Use Annatto for Color and Flavor
Some months ago, I noticed a tree with weird-looking pods in the backyard. Curious, I asked my landlord. It’s annatto, she said. I’d heard about annatto – it’s the coloring agent that gives patties their distinctive yellowish-red color – but had never seen it. Annatto is a native of Central and South America. I’m not sure how it came to Jamaica but as early as the 1700s, the British found it growing in abundance in one of the towns in…
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At the New York World’s Fair Festival
I wasn’t around to attend the dazzling New York World’s Fair that was held at Flushing Meadows Corona Park in 1964 so a week ago when I saw a poster announcing a festival on Sunday to celebrate its 50th anniversary, I knew exactly where I’d be. Flushing Meadows Corona Park was the site of both the 1939 and 1964 New York World’s Fairs, which celebrated art, culture, technology, the Space Age, transportation and American ingenuity. (Space was clearly on the…
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The Versatile and Tasty Plantain
The plantain is the tenth most important staple in the world and a very popular ingredient in the Jamaican diet. We fry it, boil it, bake it and make it into porridge, tarts and potato chips. From the same family as the banana, the plantain looks very much like a large banana. Like the banana, both the green and yellow plantain are eaten. The yellow plantain is sweeter and softer than the green. Unlike the banana, though, we don’t usually…
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Crown and Anchor, Jamaica
I was leaving the Accompong Maroon Festival last year when I saw a man standing proudly before his game board. He seemed to be daring everyone to try their luck. I wasn’t sure which game it was then but the colours caught my eye. I was curious. I also wanted to see how this game was played. I wondered if I could beat the dealer. But I didn't have time to try, my ride was waiting. I've looked at the…
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Matrimony: The Fruit Salad
I didn't hide my turned up nose when, on a recent outing, my friend asked if I wanted to get some rice pudding. She had planned on serving some at a dinner she was having the next day. You'll love this rice pudding, she said. I wasn't that sure. When it comes to desserts, fresh fruits usually do it for me. But when I sampled the pineapple rice pudding, it reminded me of a dessert from my childhood. Its name…
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Memorial Plaques at St. Peter’s Anglican Church, Falmouth
One of the first things you notice when you enter the Falmouth Parish Church of St. Peter the Apostle (St. Peter’s), is its colorful stained glass windows. The most eye-catching one sits over the altar and is flanked by the Apostle’s Creed, the Lord’s Prayer and the Ten Commandments. [caption id="attachment_14191" align="aligncenter" width="739"] Interior of St. Peter the Apostle[/caption] The first church in the parish of Trelawny and one of the oldest on the island, St. Peter’s was built in…
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Soursop, The Sweet and Sour Fruit
I blame the names because despite not looking or tasting the same, it took a long time for me stop confusing soursop and sweetsop and I love them both. While the sweetsop is about the size of an orange, the soursop is large – about 6-10 inches long -- and can weigh up to 12 pounds. Both have names that end in ‘sop’ and green skin but that’s where the similarity ends. The soursop has small spikes covering its entire…
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Traditional Dances at the Sakura Matsuri Festival
The arrival of cherry blossoms usually signals the start of spring but with cool temperatures here in New York City over the last few weeks, I was surprised to see that many trees were still in bloom at the Brooklyn Botanical Garden’s 30th annual Sakura Matsuri Festival on Sunday. The Sakura Matsuri festival is billed as a weekend celebration of traditional and contemporary Japanese culture, including Ikebana, tea ceremonies and as temperatures soared to the 70s, attracted thousands of adults…
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A Plate of Tropical Fruits
I had several ideas for this week's FoodieTuesday but this photo of a plate of tropical fruits captured my attention. I stared at the fruits for several minutes, remembering the breakfast that it accompanied, the people who shared the table, the laughter, the view and even the activities we did that day. The colors, in particular, reminded me of the sun and warm temperatures. [caption id="attachment_14160" align="aligncenter" width="633"] Slices of cantaloupe, pineapple, lime, paw paw (papaya), mango and banana[/caption] Cantaloupe:…
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Toronto: Revisiting a Favorite Haunt
Even though I’ve visited Toronto countless times, I always look forward to each new trip. So when I found out that this favorite haunt was in my work future, just the thought of traveling there made returning to the nine-to-five world attractive. I couldn’t wait to start so I could get on the plane. In addition to seeing family and friends, I’d be staying downtown – something I hadn’t done since my days at university when I’d crash at my…
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