LEFT: A patron of the Breakfast Shed. RIGHT: Middle Eastern desserts at Adam's.- Photos by Rosemary Parkinson
Rosemary Parkinson, Contributor
AS THE Caribbean prepares for ICC Cricket World Cup 2007, the expansion of Port-of-Spain, Trinidad's capital, is mind-boggling. It is the isle of forests, rivers, flora and fauna, beauty and diversity formed by a break from the mainland of Venezuela. It's rich in soil and oil. Historically, the first inhabitants, the Amerindians, then the Spanish, French and English, fought incessantly for ownership, with Britain winning the battle. By then Africa was here. With the abolition of slavery, the indentured from India and China came. Later, Middle Easterners and other Europeans joined the melee. All these influences have become a delicious experience of culture and cuisine.
Trinidad is vibrant, its people friendly, warm and welcoming. Although a big mix-up in terms of race, there's also a distinct line allowing each culture to almost remain untouched. Carnival is world famous. Calypso and soca too. Pan, the only musical instrument created in this century, has pan-yards filled with "designed oil drums" that cause musical 'goose-pimple' delight. Hindu temples and Muslim mosques dot the land. Hindu women still wear saris, Muslim their hijab. Pagwa, Hosay, Ramadan, Eid and Divali - all Indian festivals - are celebrated with as much enthusiasm as those of the Chinese community.
Art is vibrant, galleries abound, museums too. Shopping is excellent. So if you don't wish to squash into "de Oval" fi cricket, check out the many tourist booklets - such as Ins & Out - and travel the country but beware, according to local legend those who eat Cascadura (a primordial river fish) will spend their remaining years in Trinidad.
Walking the Food Lane
On arrival, Hott Shoppe beckoned. Although often called "de-white-people" roti - I find their roti flap buttery, their fillings of curry meats and potato, with pumpkin, channa (chick peas), bhodi (a very, very long string bean), curry mango, kutchela (a shredded green mango and massala chutney-type dressing) as extras - fabulous. One beef, one chicken and potato with all the latter and I took to my bed in roti-coma.
Next morning, a visit to the Breakfast Shed near the port, at the water's edge in the heart of town, was worth the problem of parking. Booths named for the ladies 'manning' them - Gina, Helen, Hazel, are a hive of activity. I chose Charmaine. My childhood friend Christopher ordered Red Herring and Bake (note: Breakfast bake is like a bread but baked in a rounded or rectangular pan whereas bake used in shark and bake is a deep fried six inch, slightly rounded bread) and I, callaloo soup, curried crab, pork stew with 'provisions' (boiled ripe plantain, dasheen, sweet potato and yam) with a glass of freshly squeezed orange juice from Mr. Juice.
A Trip to Maracas
Callaloo in Trinidad is made from young dasheen leaves, okra, coconut milk, seasoned well with scallion, onion, garlic and peppers. Once boiled down, it's swizzled with a 'swizzle stick' - a stick ending in a bundle of wires that no Trini in his right mind would omit from the kitchen! Trinidad peppers used in cooking come in two kinds - hot and seasoning. Hot is scotch bonnet but with an aroma when cooked that fills the neighbourhood. Seasoning pepper gives aroma and taste without heat. Curry carries massala, therefore, different to Jamaican curry and is seasoned with chadon benni - a wild aromatic coriander growing in everyone's yard-grass. Crab is land crab served whole, its back removed - eating same requires tutorial expertise.
For Port-of-Spain and surrounds, Maracas is the beach-king. Through Maraval, over the mountains, on descent the coastline view is like a painting from God himself. We stopped at the lookout for the usual top-up of Trini 'goodies' - pommesiterre (June plum), pineapple and green mango strips in chadon benni brine. toolum - a caramel-type sweet that can be used to tie-up 'tief' (thieves), Tamarind balls, chinee red mango, paradise plum, coconut cake, peanut brittle, benne balls and fudge. The choice is mind-blowing.
Once in Maracas it's straight for Patsy's - probably one of the longest members of the Shark & Bake providers. As Patsy's daughter fried well-seasoned and battered shark in large Dutch pots of hot oil, her helper rolled out dough that, once dropped into hot oil until fried perfectly brown, becomes the vessel for shark topped with a myriad of fillings of choice. I chose traditional - Chadon bennie sauce, garlic cream, shredded green mango and pepper sauce for the first and another with cucumber strips.
Over-de-top sinful
Adam's is owned by a most affable man simply known as yes! Adam. In recounting life stories, he keeps adding, "don't write dat," proudly talks of a very supportive family - wife Jackie and 'Aunty O.D.' Adam's serves classic Middle Eastern fare, but is known for wholesome, home-cooked, fresh cuisine offering breakfast, lunch and tea. Bagels and cream cheese (up to 500 baked daily), healthy salads, Italian bread, pizzas and fully-stocked delicatessen, from olives to chocolate, create constant traffic.
Sitting in air-conditioned comfort under a superb massive painting of dancers by Tobagonian Martin Superville with Zatar bread, toasted pitas, kiak (grandmother's Sim Sum Bread), Humus (chick peas and sesame), baba ganough (eggplant), tabbouleh (mixed parsley salad), chicken and beef kebabs with sauce and a bevy of pastries that included bacclava, was over-de-top sinful.
Night and More Indulgence
Set in the tiny home of Trini party-man Arthur Goddard on Luknow St. James, there's local cuisine to be had here day and night. Arthur's becomes a gathering of discerning drinkers after hours with Friday night live entertainment. As the crowd overflowed onto the pavement in true Trini lyming style, old talk, banter, 'macoing' (checking out others business), mamaguying (teasing) and mucho, mucho drinks, was de rigueur.
I now end my first Trini lesson. I don't remember much else except a sobering hot peppery beef roti from side-ah-road coalpot and tolwah (roti platen), in the wee hours of the morning with boom boxes belting out the best of upcoming carnival music in the background.
Rosemary Parkinson arriving by new LIAT was last seen careening through the Caroni Swamp with Nanan searching for more cricket.limes!
