Putting together a Trinidad care package this Christmas

Christmas is a really important and memorable occasion in Trinidad & Tobago. There are so many annual customs and rituals; painting the house, parang, going house to house for a drink…

As that festive season approaches, the spirit of giving blossoms into full swing. For many, Christmas is a time for family gatherings, joyful celebrations and sharing love and appreciation. However, for loved ones who are far away from home, the holidays can sometimes feel a bit lonely. One thoughtful way to bridge the geographical gap is by putting together a Trinidad care package that embodies the warmth and tradition of the twin island republic.

Soft drinks

Or, as they’re called in Trinidad & Tobago, swee’ drinks. Some, like sorrel, are specifically drunk at Christmas. Others simply give a sweet taste of back home.

Sorrel: This ruby red drink is made from the calyces of the Hibiscus sabdariffa. A thirst-quenching, spiced beverage best poured over lots of ice… with or without added Christmas spirit – see rum below.

Mauby: I have a lifelong aversion to mauby. The one and only time I have ever drunk it is indelibly etched on my taste buds and in my memory. That doesn’t mean that I should omit it from my Christmas round-up though – lots of other people love it… you may too. Mauby is made from tree bark and looks a bit like cinnamon – I find the taste indescribable – like nothing else upon this earth!

Peardrax & Cydrax: One of those drinks that was considered a treat when I was growing up. Special occasions such as birthday parties and Christmas meals would see a tall, slender amber bottle of fizzy Peardrax and/or Cydrax on the table.

Alcoholic drinks

Once again, some of these alcoholic drinks are imbibed all year round. Ponche de crème is considered a Christmas drink, much like Bailey’s is here in the UK.

Carib and Stag lager beers: In T&T, you’re either a Stag or a Carib drinker. Think HP or Daddie’s sauce fan… you get the idea!

Rum: Depending on the depth of your pockets, you could buy your loved one a bottle of Angostura 3-year-old White Reserva, 5-year-old dark or invest in an ever so slightly dearer bottle of 1997 Caroni 23-year-old Single & Single.

Ponche de crème: Due to its raw egg content, ‘punch-a-crema’ doesn’t travel terribly well, so it’s probably best to rustle up a batch of your own. I’ve had numerous compliments on the mixture I’ve made using this recipe.

Food

Black cake: The quintessential Christmas foodstuff; rich, dark, unctuous. This must be made months, if not a year, in advance for it to be just right. Everyone has their own recipe and secret ingredients – the one ingredient that isn’t secret is lashings of rum… see above.

Pastelles: Another must-eat item at Christmastime. Spiced, ground meat (and these days, meat substitute) enveloped in a cornmeal blanket, wrapped in banana leaf (or tin foil) and tied up with string – to borrow from a classic film – this is one of my favourite things!

Tamarind balls: Or, as it’s pronounced, ‘tambran’ balls are small rounds of tamarind paste and flecks of chilli flakes rolled in Demerara sugar. One of those everyday treats that could be bought from every school tuck shop and ‘parlour shop, either in little plastic bags of 4 or 6, or singly in a little piece of brown paper. One of those things that expat Trinbagonians crave after being away from the islands for any length of time.

Salted prunes: Like the aforementioned tambran balls, ‘salt’ prunes and ‘sweet an’ salt’ preserved prunes are pined for by Trinis living ‘in foreign’. The unnaturally red-coloured, latter version are my favourite and have what can be described as an umami taste – they make your mouth water just thinking about them.

Red mango: As is the case with salt prunes, red mango’s abnormal colour never put me off eating bags of the stuff. It’s one of your 5-a-day, surely?

KC dinner mints: These are what my Dad turned to when he attempted (and finally succeeded) giving up smoking. They’re not restricted to just dinner time consumption. These little, dainty, hard, white candies are to be consumed at any time of day or night.

Chief curry powder: If you want to accurately reproduce the taste and aroma of a Trini curry, it can only be done by using this ubiquitous brand of curry powder. Rotis, potato, vegetable or meat curries… it has to be Chief.

