Have you ever been in a situation where you had some friends stop by unexpectedly and you wanted to offer something with drinks but you didn't have much in your pantry or fridge? Are you tired of buying dinner out or eating fast food instead of making something more nutritious for yourself and family? In…
Category: Tropical Living
Handy Baking Tips
My love of cooking and baking was something which began when I was about 7 years old. My grandmother catered and I often went along with my mother to help her when she had large orders and needed extra hands in the kitchen. I would help make bouchée cases with pastry, which would be later…
Summertime salads
Once June rolls around in the tropics, the sun shifts its axis in the sky, the days get longer and the heat index soars. I love the sun, but I hate the heat. In fact, summer in the Caribbean is my least favorite time of the year. Don't get me wrong, I appreciate the year…
For the love of Cilantro
Cilantro leaves Cilantro may bear a resemblance to flat leaf parsley, but it is unlikely that one can be confused with the other in terms of taste. This wonderful herb is also known as Coriander, Chinese parsley, or Mexican parsley. Cilantro packs a punch in the flavor department, and adds an…
A nostalgic afternoon
This week, I am on a little vacation. Although I am in very familiar surroundings, it’s always a pleasure to have foods which remind me of my childhood and home. Isn’t it amazing how food and tastes can take you back to places and situations? So many of our memories are associated with tastes and…
A Family Milestone
Today, my parents celebrate their 50th Wedding anniversary. I have been thinking about this for a while and am awed by this achievement. How many couples today can attain this level of unity? The symbolism of 50 has long been considered as the attainment of “the total man”. It also represents 2 generations and “the…
Coffee Culture in Haiti
Anyone who knows Haiti or Haitians knows that coffee is synonymous with this culture. Arabica Coffee is grown in the Haitian mountains at high altitudes and the beans are roasted artisanally all over the country by locals for consumption by Haitians from all walks of life. “Bonjou, koumen nou ye? Ou vle yon ti kafe?” “Good morning,…
CocoNut Choco-Oat Bars
If you love the combination of coconut and chocolate, as well as the goodness of oatmeal and the stickiness of a caramel; then you’ll love these bars I came up with a few weeks ago. This recipe contains no flour or eggs but there is dairy involved. I toasted some oatmeal and ground half of…
The Versatility of the Papaya or Pawpaw
Papaya, papaye or pawpaws are found all over the Caribbean and South and Central America as well as in Southeast Asia. If you are lucky to have a tree in your yard , there a bounty of goodness to look forward to at various stages of maturity. I recently had a tree that produced a…
Coconut Culture
My childhood memories growing up in Guyana are ones of family, love, laughter, good food and friends. My homeland is situated in the North of South America, and is the only English-speaking country on the continent. Guyana is an ex-British colony, and gained its independence from Great Britain in May, 1966. Guyana means “Land of…