It’s with bittersweet reluctance that I bid February goodbye. Never has one month seen me cook and consume SO MUCH CHOCOLATE! Although my tastebuds do not approve of the inevitable shift that leaving the ‘month of love’ will bring, I can only think that my own waistline is relieved by the new page on the calendar! Still, if ever there was a recipe to end a chocolate high on this... 

Look at that cake! So perfect for this month’s Daring Bakers Challenge! Chocolatey, gooey, with a thin, crackly brownie-like crust… so light but rich, it melts on your tongue… and.. not a drop of flour in sight! *record scratch* … Yup, you heard me! A chocolate cake, luscious, decadent and gluten free! I loved dropping this piece of information on people, especially my... 

The first time I gave grilled cheese sandwiches serious thought as a culinary rallying force was when I initially came across Kalyn Denny’s South-Beach centered blog ‘Kalyn’s Kitchen’ some time in 2006. In it she posted a passionate response to columnist Pete Well’s article in Food & Wine “In the Belly of the Blog” where he stated that the major of food... 

This recipe (well one of its variants) was my first introduction to raw ‘cuisine’. In my rather shallow, self-indulgent mind, if I could enjoy desserts as these, without fuss or guilt, I owed it to myself to learn more! Since then you’ll be happy to know that most of my raw consumption has expanded to include vegetables and proper meals, but raw brownies remain a guilt-free pleasure.... 

I’ll say it up front. I’m not a toffee fan. I don’t like its overt sweetness, or its sticky tendency to adhere to my teeth. So, when I saw that the recipe that had been assigned for this week’s Tuesdays with Dorie contained toffee I was a little worried. These Caramel Crunch Bars appear deceptively complicated but their assembly is actually pretty simple. First a coffee-chocolate... 

Heading home, Churchill-Roosevelt Highway, 2007 Tweet  Read More →

1. Punch de Creme (recipe) Punch de Creme, is one of Trinidad’s traditional Christmas drinks. It is a rum drink, basically our version of eggnog. 2. Pumpkin Pone (recipe) This recipe for Pumpkin Pone came from the Naparima Girls High School Cookbookand is cited as being Guyanese in origin. 3. Sarina’s Curried Potato ‘mini’ Latkes & Bubbly Guava-Ginger... 

Blog Party #43 is here! The theme this month is “Spice It Up”. According to the event’s host Stephanie of Dispensing Happiness: The chill of February has definitely gotten to me. I’m cold. I’m tired of being cold. I want warmth…but it looks like the only place I can find that is in the kitchen! Well there are definitely no chills here in Trinidad, unless you count... 

Some simple and quick recipes that I’ve enjoyed and hope you will as well. I myself, won’t be cooking this Valentine’s as J and I are heading out to dine. I will however have camera in tow, as where there is food, there is a blog Valentine’s Day 2009 – A Menu • Fresh Green Bean Salad • Kung Pao Chicken • Mango Cake Tweet  Read More →

February is Black History Month and with it comes A Taste of Ebony, a food challenge hosted by Joelen of Joelen’s Culinary Adventures highlighting the work and recipes of Black chefs and food celebrities. When I began TriniGourmet Black food personalities were almost a shadow presence, and though I am glad to see, over the past year, the Food Network integrating African-Americans into its lineup,... 

It’s time again for another Tuesdays with Dorie, and I’m starting to feel rather warm and nostalgic now towards my ‘recent’ acquisition. Although the sheer volume of Baking: From My Home to Yoursis intimidating (over 400 pages!), the style of writing, and step by step directions make each recipe approachable and almost effortless. This time around the assignment at hand was... 

Can I just say how glad I am to be back in the swing of things where posting is concerned? Life has settled into something resembling a routine which allows me to realistically integrate my posts into my daily life. As many of my longtime readers know however for much of last year this wasn’t the case, and this blog gathered more than its share of dust for weeks at a time. Although it may have... 

The San Juan Croisee From The Rough Guide to Trinidad & Tobago: The westernmost of a succession of communities that sprawl along the length of the Eastern Main Road, brash, commercial San Juan (pronounced sah-wah) avoids being a Port of Spain satellite by the skin of its teeth. The town’s focal point is the “croisee” (pronounced kwaysay), a bustling junction marked by the... 

Here in Trinidad, billboards for cellphone services and beverages often feature regional and local personages. This Pepsi billboard features Guyanese cricketer Ramnaresh Sarwan. Tweet  Read More →

Beets. You either love them or hate them. This vibrant, juicy root vegetable seems to polarize people whenever I bring them up for discussion. As a kid I grew up drinking (and loving beet juice), but as an adult I find myself less and less able to enjoy it in cooked form. And, Jason? Well he just can’t stand them. Not even in juice form This recent concoction really hit the spot for me, and... 

Another hearty soup that I prepared on a damp, rainy night. It’s so thick and creamy no one will believe it’s also dairy-free! And, I can imagine that if there are kids or adults out there who usually don’t like broccoli this is a great way to sneak it to them as well! Creamy Broccoli Soup Source: unknown Makes 6 servings INGREDIENTS: 1 1/2 lbs. broccoli cut into small florets 1... 

Sprouted Lentils with Black Olives, drizzled with a little olive oil, salt and pepper and black olives. Simple and perfect. Fresh sprouts. There is nothing like them. They are crunchier, sweeter, more vibrant in flavour than anything you can buy on a supermarket shelf. Up until last month I never wondered too much how bean sprouts came about and figured it was too complicated a process for a home... 

Since mid-December I have spent my weekdays consuming mostly raw dishes and drinks. Smoothies in particular have become my staple breakfasts (and sometimes stand in for lunch and dinner as well!). They can be simple, just 2 or 3 ingredients, or elaborate, containing everything but the kitchen sink. This recipe for a Banana-Basil smoothie veers towards the simpler side of the spectrum which is why... 

“Decadence with a smile”, those were Jason’s first words when he first tasted this Fresh Ginger and Chocolate Gingerbread. Following his example I also dug in and had to nod (or moan) my agreement. “It’s like something I’d actually buy!” I said, and coming from me that’s high praise indeed. Rich, coffee laced chocolate icing forms the perfect counterfoil... 

Without a doubt this is definitely one of the best bean soup recipes that I have tried. I have no idea where I got it from, it’s been floating in my recipe file for more than a few years. One of the reasons why I think I avoided it was because parts of the instructions seemed off putting to me. For example, cooking the beans in PLAIN water or 90 minutes seemed totally UGH! However that is all...