The results of my very unscientific 'Trini's Finest' food survey are finally in. Despite the attempts by some of my friends to engage in acts of voter padding - no Bonnie, I can't make paratha roti and pumpkin win - the favourite was Breadfruit Oildown. I sent out 80 emails and 47 people responded. Forty-five respondents named a definite favourite while the other two praised the all round goodness of Trini cuisine.
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I'll be the first to admit that I'm not the best person to ask about eating Caribbean food in London. I've not been terribly impressed by what's on offer mainly because most of the places that sell 'Caribbean food' are just takeaway outlets offering versions of Jerk Chicken, Jamaican patties and Curry Goat.
Unfortunately, the average Brit thinks this really is the sum total of Caribbean cuisine, so much so that when some people hear you're from the Caribbean, they ask 'can you make jerk chicken?'.
Don't get me wrong, I'm not talking about the goodness or otherwise of jerk chicken or Jamaican food. My beef is about the absence of any top notch restaurants with a menu that reflects the diversity of Caribbean cuisine.
But it's not fair to bang on about this and not speak about the good stuff that's on offer. That brings me to the Bamboula Restaurant in Brixton.
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I've been meaning to blog about the wild rabbit stew I cooked last Sunday. I know some people will ask "how could you eat a cute, furry rabbit??"
Well, I'm sure that rabbit was cute but it tasted damn good!
I bought the rabbit on impulse two weekends ago at the Marylebone High Street Market in Central London. The kindly gentleman from Manor Farm Game suggested I try it, and at only £3.50 for a whole rabbit, I didn't think I could go too far wrong.
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A few nights ago, I was testing a recipe for Trinidadian Stewed Mutton and started thinking about the dishes that really turn Trinis on. With that in mind, I embarked on the 'Trini’s finest' food survey.
This very unscientific survey took the form of an email shot to about 70 of my Trini friends from different backgrounds and with varying attitudes to food.
I asked them to tell me what their favourite dish was and why. I promised my friends that when the votes are all counted, I'll cook the winner and give my verdict on the blog.
I thought it would be a good idea to blog about this, because I felt the range of responses would show off the diversity of Trinidad's cuisine. Personally, I think ours is the most varied in Caribbean cooking.
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I've not given up on blogging my dears, it's just been really hectic in the last week. But in between an intensive project management course, loads of meetings and trying to work my body into shape, I still managed to get some reading and cooking done!
I'm almost through reading English Food by Jane Grigson. Jane Grigson is hailed as one of the UK's best ever food writers and her books are recommended reading for any serious foodie.
Unfortunately, she passed away in 1990 but she left the food world with some real classics. I was struck by the robustness of her writing, the depth of her research and the breadth of the recipes in this book.
And I was pleasantly surprised to see a recipe that included one of my favourite vegetables: the much maligned carilli or bitter melon.
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Carnival is the highlight of the year for most Trinidadians, especially for those across the diaspora who make the annual trek to wine and jam.
In the seven years I've been living in the UK I've only been back for Carnival twice. And to think that before that, I'd have opted for water torture rather than miss a Carnival! Me, a Carnival baby miss the festival? No way! But the old folks have a saying, 'after one time, is two time'.
This year, some of us Trinis in London decided to pay homage to that staple of Trinidad Carnival - the All Inclusive Fete.
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