In the heart of culinary passion lies Tyrelle Amanda Chase, the driving force behind TC’s Sweets&Treats. From her earliest memories in the kitchen at the age of seven, Chase's journey has been a tapestry woven with love, family, and a deep connection to food. Reflecting on her culinary evolution, Chase said, “I'd always go to the kitchen and watch, whether it’s my sisters or my father, whatever they may be doing. The first meal I cooked on my own was corned beef and spaghetti, and from then on, I thought I was ‘d boss’ of the kitchen. Her culinary ambitions deepened after losing her sister, fostering a shared love for food and laughter in the kitchen. “As I got older, I'd always watch Food Network with the iron chefs and the bake offs with one of my sisters who was also a foodie.” She passed away when I was 14, and I guess me going further into the culinary industry is partly because of her, aside from the fact that I grew to love the arts myself, but we would be in the kitchen and copy the recipes, (as best as possible), laugh about what came out bad, enjoyed what came out good, and I'd always be disappointed whenever I made something that wasn't really like up to par, but she would always comfort me, and remind me I'm still a child and that Rome wasn't built in a day. "She used to tell me that those people on television are trained professionals who had years of practice. Even today, at 22 years old, I still sit back and remember those times whenever I would start to beat myself up over something not coming out perfect, or close to perfect as possible. Everyone makes mistakes, we just have to learn from it and try a different technique.” Officially becoming a YTEPP-certified pastry chef in April, Chase credits Montgomery Guy and her family for their instrumental roles. She expresses gratitude for the support that fuelled her journey into the hospitality industry, aiming to evolve into an executive chef.
Cooking, baking, and crafting food are Chase's expressions of love and warmth. "I love the satisfaction of seeing someone smile because of me. You never know who may be having a bad day." Chase's passion is rooted in creating joy for others, a sentiment she holds dear. Her business, currently online with aspirations for a physical location, offers an array of pastries, baked treats both sweet and savoury from puffs to pizzas, dinner rolls, éclairs, quiche, cheesecakes, black cakes, pone, cookies and more. Her Christmas cooking philosophy resonates with warmth and nostalgia, aiming to bring comfort and joy reminiscent of childhood traditions. She believes in spreading homemade comfort, especially in challenging times. The motto Chase lives by is a testament to resilience and perseverance: “Rome, nor the Great Wall of China, were built in a day. Take life one stride at a time, stumble, fumble, make mistakes, but don't give up.” She encourages others, especially those in the culinary field, to persist through challenges, reminding them that it's never too late to start anew. The recipe Chase generously shares is black cake Ingredients 250g (1 cup) brown sugar 2 tsps baking powder ¼ tsp salt 4 large eggs 1 tsp, vanilla extract (essence) 1 ½ tsp grated lime peel 2-3 dashes bitters Nutmeg 1 tsp cinnamon powder ½-1 cup browning Fruit mix 250g (1 cup), seedless prunes 125g (½ cup) currants 250g (1 cup) sultanas and raisins 125g (½ cup) lemon peel 125g (½ cup) cherries and mixed fruits Directions For non-alcoholics Soak your fruits using 2-3 bottles of sorrel and ginger Shandy (you can use ginger beer) as well, along with ½ bottle of Malta, ¼ tsp baking powder and some clove (stir thoroughly). You need to ensure the liquid is just about one to two cms above the fruits as the fruits will soak the liquid and you would need to save some of that syrup to pour over the cakes (to keep them moist) when they are done baking, For those who consume alcohol Using the same measurement of fruits, replace the Shandy and Malta with cherry brandy and vodka, White Oak or puncheon rum. Remember to add enough liquid so fruits are completely submerged and liquid is one to two cms above fruits. Also, because you're using alcohol you don't need to add baking powder. Soak fruits for three to four days before using. Preheat oven to 250°F (125°C) Line cake pan with paper (baking/wax) Sift together the flour, baking powder, salt and cinnamon Cream the butter and sugar (until light and fluffy) Add eggs, one at a time and beat until well combined Mix in, vanilla, lime peel, nutmeg and bitters Fold the flour mixture gradually into the butter mixture (in three equal parts) Add fruits, and enough browning (for your desired colour) Stir well Pour mixture into lined baking pans to ¾ full and bake in your preheated oven at 250°F, for the first hour. Reduce heat to 200-225°F, for remaining 1 ½ hours or until tester comes out clean Prick hot cake with skewer, pour mixture of Shandy, Malta, or cherry brandy and rum Cover, set aside Remove from pan only when the cake is completely cooled and all liquid is absorbed.(Source: Newsday, Dec. 16, 2023)
