Poinsettias

Talk about festive holiday décor; then speak about Poinsettias. This plant is definitely an all time favorite for Christmas, especially the red which gives the home that look and feel of Christmas.

I have fond memories, every Christmas, heading to Uncover plant shop in Santa Cruz with my dad to buy Poinsettias to decorate our home.

One challenge we have ever year is preserving the color of the poinsettias beyond the Christmas season.

Well there seems to be some hope to these babies blooming red the following year, but it surely takes a lot of pampering and it is still not guaranteed to change color.

Based on all the work involved I think it may be easier just to buy more poinsettias at Christmas time.

Christmas Decorations

Christmas Decorating
What I remember about our Christmas Tree at home, long ago was the white cotton that was draped all over the tree to get the effect of snow. lol. Boy oh boy, it is really great to know that as a people we have evolved.

I love to visit West Mall at Christmas time to see the decorations both on the inside and outside.

When I reach West Mall, that is when I am become fully aware, that it is Christmas.

It is always a joy to visit that mall, I really do make it a point every year to visit early to get some ideas for my home.

Ginger Beer

Fermenting Ginger Beer

Not one of my favorite but it seems as you age you acquire the taste for this fermented (aged) drink.

Every year, I see my mother clean and blend the ginger and then add boiling water and place in the sun for a few days before straining and sweetening.

This drink is definitely an old Trini tradition love by many of the older folks; surely not the children.

Maybe I will try some in a shot glass next year, to see if have acquired the taste, since it has been declared that ginger has many health benefits to be obtained from consuming it.

Do you drink Ginger Beer and if so how do you prepare it?

Christmas Rice

Nothing like a festive looking Christmas rice on the dinner table for Christmas.
Rice being Trinidadians main staple, we really know how to jazz it up.

When I am making my Christmas rice, I add raisins, olives, pimentos, corn, green peas and carrots. These ingredients definitely give the rice a kaleidoscope of color to infuse that festive look and taste to the rice.

When preparing
be sure to shred the carrots, as this is what gives the rice that yellow/golden color.

Method
Boil rice and set aside until cool
Saute garlic and pimento and then add the remaining ingredients and sauté for 10 minutes before adding the rice.
Add oregano, salt and black pepper to taste and cook until rice is hot.

Absolutely delicious!

Chow Chow

Piccalilli or Chow Chow as it is commonly called in the Caribbean is the adaption of the English Piccalilli. It is a pickled condiment comprising mainly of vegetables such as cucumbers, cauliflower, onions, carrots, papaya, vinegar and mustard.

This condiment is a must for Trini's on their Ham and Pastelles for Christmas and the most sought after Brand on the supermarket shelves is Matouk's. Matouk's have also added Hot Chow to their line, however it is quite similar to their Chow Chow, not hot as the name imply.

It can also be used during the year on your regular sandwiches and it is really easy to make.

Be sure to try it.

Ham Then and Now

Yes, it is Christmas, the ham in the brown cotton bag is covered in tar and is hanging on the nail over the ice box and today is the day that it will come off the nail to go into the  pitch oil pan that is sitting on the fireside, filled with water to begin the boiling.

Everyone is waiting patiently as the bread is in the earth oven where that tantalizing aroma is emanating from. We can't wait.

Because most persons did not have refrigeration long ago, these tar hams were a favorite, as they did not require refrigeration and could last for about 3 years before being cooked and even after cooking could last for days outside the refrigerator without spoiling.

This was Christmas of Long ago in Trinidad!

Ham preserved in Tar

Boy of boy how things have changed.

This Christmas I bought two hams, the first a Boneless Picnic ham and the second a pre-cook ham with bone but already sliced around the bone for my convenience.

Apparently Sing Chong Supermarket on Charlotte Street, Port of Spain, Trinidad are taking shoppers through a time capsule to the old time days, by importing and hanging tar ham on the ceiling of their supermarket.

Tar Ham hanging from Ceiling in Sing Chong Supermarket

Check out these photos of ham today:

Baked Pastelle

Baked Pastelle

Instead of going through all the trouble of making individual Pastelles, creative Trini's have come up with a way to speed up the process (with a preparation time of 5 minutes) but with the same great taste of the traditional Pastelle.

Yes it is called Baked Pastelle; a dish now synonymous with Christmas in Trinidad and includes all the great ingredients and a little more that goes into individually wrapped Pastelles.

I would also make it for special family gatherings during the year.