Pepper sauce: Matouk’s is the pepper sauce brand that I clearly remember from my childhood – my dad used it like other people use ketchup… it was on the table with almost every meal. Either that or a whole, fresh Scotch bonnet on the side of his plate! You could also choose Royal Castle, Berties, Mudda ‘N’ Law… or make your own!

Green seasoning: The go-to, all-purpose seasoning for marinading meat & fish of all types – a bottle or jar of it can be found in every fridge, in every home in the land.

Guava jam and cheese: Guava jam is for spreading on your bread. Guava cheese is the better option for putting on Crix (see below) with a piece of ‘mouse cheese’ – Fonterra cheddar cheese from New Zealand.

Crix crackers: Known as the ‘vital supplies’, if you can only send one thing to your Trini friends & family abroad, make it these.

Presentation matters

When assembling your care package, presentation is key. Use festive-coloured boxes or baskets that reflect the holiday spirit. You can also decorate the package with ribbons, and perhaps even a little ornament or two, making it visually appealing.

Shipping tips

Sending a care package internationally can often involve unexpected delays. Here are a few tips to ensure a smooth delivery:

Plan ahead: Start gathering items early to allow ample time for packing and shipping.
Check customs regulations: Make sure that all items comply with customs regulations to avoid any issues during delivery.
Choose the right shipping method: Opt for a reliable service that provides tracking capabilities, so you can keep an eye on your package’s journey.

Conclusion

Creating a Trinidad care package is not just about sending products; it’s about sending love, memories and the spirit of togetherness. By including thoughtful items that celebrate Trini cuisine and culture, you can help your loved ones feel cherished and connected to home this Christmas. As you pack the culinary delights, remember that it’s the thought and care behind each item that truly makes it special, embodying the warmth, joy and tastes of the season.

Have we glaringly omitted anything that you think is a must-have for Trinbagonian expats? Let us know in the comments!

Designer Desire: Nicholas Huggins

I’m embarassed to admit that this is only the second time that we’re featuring a Trinidadian artist in our Designer Desire series. The first was textile designer, Althea McNish – and that was way back in 2018!

Huggins is from a completely different generation to McNish, and their work and methods are poles apart. Huggins produces much of his work digitally on a computer using Adobe Illustrator.

I was introduced to Nicholas Huggins’ work not that long ago via a Global Voices article. I was struck by his bold use of colour and creativity in his hugely successful project that was part of 36daysoftype.

In it, he interpreted the vernacular architecture of the Caribbean in his own style, using all the letters of the alphabet and the numbers 0-9. He created a limited-edition print of the project which sold out within weeks.

The subjects of his illustrations are often subjects that are Trinidad & Tobago icons; rum, carnival, calypso, the beach, food & drink, folkloare and day to day views such as gas stations, parlours and roadside vendors.

The 36daysoftype illustrations are included at the top of our montage and below in a film where Nicholas talks about the project and the follow-up one.

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A post shared by Nicholas Huggins | Creative (@nicholashugginscreative)

_{All image credits: © Nicholas Huggins}

Cakes & Bakes: Home-made hops bread

When I was young, back in the early 1970s, there was a little bakery located across the road from our house. They baked their bread in a wood fired oven – half a century before this method became trendy. The bakery made the most fantastic hops bread – a queue would build up, just before they opened their doors – people with their paper bags in hand – to buy fresh, hot hops bread.

Hops bread has been on my ‘to bake’ list for a long time; I just needed to find the right recipe. When I was back in Trinidad last year, one of my friends shared her family’s recipe. The recipe calls for ‘shortening’ which, over there, would probably mean Prize or Cookeen – things I have no hope of getting my hands on in rural Wales. I swapped it for plain old butter.

I’ve made two batches of hops bread so far, but I’m yet to master the process. I’m still to duplicate that perfect, golden brown crusty domed top with a soft pull-apart centre that’s similar to Hokkaido milk bread. Practice makes perfect!