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Blog written by Patricia Bissessar Many would agree that nothing tastes better than a cold glass of home made sorrel . Some folks also fancy the Shandy Sorrel drink. Growing up as a child of the 60s it was a Bissessaringh Tradition on Christmas Eve to prepare the traditional Trini Christmas Drinks. The only drinks bought were two cases of solo soft drinks in the wooden crate and a few bottles of peardrax. My parents loved their homemade ginger beer, sorrel which we picked from the yard to prepare the drink and Ponche de Crème. I remembered one year my mother experimenting with making pommerac wine , but although it was pleasant tasting but given the fact nobody drank alcoholic beverages in my home my father gave the two bottles of local pommerac wine to one of his friends. Although both parents are no longer in the land of the living my sister Annmarie and my sister in law Sangeeta continues the family traditions started so many years ago. Sorrel has always been an integral part of Caribbean food and culture, especially during the festive Christmas season. Made from the dried petals of the sorrel flower, sorrel makes a beautiful deep-red, delicious fruity-fragrant floral tea or infusion. Like many popular plants grown in the Caribbean region, sorrel has its origins in West Africa. It is also known as Roselle, or less widely recognized, by its scientific name ‘Hibiscus sabdariffa’. My task is to pick and remove the seeds from the sorrel for boiling while my sister in law responsibility is to prepare the delicious tasty sorrel drink. The juice is drawn by steeping the outer skin (sepals) of the fresh or dried red fruit in hot water and produces a rich, red liquid Angelo’s mom and my sister also makes sorrel jam which goes just right with baked turkey . The good ole traditional non-alcoholic, strongly flavoured Trini Ginger beer was my mother’s favourite Christmas Drink. Ginger Beer was first created in Yorkshire, England in the 1700s during the colonial spice trade. It is made by mixing the brew of boiled ginger with sugar and spices such as cinnamon and clove. The mixture is placed in glass bottles and left to ferment for a day or two .Most families in Trinidad, as well as the rest of the Caribbean, make their own ginger beer at home from fresh ginger rhizomes. It simply isn’t Christmas without these traditional festive drinks. So this year, why not add them into your own Christmas Tradition. Look out for next post: Trinidad Christmas foods! In these photos taken a few years ago Carmen , Angelo's mom ( now deceased) is seen picking the sorrel fruits from her garden . She even experimented with making sorrel jam. Other than normal sorrel drink does anyone use the sorrel fruit to make anything else? (Source: Angelo Bissessarsingh's Virtual Museum of Trinidad and Tobago, Dec 2, 2023) Wendy Rahamut With only two weeks to Christmas, I know most of you will be in frenzy mode. For me it’s the Christmas baking I like to get done ahead of time, especially my Christmas black cakes and cookies. Christmas cookies make delightful gifts and its one activity you can engage the whole family. I enjoy black cakes and enjoy making them, and I also am very fond of Dundee cakes, rich with fruits and nuts, this year I will be making my traditional black cakes but I’m promising myself a Dundee as well. Thumbprint cookies 1 cup unsalted butter ⅓ cup brown sugar ⅓ cup granulated sugar 2 egg yolks 1 tsp vanilla extract 2½ cups all-purpose flour pinch salt 2 egg whites 1 cup finely chopped nuts, (peanuts, hazelnuts or almonds) 1 cup jam or jelly any type Preheat oven to 350 F. Butter and flour baking trays. Cream butter until light. Beat in brown sugar and granulated sugar. Add egg yolks and vanilla, beat until blended. Combine flour and salt and add to batter. Stir until a dough like consistency is formed. Shape cookies into one-inch balls and place on a trays. Lightly beat egg whites in a shallow bowl. Place finely chopped nuts in another shallow dish. Roll each ball of cookie dough in egg white and then roll lightly in nuts. Place on prepared trays about one inch apart. Press centre of each cookie in slightly using your thumb or index finger. Bake for 9 to 12 minutes or until cookies are lightly browned. Gently press the indentation again and cool cookies on racks. When cookies are cooled, spoon a little jam or jelly into the centres. Makes about 48 cookies Sugared fruit shortbread 1 cup dried fruit, raisins and currants 2 tsp aromatic bitters 1 cup unsalted butter ⅔ cup icing sugar, sifted 1½ tsp salt 2½ cups all-purpose flour 1 cup coarse-grained golden sugar Wash and dry fruit, place in a bowl and add bitters, stir. Let macerate for about one hour. Chop fruit finely in a food processor. Cream butter with icing sugar, add salt and flour. Mix well, add fruit and combine. Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface. Gently knead to a uniform texture. Divide into 2 pieces. Roll each into a 7-inch log, wrap tightly in plastic wrap. Chill for about 2 hours. Preheat oven to 350F. Place golden sugar into a plate. Slice cookies ¼ inch thick; roll in the sugar, covering the ends only. Place on cookie sheets one inch apart Bake for 15 minutes. Remove and cool on racks. Makes 24 Rich West Indian Dundee cake 1 lb butter ½ lb granulated sugar ½ lb brown sugar 8 eggs Zest of three limes 2 tbs vanilla essence 1 tsp almond essence 1¼ lb all-purpose flour 2 tsp baking powder 2 oz ground almonds ½ cup rum (optional) 1 lb currants 1 lb sultanas ½ lb mixed peel ¼ lb cherries (red & green, cut) 3 ozs chopped Nuts Pre-heat oven to 325 F. Grease and line two nine inch by 3 inch cake tins. Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time beating well between additions. Add the lime zest, almond and vanilla essence. Sieve flour, baking powder and mix in the ground almonds and fold into the batter with the rum if using. Toss cherries, currants, sultanas, mixed peel and chopped nuts in some flour, coat evenly, shake off excess flour. Add to the batter and gently fold in. Bake for about 1½ hrs or until cake leaves the sides of the tin. Cool cake in tin before removing. Makes 2 nine inch cakes. rahamut@gmail.com @wendyrahamut3881 youtube. (Source: Newsday, Dec 16, 2023) Author :Angelo Bissessarsingh
Christmas just ain't Christmas without a good ham. In Trinidad of yesteryear, the precious leg of pork would be boiling in a pitch-oil tin for many hours before being baked, either in a coalpot tin oven or a beehive mud oven, to be served with other traditional fare like pastelles and fruit cake. Chances are the ham would be diminished long before the family could have a go at it, through the inroads of "moppers," otherwise known as village paranderos. The choices for ham lovers were not easy. Price was a major consideration as well as quality. In the countryside areas, the ham everyone knew was a salty, well-cured leg of pork hanging from the rafters of the Chinese shop. This would be an American ham, imported in barrels of sawdust with some of that still clinging to the surface. After boiling the skin would be stripped off before baking. The skin itself was kept until after Christmas, when money was scarce, and would be used to provide protein in a meal of rice or as the meat in a sandwich. It could also be fried crisp and eaten as a snack. The fat was used to leaven bakes. Even the ham bone did not go to waste. Broken up in pieces, it was used in soups, callaloo and oil-down. The lowest grade of ham was what was known as the "pitch ham." This was locally made and smoked. To preserve it, the pitch ham had a coating of asphalt on the outside, which made the skin inedible and imparted a mineral flavour to the meat which I am told was far from unpleasant-although one can imagine that it was not the healthiest food around. In the early 20th century, an American ham cost about $5, with the pitch ham selling for $2 less. This was no mean expenditure in an era when it was a decent monthly wage for a domestic servant, making the ham an indulgence. The ham most Trinis were familiar with was the York ham. The York ham is mildly flavoured, lightly smoked and dry-cured, which is saltier but milder in flavour than other European dry-cured ham. It has delicate pink meat and does not need further cooking before eating. It is traditionally served with Madeira sauce. Folklore has it that the oak used for construction for York Minster in England provided the fuel for smoking the meat. York hams were sold from most city groceries like Cannings and the Ice House and also department stores with provision departments, like Stephens. The famous Ice House Grocery on Marine (Independence) Square included a York ham in its famous $5 Christmas hampers. Packed chock-full of goodies like Muscatel wine, nuts, imported sweets and dried fruits for the famous rum cake, these hampers could be packed into a wooden box and forwarded by rail to customers deep in the countryside. Even though some prefer turkey, the hallmark of Christmas is still a ham. Photo 1. : Salt ham hanging at Sing Chong Supermarket on Charlotte Street, Port of-Spain. Photo Credit : BRIAN NG FATT. (Source: Angelo Bissessarsingh's Virtual Museum of Trinidad & Tobago, Nov 27, 2023) Pastelles are a popular favorite amongst many Trinbagonians around Christmas time. With respect to the introduction of Pastelles to Trinbago there are however, a lot of different versions to its history. Some historians claim that pastelles are believed to have been created by the indigenous people who once inhabited Trinidad. According to Wikipedia, it is believed that the pastelles were introduced by Spanish colonizers who ruled the island between the late 15th and early 18th centuries . Despite uncertainty of who introduced pastelles to our country , the making of pastelles at Christmas time is rooted in our culture and usually involves many family members assisting in the process.
