Peanut Chrysanthemum Cookies

Peanut Chrysanthemum Cookies I remember those cookies fondly as a child. I was never a big fan of peanut butter, but I did like these dainty cookies whenever we had them on special occasions. The pastry was very refined and the filling was slightly sweet and peanut flavored. There was the characteristic red dot in…

Portuguese Guyanese Style Shrove Tuesday Pancakes Malasadas

The Lent season which is the 40 day religious period of prayer, reflection and penance in the Christian traditions will begin next Wednesday. The Lent period then officially ends on Easter Sunday. This weekend and the days leading up to Ash Wednesday will be ones of excesses for some, with the Carnival festivals enjoyed in…

Easy Delicious Cheese and Walnut Rounds

If your household dynamic is anything like mine, it’s always a good thing to have some tasty treats or snacks on hand, in addition to my family, there are always friends, houseguests passing by. As a consequence, I am always preparing either freshly baked or partially prepared goodies for the freezer. Having ready made items…

The Most Delicious Cheesy Polenta and Ground Beef Gratin

Corn or maize and it’s bi-products are today widely used ingredients in so many products we consume. This common grain is cultivated all over the world now that we may no longer even wonder where it may have originated. If you drive through the Midwest in the USA, you will see acres upon acres of…

Pumpkin Soup or Haïti Independence Soup Joumou

All over the world we celebrates the New Year on January 1st, but in Haïti we have a double commemoration. So many are oblivious to Haiti’s pivotal role in history in the early 19th century. The battle for independence was courageously won by a rebellion of unified people including Blacks, Mulattoes, French, Spanish, Polish, German…

Smoked Herring Chiquetaille Haitian Style

A breakfast plate of chiquetaille d’hareng or smoked herring and avocado with cassava bread, artisanal crackers and baguette. I am a firm believer of always having pantry staples on hand. You never know when you need to whip up a little something at a moment’s notice. It’s always a good idea to also have a…

Memories of Guyana: Strength in Community and Pow Making

Have you ever noticed that there are certain powerful triggers which can induce a wave of nostalgia in us? Sometimes it can be seeing images of a place which can take us back in time or even seeing a familiar food which perhaps you have not eaten for many years. It’s amazing how things such…

Chewy Coconut Cookies

Living in the Caribbean, we can always find fresh coconut on hand. It is a mainstay in my kitchen and I keep a few packages of freshly grated coconut in my freezer. I can then use these convenient packages whenever I need to make some fresh coconut milk or to make a coconut dessert like…

The Most Delicious Creamy Leek and Potato Soup

Soup can be an absolutely delicious meal. I grew up eating lots of different types, throughout the course of my life, as my father was particularly partial to them. His signature Creole style crab and Calaloo soup was well known by many who often were invited to partake in the feasting. Another great soup was…