KFC

What does KFC have anything to do with this blog? With Trinidad? With Carnival? Well, I thought it impressive that I've heard from more than one person that the best selling KFC in the world is located in - you guessed it - Trinidad. More specifically, the KFC in Independence Square sells gazillions of dollars worth of thighs and wings per day. This comes as no surprise to me because I am witness to how much Trinidadians LOVE KFC. They love fried chicken in general, but they love their KFC in particular. Therefore, I thought it earned a place in this blog - along with doubles, breadfruit, callaloo, and all that other good stuff I've talked about.


KFC is a big deal here, and Trinidad has made it all its own - with a Carnival add and everything. This jinggle, which is more like a proper soca song, can be heard at every moment and on every radio station in the nation:

Gorgeous Carnival ladies, blue devils, and everyone in between love their KFC. Yeah, right, I'm sure those girls eat KFC on a regular basis...Anyway, the colonel would have been proud.


Of course I got myself some of the colonel's goodness to have a try. By the way, I'm convinced that all KFCs taste differently...Beijing KFCs, for example, have a different taste than US KFCs. My Trini chicken was delish. I must confess that about every other year or so I get a craving for that greasy goodness. Even though once I have it I can't look at it for another year, I enjoy every bite while it lasts.

Definitely still finger lickin' good...but this time, Trini style.

Carnival

Carnival is Trinidad and Tobago's main annual cultural event.  It takes months to prepare, and for weeks before the big event, most Trinidadians live and breath everything carnival. Wikipedia will tell you all about it's history, the events surrounding it, etc. I will tell you about how it feels in Trinidad during Carnival time.


One could probably create a blog purely on the topic of Trinidadian music. It is this nation's heart and soul, and it seems to me that all Trinis live by the rhythm of their songs. Whether it's soca, chutney soca, calypso (born in T&T, by the way), steel pan (born in T&T by the way), church music, rapso, extempo, brass bands, parang, reggae, or rock, you can always hear some kind of music at any given time, wherever you are. 


Trinis are very proud of their steel pan invention. Pan yards (or competitions between steel pan groups) have marked important events in the history of this country, and the instrument appears to be the national symbol of T&T. Pan yards have an important role to play during Carnival time, and the melodic sounds mark these days of celebrations.


Soca, a more up-beat type of music that to be honest can either excite you to the point of dancing for two days straight (which is what "playing" Carnival is all about), or it can drive you crazy. Take a look for yourself. This video shows people "playing mas", when they participate in individual performances of bands. 

I took a long walk along Queen's Park Savannah yesterday to see Carnival preparations. Signs depicting gorgeous women with gorgeous bodies in gorgeous Carnival outfits decorated the Savannah. Wooden houses were built for the event. Painted in lively colors, they house food and drink stalls, crafts, and souvenirs. 

Carnival signs are all over town, and it's almost impossible to escape the excitement and anticipation.

Even though Carnival is the backbone of Trinidad & Tobago's cultural traditions, some Trinidadians want nothing to do with it. Some think it's vulgar (I'm sure you noticed the "wining" in the youtube video above, when two people dance a dance that's a little R rated), loud, and disruptive. For example, during the weeks before Carnival, many people and businesses use it as an excuse for why something hasn't been done. This can be a little irritating. It can also be frustrating when there are fetes (Carnival parties) surrounding your home, and you can't get a decent night's sleep for days at a time because the Soca beat is pounding until 2am. 


Despite it's potential controversy, Carnival in Trinidad is a source of pride and contagious national happiness. Foreigners come in plane-loads to take part, and for a few days every year, inhibitions disappear, judgement ends, and most Trinis from all walks of life - rich, poor, black, Indian, white, Asian, young, old, skinny, chubby, participate in a massive party. It's impressive and it's Trinidad.

Tea Party

Today I hosted a tea party for one of my dearest friends. The plan: six adults and eight (yes, eight) children under the age of five. Actually, it ended up being five adults and six children at the end, thank heavens. It was like a kindergarten around here - running, playing, screaming, laughing, and yes, some crying but fortunately that was not until the end of the day, when everyone was ready for bed...and a gin and tonic. Mostly, however, there was a lot of eating.


The table had something for everyone. I baked my mother's recipe for a lemon merengue pie (which is to die for, so I'll ask her permission to share the recipe with you) and Ina Garten's sour cream coffee cake. I heated up mini filo quiche (store bought), and offered goodies for the kiddies, including squeezable applesauce from Trader Joe's. If you're lucky enough to live near a Trader Joe's in the US and have a toddler then run, do not walk, to your nearest TJ's and buy these little guys - totally awesome snacks for kids. All natural, no added sugar and all that jazz. I've also seen similar versions in Publix, fyi.


I enjoyed baking up a storm for my dear "H", dear girl friends, and their lovely kids.

for chai with sugar, cardamom & cinnamon

my mama's lemon merengue pie

kids' stuff - trader joe's applesauce crushers, mini raisin boxes, & animal crackers

ina garten's sour cream coffee cake

Doubles: The ultimate Trinidadian street food

I don't know how I've gone this long writing about Trinidadian food without telling you about doubles. They are by far the most popular comfort street food and are yet another example of how Indian cuisine has evolved into Trinidadian cuisine on this Caribbean island.