In my home my brother Julius is responsible for picking the banana leaves from the banana trees going in our back yard and my sister in law Sangeeta and myself are in charge of actually making the pastelles. The pastelle press my mother bought a few years ago before she passed away in 2018 is still in use . So too is the steamer she bought on one of her Christmas shopping sprees. It is said a picture is worth a thousand words. But I believe that The whole point of taking pictures is so that you don’t have to explain things with words. So hope you enjoy viewing these photos of our pastelle making process. One thing with my family they are always appreciative of our efforts and always says how delicious our home made pastelles are. (Source: Virtual Museum of Trinnidad & Tobago, Dec 4, 2023) Alana Nedd with her popular dasheen punch. - Corey Connelly WITH her winning smile and girl-next-door personality, Alana Nedd has turned her dasheen punch business into a household name. Nedd, a police officer, has been promoting her brand, Neddos Punches With A Kick, at the Tobago Blue Food Festival for several years. She also sells the product to her customers on a part-time basis, mainly by orders. Asked how she came up with the name for her punch, Nedd, 40, became emotional. “There was an officer by the name of Kester Best and he was a very close friend of mine. He passed away not too long ago, and he gave me the name 'Neddos.' So I decided to at least honour his memory, my business would be called Neddos,” she told Sunday Newsday. Nedd described Best as an “awesome individual, excellent police officer and mentor and brother to me.” Today, Nedd will again be among the 30-plus vendors at the Blue Food Festival, which is celebrating its silver jubilee at the Bloody Bay Recreation Ground. She said the response to her dasheen punch continues to be phenomenal. “My customers are always amazed at how good it tastes. They will buy seconds, thirds, even buy for their friends. " Once a customer can confidently refer you, then you know you have a good thing.” Nedd described the taste as “bold, rich, satisfying and soothing. “It is just like Grandma used to make – a party in your mouth.” She said dasheen generally makes a good punch. “When it is boiled, it is slippery in texture and gives you that rich, starchy thickness when blended.” But Nedd laughed loudly when asked to share her secret. “What I can say is that it is made with lots of love.” Nedd tried several recipes before settling on her current blend. WITH her winning smile and girl-next-door personality, Alana Nedd has turned her dasheen punch business into a household name. Nedd, a police officer, has been promoting her brand, Neddos Punches With A Kick, at the Tobago Blue Food Festival for several years. She also sells the product to her customers on a part-time basis, mainly by orders. Asked how she came up with the name for her punch, Nedd, 40, became emotional. “There was an officer by the name of Kester Best and he was a very close friend of mine. He passed away not too long ago, and he gave me the name 'Neddos.' So I decided to at least honour his memory, my business would be called Neddos,” she told Sunday Newsday. Nedd described Best as an “awesome individual, excellent police officer and mentor and brother to me.” Today, Nedd will again be among the 30-plus vendors at the Blue Food Festival, which is celebrating its silver jubilee at the Bloody Bay Recreation Ground. She said the response to her dasheen punch continues to be phenomenal. “My customers are always amazed at how good it tastes. They will buy seconds, thirds, even buy for their friends. " Once a customer can confidently refer you, then you know you have a good thing.” Nedd described the taste as “bold, rich, satisfying and soothing. “It is just like Grandma used to make – a party in your mouth.” She said dasheen generally makes a good punch. “When it is boiled, it is slippery in texture and gives you that rich, starchy thickness when blended.” But Nedd laughed loudly when asked to share her secret. “What I can say is that it is made with lots of love.” Nedd tried several recipes before settling on her current blend. She believes: “The quality ingredients, special blend of spices, richness, the consistency and texture of the punch have all added to its uniqueness.” She is a bonafide country girl who navigated between L’Anse Fourmi and Bloody Bay as a child. She said her parents instilled sound values in their children and others, encouraging them to be self-sufficient. In hindsight, Nedd said she has been exposed to sales for all of her life. She said her mother did not have a government job, but always baked cakes, other delicacies and made fresh fruit juices to help support the family. “She even sold doubles at one point in time. So I’ve been a part of putting things out there for the public, the customers, in relation to food and beverage. But at that time, I never saw it as a career path.” Nedd credits her parents for her enterprising spirit. “It