat a larger lunch mid day, but I for one don't have that luxury and eat cold sandwiches and leftovers for lunch:D
Lunch is my favorite meal of the day. It's one of my favorite words in the english language. These days, I don't mind having a sandwich, but that is not the way I grew up. The heavy meal was at lunch time. That lasange looks amazing, and reminds me that I havent made it in so long.
Yum, yum!
Great read. I could relate, as lunch in India is the same way...a very hearty wholesome meal!
OMG! that lasagna looks soooooooooooo gooey and good
Wow....both lunch choices look so tasty! In India too lunch is heavy...so I can imagine your frustration at the sandwich :)
maybe I should start to think of moving to Caribbean :D So true, real food! Cynthia, I always love your photos, and the recent sets I particualarly fond of their styling!
wonderful treats, both of them look great :)
the lasagne looks perfect, melting, rich and and delicious exactly as I like it (greedy gourmet me!!!)
spinach and prawns make a great combination, right?
tempting, appetizing and attractive clicks as usual :)
I tend to break my diets each time I come over here :) you're killing me :)
Very nice recipes...never been around at these places...thanks for bringing them to my table thro' blogging!!!
Delicious dishes..The photographs are excellent!
hey cynthia, such an inviting slice of the lasagna .....yummy
Well, I spent some time in UK in 1981. This country doesn't have the best of reputations for its food but some pubs served filling lunches.
Here and in Brazil lunch is heavy,but I understand if you have a heavy breakfast (not only coffee, toast, marmalade and yogurt or juice like us )is almost impossible have hungry in lunch.
Your lasagna looks delicious
Both dishes looks lovely! Nice photography!
In Greece we eat real food like you do. Even those working have a snack and then have a proper lunch even if it is a 5 p.m. Both your recipes sound delicious.
AAaAAAAAA! bounjal shrimp???? That's a rare find here in the USA - in fact I know of no region that has it (how sad).
Lovely - sublime!!!
I have to say - your photos just SHINE! Awesome!
Gabi @ Mamaliga.
It is interesting to learn that Lasagna Bolognese is popular in the Caribbean. It looks so good!
WOW, the dishes look so good, what a temptation!
Hehe. That's one funny story Cynthia. I will never serve sandwich to my guests unless they asked for it. So if you ever come and visit me, you know sandwich is not going to be in the menu. *wink*
I had to laugh reading this post! I'm a big brunch fan, because there's always a ton of food and thought that everyone knew that. One day, my immediate family and I were invited to brunch at someone's house. I think they might have had cereal and juice. That was it. We were starving and ended up having to buy food and cook it ourselves! It was crazy!!!
I always enjoy your posts and amazing pictures.
Both look delish! But I'm really loving that lasagne!!!
They look absolutey divine! Edible art.
if i eat a caribbean lunch, i'll fall asleep at my desk. now, it's gladly eat a caribbean lunch for dinner.
Oh my... I don't think I will opt for such lunch LOL. I understood your predicament! I faced such situation before. If I want to eat, I want to eat Hearty meals especially Lunch Time!
My usual lunch would rice or noodles...with minimum 3 side dishes like vegetables, fish, meat, tofu and some fruity drinks, chinese tea, herbal tea. Then If I fancy some desserts, I will have those too (most of the time).
At Indian restaurants, I will have my usual banana leaf rice which is served several types of condiments of the day, Papadums, Rasam, Mooru, Rice either plain white rice, Tomato Rice, Pilau or Briyani. On top of that... dessert like carrot halwa, Kheer, Gulab Jamun and Chai are a must to end my meal time properly :-)
"Breakfast, eat like Princess. Lunch, eat like a King and Dinner, eat like Pauper"
Well, between you and me, we can scrap off the Pauper part :-D
Cheers!!! Love your blog..always! If I'm in your area, don't worry, we can eat until we crawl out from the restaurants!
This is terrible - I am actually drooling over my screen!!!
Seriously, that is one delicious looking lasagne!!
It's a yummy treat to be here at your blog :)
i only say that These dishes are decorated in artistic way, i found it well. i m also a cook special in Chocolate Covered Strawberries
I feel for you,Cyn.
I too was taken aback when an Indian friend who invited us and our guests from India announced: "I have made four salads for lunch."
The friend from India wasn't having any of it: "I'm making rice and sambar (South Indian lentil curry) for us," she announced, marching into the kitchen and taking over!
While it is not easy to serve big meals at breakfast and lunch here, esp. to guests over a long stay, and without any help from them, one get together does merit a special meal.
If you can't rely on your friends to find out what you would like and treat you to it, who can you count on?
Very nice blog..
but Sorry ...but mi eyes are rolling. and my teeth is kissing and stewing.
I guess there's no way to hold back the global village from infiltrating our food.
Caribbean people who have lived away for many years will probably want to jet around some of the islands before things seriously start changing.
Anyone with a Caribbean background from Canada or the U.S...the last thing we would want to see when we go home to any area in the Caribbean is lasagna or something like this.
Hopefully it's only in the hotels.
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Both dishes looks delicious and fabulous!
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