Keisha Shakespeare, Staff Reporter
At Left: Mr. McNally starts the process of making his special roti. At Right: Roti specialist, Wilberford McNally proudly displays a platter of the freshly made favourite. - PHOTOS BY IAN ALLEN/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
HE IS known in his community as the man who makes the 'killer' roti. He is Mr. Wilberford McNally but most people call him brother Wilby.
Mr. McNally is 67 years old and is very versatile in the kitchen, his speciality is roti. He noted that the Indians in the community do not make roti for persons outside their race so he took up the trade.
He has been cooking since he was a youngster in his community, Milk River in Clarendon. He used to cook while his mother, Beatrice McNally went off to work. " I cooked a lot of one-pot meals such as rice, yam and irish potatoes mixed together in one pot. Sometimes I change up the menu and add coco or dasheen," said Mr. McNally.
Though Mr. McNally was a good chef from boyhood, he remembers that he had several mishaps in the kitchen. One of them landed him a fine beating. "I was cooking stewed pork for dinner but I left it on the fire and went to play with my friends. By the time I came back it was burnt so badly it could not be eaten." Not having enough time to prepare a fresh batch before his mother got home, he just waited it out. When she came home and found that he burnt the meat, she was so upset she beat him.
WEDDINGS AND OTHER FUNCTIONS
Mr. McNally cooks for weddings, church functions, birthday parties or family get-togethers. He said that he loves to cook but loves to make roti most of all. When he is making roti he kneads the flour to a fluffy consistency. Next he dusts it with dry flour. He then shapes the dough into a dumpling. After that he uses his thumb to make a dent and pours oil in it. Then he places another dumpling on top and joins them together and he uses his hands to flatten it. To cook, he heats the baking iron, adds oil then he places the roti on top and lets it cook.