has truly been a blessing.” Owing to her parents' advice, Nedd said many of her relatives have established businesses in several areas, including poultry-rearing, arts and craft, makeup, photography and carpentry. “You name it, we do it.” She told Sunday Newsday her mother has been a cook at the festival almost from inception. “She makes a good dasheen punch and even won best drink a couple of years ago. So I had hands on knowledge of how to make a good punch and I started making my own special twist, tweaking the recipe so that one’s tastebuds can have an amazing experience.” Additionally, Nedd said the dasheen, being the most prominent of all the ground provisions in the L’Anse Fourmi/Parlatuvier/Bloody Bay area, “is the heart” of the Blue Food Festival. “A punch is always a well-loved drink. So it was easy to come up with a drink that was popular and would always sell because power equals prowess.” She is aware that the festival has been a platform to promote small entrepreneurs in Tobago over the years. and she's capitalising on this. Having Neddos Punches With A Kick on the shelves of major supermarkets and other establishments, Nedd said, “is in the making, as plans are under way to push the business and product on a larger scale.” Asked if she intends to market the punch internationally, she added, “We never know what the future holds. I thank God for his many blessings upon my life on a daily basis. So you know, the future is in God's hands.” Alana Nedd says she tried several recipes before settling on her current dasheen punch blend. For now, Nedd said she tries her best to prepare the punches at least twice a month.
“It can be difficult as I am also a parent and a fitness enthusiast as well. So I always try to strike a balance between all. "However, I produce the product based on the number of orders numbers I get, and also based on the day of the week and time of the month.” She said she is always on the lookout for opportunities to showcase her product, whether it be at the farmers’ market or any other related forum or cultural show. “My experience has been mostly on the positive side. But the feedback from customers, both negative and positive, is always appreciated.” Asked if any of her customers had commented on its effectiveness in relation to endurance and sexual prowess, she said, “Well, I have been told that I have quite a few godchildren, and some on the way, by some of my male customers. So that should say a lot. "My female customers say it makes them extra spicy!” On the business side, she said there are quite a few institutions in Tobago, including the Division of Finance and the Economy, offering short courses in money management and starting a business. “I have been a part of this, and they continue to send information to previous participants which would aid in developing a successful business model.” Nedd said there is room in the market for anyone who believes they have a talent or special gift that can be harnessed. “One just has to find their niche, put their personal touch into it, and with determination, they can be successful.” (Source: Newsday, October 15, 2023) Ten to One’s Oloroso Sherry Cask Finish. Ten to One Rum has introduced one of its coveted Limited Edition “Cask Select” series here in Trinidad & Tobago.
The brand, founded by Trinidadian Marc Farrell and co-owned by GRAMMY award winning artist Ciara, is known for its versatile and unique Pan-Caribbean blends. Farrell said: “At Ten to One, we talk a lot about ‘re-imagining rum’, which for us means challenging consumer expectations and driving product innovation. We aim to bring a new, limited edition blend to market every year, encouraging consumers to explore the unexpected.” He continued: “This first release in our ongoing Cask Select series was designed to be a very limited offering, but it was important to me that Ten to One’s special edition products be made available in Trinidad, my home country. Since we’ve sold out in North America, Trinidad is now the only place in the world where you can buy cases of Ten to One’s Oloroso Sherry Cask Finish.” The Ten To One Oloroso Sherry Cask Finish is a unique take on Ten To One's award-winning Dark Rum, a blend of Caribbean Rums from Trinidad and Tobago, Barbados, Jamaica, and the Dominican Republic, that receives a finish in Oloroso Sherry casks, bringing an aromatic hint of sherry to the aged dark rum. Enjoy it on the rocks, or mixed in a range of cocktails. “From the outset, we’ve taken a great deal of pride in bringing new innovation and excitement to the rum category, and the Oloroso Sherry Cask finish quickly emerged as a favourite amongst Ten To One customers and collectors alike, with those sweeter Sherry notes playing delightfully alongside the nuance of Ten To One’s aged rum blend,” Farrell said. Ten To One Oloroso Sherry Cask Finish Caribbean Dark Rum is distributed in Trinidad and Tobago by the Brydens Group. (Source: The Loop, July 31, 2023) |
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