Curry, Callaloo & Calypso - Macmillan Caribbean

More documents

Recommendations

Info

14 Cocoa on the tree Peewah Archbishop’s House Coconut and coconut milk were both eaten raw and used as an ingredient in their cooking. They made dumpling soup with roasted cocoa bean, coconut milk and cassava, and fish was especially enjoyed in soups, hence the birth or our own ‘fish teas’. When the Spanish came, with the arrival of Columbus, they brought with them a more sophisticated cuisine. They too used corn in abundance but they made pastelles and arepas, two very familiar dishes that we still enjoy today. The Spaniards also enjoyed wild meat and salted fish, or bacalao. The years 1777 to 1787 saw the arrival of the French planters, who brought with them their slaves, amongst whom were a number of excellent cooks. The food was becoming more plentiful and exciting. The art of making coconut butter was a household one, and children were fed fresh cows’ milk and tannia as a large part of their diet. The French enjoyed a diet rich in wild meat, roast suckling pig, vegetables and provisions. Salted fish and salted meats were imported mainly for their slaves, who were fed on a mixture of vegetables and provisions, cooked with coconut and occasionally flavoured with salt meat. They called this sancocho, and nowadays we still enjoy this dish as a thick soup flavoured much the same way. The addition of salted meats is evident today in many local recipes such as callaloo, split pea based soups and stew peas. The planters brought French bread with them, which we enjoy as hops, a dry and crusty roll. In those days there were a lot of pig farms around the East Dry River area, enabling the French settlers to make pudding and souse from the pigs’ blood and trotters respectively after they were killed. These are still popular delicacies and a major part of our culinary heritage. ‘Pudding and hops’ is a popular evening meal for many today. As settler immigration increased, each group brought their own slaves and in return each set of slaves brought with them varied ways in the kitchen. At this time the stage was set for African customs. We must remember that the slaves did not eat the same foods as their masters. They would make their own dishes from what was left over by the great house. While the masters feasted on wild meat their slaves used the dasheen bush to make callaloo and ate this with cassava foo-foo. They also made paime instead of pastelles with the corn and banana leaves. 9780230038578.indd 14 25/07/2011 13:08
The African slaves also had a great fancy for sweets, and those that worked on the sugar plantations sometimes received part of their wages in sugar and molasses. They used these products and turned them into delicious sweetmeats that we still enjoy today. Some have become quite rare, like ‘nigger boy’ – a caramel-type sweet, ‘halay’ – a sweet with a pulling quality much like bubble gum, made with sugar and water, and ‘lavanee’ – a hard square toffee-like sweet in various colours. Toolum, made with molasses, coconut and spices, is still very popular, as is chip chip – sugar cakes made with coconut pieces and sugar. La Chapelle Old House 15 9780230038578.indd 15 25/07/2011 13:08
Page 1 and 2: Curry, Callaloo & Calypso 978023003
Page 3 and 4: Curry, Callaloo & Calypso The real
Page 5 and 6: Contents Introduction 7 A brief cul
Page 7 and 8: Introduction We are a nation in lov
Page 9 and 10: Lunch menu board Mangrove roots Goa
Page 11 and 12: 9780230038578.indd 11 25/07/2011 13
Page 13: Yams and plantains were other popul
Page 17 and 18: The Indians made their rotis on a t
Page 19 and 20: Maracas Bay 19 9780230038578.indd 1
Page 21 and 22: Snacks and Indian delicacies Snacki
Page 23 and 24: 9780230038578.indd 23 25/07/2011 13

Curry, Callaloo & Calypso - Macmillan Caribbean

Create successful ePaper yourself

Delete template?

Save as template?