Doubles consist of two fried flat breads and filled with channa (chick peas) and other sauces, such as chutneys or pepper sauce. If you only want a little hot sauce, you ask for "slight pepa" = "a little pepper". People crave doubles in the morning, which is when you're more likely to see vendors on the streets.

The taste is not uncommonly delicious, and it is not the best food ever made. It does, however, taste like, well, like Trinidad. It offers a few bites of T&T pride. The vendor I bought my doubles from this morning proudly served me my food, asked me where I was from and if I had come for Carnival (which is next Monday and Tuesday). Speaking of Carnival, I can't believe I haven't told you more about it, and it's coming up so soon! This week, I promise to get you in a Carnivalesque mood and write to the rhythm of the soca beat.

Toddler food idea - chunky tofu

My 21-month-old son has pink, chubby cheeks and it is kind of obvious that he is a good eater just by looking at him. Of course he has his off days, when his appetite decreases, but who doesn't? People are always asking me what kinds of meals I make him, so I decided to start sharing some of his favorite recipes, in case you'd like to make them for your kiddlings.

Please don't let your possible prejudice or misconceptions about certain foods ruin your child's interest and ability to try new things. Instead of having an "I don't like _____" attitude, how about having an open mind toward food? Nothing makes me angrier than hearing a child (or an adult, for that matter!) say "I don't like that. Yuck!" To me it shows a lack of character and well-roundedness. I believe an open mind toward new foods makes for more interesting and agreeable people. The kinds of people I'd like to have around my dinner table.

This open-minded attitude definitely applies to tofu. Whenever I tell parents that we eat tofu at home, many cringe and look at me funny, as if I were some kind of organic-food eating, vegetarian, tree hugging hippie. I think I've established in this blog that I do not fit that profile. Actually, we eat tofu because we know how to make it taste great, and it is extremely healthy.

In Beijing I tried something called stinky tofu. Ok, so this may be an extreme since it is fermented tofu and has the smell of, well, yes, putrid tofu. I'm not suggesting you take it to this level. All I'm saying is give my recipe a try and help your toddler enjoy a wonderful new dish. And besides, the Chinese seem to live forever and ever, so they may have something here. In fact, tofu is incredibly healthy. It has tons of iron, protein, omega 3 fatty acids, calcium, and a lot of other good stuff. Check out this website for more information on the health benefits of tofu.

If you think you might be giving your toddler too much meat or chicken, then you probably are. Trust, me. Give this a try. After all, because tofu can magically take the taste of whatever you cook it with, it'll only be as good as you make it. My son loves grabbing the chunky pieces of veggies and tofu and putting them into his mouth - he can pick them up with his fingers (has been doing so since he was six months old), and now that he's using a fork, he's able to eat them this way as well. It works for him developmentally and nutritionally.

Chunky Tofu and Zucchini

1 pack firm tofu
Extra virgin olive oil
1 clove garlic
1 medium white onion
2 medium tomatoes
1 zucchini
1 can chicken broth (get the good stuff w/o MSG)
Kosher salt to taste (I love the texture of kosher salt)
Herbs de Provence to taste

Saute the garlic in a bit of extra virgin olive oil, then add the diced onions, diced tomatoes, sliced zucchini, and finally the cubes of tofu. Season with kosher salt* to taste, herbs de provence, and pour 1/4 of the chicken broth to let everything steam. Pour the rest of the content of the chicken broth in 1/4 intervals and let steam for about 20 minutes. Serve on a bed of brown rice.

*I didn't start adding salt to my son's food until he was around one year old. Now he eats what we eat, which is with a bit of salt.

Guanabana = soursop

Cure for cancer? Who knows...but research has shown that soursop (as it is called in Trinidad), or guanabana (as it is called in Colombia) has many medicinal benefits. These benefits include treatment of liver diseases, skin disorders, and diarrhea. Some researchers even claim that the flesh of soursop can kill malignant cells. 


In Colombia, you are offered every kind of fresh fruit juice known to man (or at least to Colombian man). Having every climate on earth and soil that is fertile enough to make a pencil grow roots, Colombia has many many different varieties of fruits. Among them are fat, beautiful, and fleshy guanabanas. At any given restaurant, you can choose from among dozens of fruit juices, made with milk or water. Guanabana is among my favorite. 


I was thrilled to find a guanabana, or soursop, at my local fruit market the other day and decided to make a smoothie with it. It was super labor intensive because the shiny, black seeds are enveloped in a sac of white flesh, and it takes time to squeeze the seeds out. Also, the flesh is quite stringy so you have to sift it once it goes through the blender.

It was worth it. A smooth, tangy-sweet and refreshing drink. Give it a try.

Cocktail party

I'm off to Paris in two weeks. WAAAHOOOOO. Apologies, I'll try to contain my excitement and keep a professional, controlled attitude toward this surreally fantabulous event that's about to occur.

Eager to share my happiness with friends, I decided to have a cocktail party chez nous. It was awesome - like playing house and dress-up. 

The table:

The food:

Bruschetta with pesto, cherry tomatoes, and fresh basil from my garden on ciabatta

Deviled eggs with stone ground mustard, mayo, and paprika

Crab meat cocktail on endive boats

Store-bought goodies - hummus, black olive tapenade, stuffed grape vine leaves - who says you have to make everything yourself?

The drinks:

An overall success. The best part, however, was spending time with wonderful friends we've made here in Trinidad. Will miss you all.