This easy and versatile cocktail will wow your guests who will try to understand where the chocolate flavour comes from. Yes there is a touch of creme de cacao, but the real revelation is the melding of port wine (I recommend using a tawny port) and milk to create a smooth drink that mimcs the look and taste of melted chocolate. Watch me make Chocolate Punch on Episode 7 of Sweet Han’: Caribbean... 

Isn’t alchemy amazing? On Episode 5 of “Sweet Han’: Caribbean Cooking with Sarina” Trini food blogger QD Ross of “Bring It To The Table” mentioned a concoction called a ‘liquid cheesecake cocktail’ that was amazingly enough dairy-free. Even more surprising, it only required two components. Seriously? I thought he had to be pulling my leg. But, it really... 

This entry is part 9 of 10 in the series Trini ChristmasWell you know how Trinis like how to do everything las’ minute? If you don’t have enough time to try my mother’s ginger beer recipe, here is a Quick Ginger Beer recipe from Epicurious.com that needs only 24 hours fermentation. Best of luck! Click here to read: QUICK GINGER BEER Recipe at Epicurious.com Excerpt: This is the... 

This entry is part 7 of 10 in the series Trini Christmas When I first made this in 2006 it was my first time using a pack of dried sorrel for a recipe. I was pleasantly surprised. If you allow it to steep overnight the results are pretty good. The below recipe is my adaptation of the Jamaican Sorrel Rum Punch Recipe at Epicurious.com. Because the pack of dried sorrel that I bought already has cloves... 

This entry is part 6 of 10 in the series Trini ChristmasPunch de Creme, is another of Trinidad’s traditional Christmas drinks. One thing that I really like about punch de creme (as opposed to traditional eggnog) is the use of citrus flavors like lime and Angostura bitters (which has orange extract). This gives the ‘nog’ a fruity lightness that alleviates the sweet creaminess (which... 

This entry is part 4 of 10 in the series Trini ChristmasChristmas in Trinidad is a diverse multicultural affair. Not just for the Christian population, but also through the secular participation of the nation at large through the enjoyment of our local christmas songs (called parang) and especially the creation and consumption of our traditional Christmas foods. No Christmas in Trinidad would be complete... 

This entry is part 3 of 10 in the series Trini Christmas mom’s ginger beer brewing in the sun The above scene and bottle feel as though they have always been with me, they occur with such comforting regularity. Ginger beer is something that is enjoyed by both Trinis and Jamaicans however in my experience many Trinis enjoy theirs much weaker than my mother makes hers. Many people can’t... 

When Trinidad was all abuzz with preparations for the Summit of the Americas I got the wild idea to feature the foods of the member nations as part of a buildup to the actual event. Except for one entry unfortunately that didn’t happen as things got unexpectedly busy on my side. I did however cook up a storm though and those regional specialties will eventually all see the light of day on here... 

As long-time readers of Trinigourmet would know, I am something of a porridge junkie. My own particular affinity is for cornmeal porridge, however that doesn’t mean that there aren’t a wide array of others that are familiar to the Caribbean home. In recent months I have had requests for green banana porridge (coming soon!) and in the last week I had my first experience with Cassava Porridge!... 

This recipe made 3 rum bottles worth of mauby. They were done within 24 hours! Learn more! • Mauby – An Overview • Mauby Bark: Three Things You May Not Know TRINIDAD MAUBY INGREDIENTS 12 cups water 4 pieces mauby bark (you can add a few more if desired) 1 small sprig aniseed 1 piece cinnamon 3 cups sugar (or to taste) 1 – 3 tablespoons Angostura bitters (to taste) METHOD 1. Place... 

Mauby bark by Lisa Fagg, on FlickrOver the years I have, like many Trinidadians, enjoyed my share of cold frosty mauby. As I’ve previously written, it was something that my Aunt always seemed to have in her fridge when I was a child. Those days however are long gone. My aunt no longers bother to make mauby and even at home my parents prefer, like others, to buy bottles of concentrate, replete... 

MMMM pawpaw. Growing up it was probably near the bottom rung of my favoured fruits. It wasn’t sweet enough, the seeds wigged me out, and the texture was just too bleh. In an effort to get me interested my mother would serve it to me drizzled in honey. This attempt worked more times than not, and as I got older my palate started to enjoy and appreciate this fruit, with or without adornment. It... 

. From Epicentre.com: Ginger is one of those ingredients that can be many things to many people. Not only is it used in cuisines around the world, but it also comes in a variety of forms fresh, pickled, dried, and crystallized among them . People who bake may immediately call to mind the ground ginger they use in gingerbread or the jewel-like crystallized ginger they add to holiday cookies and cakes.... 

This Basil Lemonade recipe was originally made for Stephanie’s 43rd edition of Blog Party! One of the things that I love about adding basil to beverages is the muted herbal flavour that it imparts. This lemonade is no exception. It softens the acidity of the lemon/lime juice, and also mellows out the overt sweetness. Be sure to blend the basil leaves and lime juice completely before adding... 

This post was originally published on July 15, 2007. It has been updated twice since then. Chocolat (2000): Nominated for 5 Academy Awards(R) including Best Picture, Best Actress (Juliette Binoche — THE ENGLISH PATIENT), and Best Supporting Actress (Judi Dench — SHAKESPEARE IN LOVE), CHOCOLAT is the beautiful and captivating comedy from the acclaimed director of THE CIDER HOUSE RULES!... 

How have you been enjoying my Hanukkah 2010 series so far? At the moment I seem to be having a little trouble with my RSS feed so if you have not received the posts so far you can check out the recipe roundup to date here. I first whipped up these curried potato mini latkes two years ago for an installment of my blogger friend Stephanie’s now defunct Blog Party series. Latkes are probably... 

Malta Carib has been a staple in my home since I was a child. Growing up I felt like quite a ‘big woman’ drinking it from the bottle (I had no idea it was non-alcoholic ). During the 80′s it was promoted not just as an energy booster, but also as an aid for students preparing for exams! From CaribBeer.com Malta Carib is a full-bodied, refreshing non-alcoholic malt beverage that... 

Why not try a few dashes of Angostura bitters in your cup of coffee today? Amazon.com Widgets This post was originally published December 8, 2006. It has been updated once since then. Tweet  Read More →

Carib Brewery, Eastern Main Road, Champs Fleurs Ask any Trinidadian to complete the following phrase. A beer is a … and you’ll instantly hear a loud uproarious ‘Carib’. For over 50 years the Carib Brewery has been producing Carib beer to the delight of Trinis both at home and abroad. I know that for myself seeing a Carib sign in a pub or a bar abroad was enough to make me... 

I was pleasantly surprised to learn that Rumona liqueur is still very much in production. Unfortunately, I was not able to learn too much more about the history of this product online. If anyone wants to share some info with me I’d really appreciate it! With over 200 years of production now I think they have a lot to be proud of! Especially if the taste is as good as the few reviews that I could...