When you come, what to bring

Are you like me – do you give your best friends and loved ones a list of food to bring when they’re coming to visit from overseas, especially if they are coming from home? I do! A few days ago I had a taste of home. My mom’s visiting and she brought for me Chinese Fried Rice and Chinese Cakes (moon cakes). Bliss! Click here to continue reading the column. I'd love to hear what are some of the goodies you request when loved ones are coming to visit :)

Fresh Black-Eye Peas

Last week, for the first time, I bought some fresh black-eye peas. It was a joy to cook with especially since it was done cooking in no time. It is not feasible for me to cook often with fresh peas though as it is costly. The amount you see here in the photograph - just over a cup, costs US$4. A few weeks ago I saw this dish, Aloo Lobia over at Monsoon Spice and knew right away that I'd be making it soon. My friends, Sonia, William and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Sia's Aloo Lobia

For several years now, I've been seeing this particular variety of cucumber at the market here in Barbados but never felt motivated to try it even though I love cucumbers and purchase them weekly. It's simply called Bajan Cucumbers. The skin has always been a turn off for me - like something's wrong with it. However, last week, I thought that I'd give it a try and once I cut it, I found it was very similar to the regular cucumbers. It doesen't taste any different, it's just a different variety and it grows larger in size. It sells for more money too! If any of you recognize this variety of cucumber, please let me know.

Bajan Cucumber

Finally, plums are in season. These are caribbean plums. They're rather fragrant when ripe. Though they do not have a lot of flesh on them, they're a delight to have.

Caribbean Plums

Enjoy the weekend, especially for those of you in the USA celebrating Labor Day!

Read more...

I'm Not Hungry

Twice each year I go through a phase where I find food unappealing. I find myself not feeling hungry and even when I try to envision my favourite dishes I generally like to indulge in, nothing happens. There’s no excitement. No love for food of any kind. I am currently going through one of those phases. Click here to read the rest of the column and reason behind all the food you see displayed in this post despite my lack of hunger. It almost seems like an oxymoron.

Credit for the corn pudding inspiration goes to a regular reader, Rochelle. Thanks! Recipe at the bottom of the column.

There are many Khottu recipes out there but I rembered book marking Arundati's.

Green-tomato Choka. Email me for recipe.

Brown Beef (salt, pepper & Kecap Manis)

These days, taking part in blog events are a luxury. I'd bookmark the event and totally forget about it or I'd make something for the event and miss the deadline or make something only for it not to qualify for the theme. That's what happened with the last MLLA edition hosted by Coco. I made this chickpea dish but it was definitely not an appetizer, more like a full meal. It is something that I made on the whim, no special quantities etc. It's dried chickpeas, rehydrated overnight and then cooked in water with a smoked ham-hock, drained and then sauteed with onions, hot pepper, some minced cilantro along with the chopped ham from the hock and sliced green onions stirred in at the end.

I'm sending this to the current MLLA edition being hosted by Lori-lynn and created by Susan.

HAPPY MOTHERS DAY to my Mom & Sister and to all of you reading this that are mothers! Have a great day!

Read more...

Describe your Cuisine

When asked to describe Caribbean cuisine, one word that frequently comes to our minds is "spicy". However, when we say spicy I think that it is interpreted solely to mean hot – heat from the scotch bonnet peppers our region is known for. This interpetation is not exactly true. Read this week's column to get an idea about how to describe and interpret Caribbean Cuisine.

Dishes such as this Pumpkin Pudding is an example of our sweet-spicy-side. Email me for the recipe.

A low and slow cooked stew like pork and beans reveals the depth of flavour our cuisine is known for. Recipe available.

Like I said in the column, "We are hot, we are spicy, we are sour, we are sweet, we are salty, we are tasty, we are tangy, we are sharp and even though we are mild at times, one thing we are not is bland."

COOKBOOK STUFF

Congratulations to Elle of Elle's New England Kitchen, the winner of the Royal Foodie Joust, themed "Caribbean" for her excellent Banana Foster Cupcakes! Elle wins a signed copy of my book, My Caribbean Cookbook Tastes Like Home.

The winner of Let's All Cook's Eat Healthy Contest will be announced next week as voting closes at mid-night tonight (Saturday, January 17). If you have voted yet, please click this link to do so now.

Finally, there's still plenty of time to CLICK Red for a chance to win a copy of the book!

Read more...

Jug Jug & Book Giveaways

My friend Gwen says, “People are not into making ole time food” and unfortunately, that is exactly where Jug Jug finds itself, in the ole-time-food category. Read this week's column to learn more about this Barbadian Christmas Dish and for the recipe. Any of the variety of pigeon peas shown below will work.

My friend Maryann over at Finding La Dolce Vita along with her friend Joe are hosting a Seven Fishes Feast event, a tradition the Italians follow every Christmas Eve. They are going to be giving away a basket full of goodies! Click here for the event details. My entry is a dish of Chinese Longevity Noodles and garlic shrimp. Enjoy!

BOOK GIVEAWAYS

As I had mentioned before, there are going to be a number of blog events to promote my book and to offer you a chance to win a free copy. Thanks to all of you who have so willingly and readily placed a picture and link of the book on your blog. If you are reading this and you would like to help promote my book, feel free to copy the link and picture-cover of the book which can be found on the upper right hand corner of this blog.

Enter Sangeeth's Eat Healthy Contest and get a chance to win a copy of my book. Click here for details.

There is a special edition of the Royal Foodie Joust on and the winner gets a copy of My Caribbean Cookbook Tastes Like Home! See The Leftover Queen forum for the list of ingredients. If you are new to the Royal Foodie Joust and would like to part-take, not a problem, just click here and join in the fun!

Keep watching this space for more events and book giveaways!

Happy Weekend everyone!

Read more...

Christmas Lima Beans & Book Update

It’s soon going to be Christmas and did you know that Christmas has its own beans? I am not kidding you. They are called Christmas Lima Beans! Alright, so maybe it is not a bean exclusive to Christmas but the catchy name is what prompted me to pick up the package. Click here to continue reading the column.

Top left: rehydrated beans. Right: dry beans

Christmas Lima Beans Rice

Book Update

Sorry for not visiting your blogs this past week but things have been rather trying at my end, particularly with the book. Before I go on, let me say thanks for the outpouring of love and support. I am humbled by your generosity and kindness. Your encouragement and words of kindness have been comforting and continues to make the pain of this entire experience a little easier. So with all my heart, thank you.

Updated: Wednesday, Dec 10:
Please click on this link to order your copy of My Caribbean Cookbook Tastes Like Home. Or, click on the book cover which can be found in the top right-hand corner of this blog. Thanks for the support!

Hope you have a great weekend.

Read more...