Be sure to try my recipe:

Ingredients
1lb ground beef
1 1/2 cups cornmeal
1 1/2 cups milk
1 cup cream corn
1 16oz tin whole kernel corn
1/4 cup pimentos, chopped
1/4 cup capers (optional)
4 tbsps Blue Band Margarine
4 tbsps Golden Ray Cooking Margarine
2 tbsps chopped onion
2 eggs slightly beaten
2 tsps crushed garlic
1 pack seedless olives
1/2 pound raisins
Salt and pepper to taste

Method
Saute beef, onion, garlic and pimentos for 10 minutes in melted margarine
Add olives, whole kernel corn, raisins and capers
Quickly stir in eggs, pepper, salt and golden ray margarine (allow to melt)
Next add milk and cornmeal in small portions to beef mixture
Add cream corn and cook on low heat until it leaves the side of pan
Place in ungreased dish and bake at 300 degrees F for 30 minutes
Remove from oven and let stand for 20 minutes before serving

Ponche De Creme

Nothing like a good Trini Ponche De Crème.
Ponche De Crème is the Trinidadian version of eggnog and is made with condensed milk instead of the heavy cream used in the traditional eggnog recipe.

This Trini drink quite like sorrel is consumed in abundance around Christmas time in Trinidad and Tobago and you are sure to partake in a glass at any home you visit around Christmas time.

I absolutely love Ponche De Crème and it is so easy and quick to make and is just delicious.

Check out my recipe below:

Ingredients
6 eggs, beaten
2 tsps grated lime zest
3 cans sweetened condensed milk
3/4 cup canned/boxed evaporated milk
1 1/2 cups Forres Park Puncheon Rum
1 tbs Angostura aromatic bitters
1 pinch freshly grated nutmeg

Method
Beat eggs and lime zest together for 3 minutes and then add condensed and evaporated milk
Stir together and add Forres Park Puncheon Rum, Angostura aromatic bitters and nutmeg
Stir once more and serve with ice

Christmas Black Cake

The fruits have been soaking since May and the browning is burning in the iron pot today and tomorrow we are making the Christmas Black Cake.

Just the thought of and the joy of getting to clean the remnants of the cake mixture in the mixing bowl makes me drool.

A tradition of making Fruit Cake in the olden days was to place a small tester in the oven in the foreign fresh butter pan. This was to make sure the cake had the right color and texture before the entire batch of cake was placed to bake.

These are the fond child hood memories I have when I think of granny and her preparations for making a traditional Trini Black Cake. The alcoholic in the cake probably made the memories lighter and more enjoyable.




Trini Christmas Black Cake

Fruits for the Black Cake

Sorrel Cake

This recipe I have stumbled upon and is definitely a new addition to the Culinary Delights of Trini's.

The innovativeness of our Trinbago people really makes me proud.

This cake is a must try and is similar to our traditional black cake recipe without adding the browning since the sorrel gives the cake a bit color.

Here goes the recipe; try it, and I am looking forward to your feedback and pictures also.


2 cups, strained sorrel pulp (the pulp can be saved from previously made sorrel to add to the cake)
1/2 cup mixed peel

Sorrel Pulp & Fruits

1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon almond essence
1/8 teaspoon red food coloring powder
1 teaspoon almond essence
1/8 teaspoon red food coloring powder
1/2 pound flour
1 cup sugar
1 1/2 sup raisins
6 eggs
1 cup cherry brandy
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 pound butter
3 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 cup rum

Method:
Combined minced fruit with blended pulp and then add essence, cherry brandy and rum to the mixed fruit
Cream butter and sugar until fluffy and add whisked eggs to the butter mixture
Add fruits and coloring to the mixture as well as combine all other dry sifted ingredients
Mix well and pour into greased tin and bake (at 200 degrees F) until golden brown and sides leave the pan
Finish off by pouring remaining liquor over the cake to moisten the cake
Now enjoy the fruit of your labor!




Sorrel Cake

Parang

Parang is when a group of people go from house to house serenading the members of a home or a at a public event with Spanish carols known as Parang. It is the main form of live entertainment for the Christmas Season in Trinidad and Tobago.

Long ago the Paranderos as they are affectionately called, trek through the neighborhood with their infectious rhythms emanating from the cuatro, the bass box, mandolin, chac chac (maracas), flutes, tambourines, guitar and many other instruments used to invoke that spirit of the Christmas season. It is customary to reward the Paranderos with Christmas food and drink after serenading a home.

The music has evolved into what is today known as Soca Parang, our own Trini local twist to the Parang music of long ago; a combination of Soca and Parang.

Check out these Parang videos of Scrunter the Hunter and the Famous Lara Brothers Parang group in Trinidad and Tobago.