Enjoy them plain – spread with butter, with slices or grated mounds of strong cheddar or stuffed with buljol. I filled my first one with a delicious crispy fried tofu slice… I’ll be sharing that particular recipe next week!

Click here or on the image below to save this hops bread recipe to Pinterest

Home-made hops bread

2020-09-23 17:53:22

Yields 20

Cook Time

20 min

Cook Time

20 min

Ingredients

1tbsp/9g instant yeast
600ml/20fl oz warm water
1kg/2.2lbs plain flour
60g/4oz butter/margarine/shortening
1¼tsp salt
2tbsps granulated sugar (you can use brown sugar)

Add ingredients to shopping list

If you don’t have Buy Me a Pie! app installed you’ll see the list with ingredients right after downloading it

Instructions

Activate the yeast in warm water and 1tsp of the sugar (approx. 10 minutes) before adding mixture to other ingredients
Combine all ingredients in bowl
Knead to a soft dough for about 5 mins
Place in a greased bowl and allow to rise for about 1 hour
Punch down and divide into 85g/3oz balls
Place on greased sheet and let rise for another 35 mins
Heat the oven to 220ºC/425ºF/Gas mark 7 and bake for 15-20 mins

Notes

Place a pan in oven while it is heating and throw some ice cubes to create steam when trays are placed in the oven

H is for Home Harbinger https://hisforhomeblog.com/

Cakes & Bakes: Fried bakes

Following on from last week’s pholourie recipe, here’s another of my favourite fried foods that hails from Trinidad – fried bakes (or fry-bake, if you’re a proper Trini!). ‘Fried bakes’ – a contradiction in terms!

My aunt sent me a recipe that she cut out of the TT Guardian – complete with a few of her personalisation notes!

It’s a very quick and simple recipe; a basic dough of flour, raising agent, fat and liquid – but the end product… wow!

Fried bakes are traditionally eaten with fried fish (the famous bake & shark eaten al fresco at the beach) or buljol, a spicy salted fish dish.

Here is a video of my aunt making fried bakes recently. This is what she advocates:

I decided that tapping the dough down into the oil, whilst turning it but by bit, results in it puffing up immediately.

As a vegetarian, I thought about what best to stuff them with. In the past, I’ve had them with extra mature cheddar, Branston pickle and salad. Perhaps smashed avocado or hummus with grated carrot. Instead, I went a step up and decided on fried bakes with grilled halloumi, salad and hot sauce.

Click here to save the recipe to Pinterest

Fried bakes

2019-03-17 12:48:29

Serves 6

These bakes are traditionally served with fried fish or buljol

Ingredients

260g/9oz plain flour
8g/¼oz butter/shortening
2 tsp baking powder
½tsp salt
½tsp brown sugar
190ml/6 fl oz water
vegetable oil for frying

Add ingredients to shopping list

If you don’t have Buy Me a Pie! app installed you’ll see the list with ingredients right after downloading it

Instructions

In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, salt and brown sugar
Rub in the butter/shortening until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs
Add enough water to just about make a soft dough
Flour your work surface and knead for about 5 minutes
Cover the bowl with a tea towel and rest the dough for 30 minutes
Divide the dough into 2 equal pieces and then divide each into 6 equal pieces (getting 12 in total). Or, weigh the entire ball of dough and divide into 12 equal weights; mine were about 40g/1⅖oz each
Rest the dough again for a further 5 minutes before rolling each piece into rounds about 7cm / 3" in diameter
In a heavy-bottomed, deep frying pan or saucepan, heat the vegetable oil and fry each bake making sure that it's covered in oil (my aunt recommends spooning oil over the top of the bake as it cooks, to help it puff up)
Carefully flip and fry the other side until fully ballooned or puffed
Remove and drain on kitchen paper to remove excess oil
Slice in half horizontally and load with your chosen filling

Adapted from Trinidad & Tobago Guardian

H is for Home Harbinger https://hisforhomeblog.com/