Green Banana Porridge

Green Banana Porridge Recipe

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At home or abroad porridge is heavily featured on Jamaican breakfast menus. Cornmeal, oatmeal, peanut, banana porridge or hominy we love them all. For some a bowl or mug of this warm sweet nutritious goodness with a couple slices of buttered hardough bread or a few Excelsior hard crackers is all it takes to get through the morning. For others porridge is the starter ‘a likkle something to clear your stomach’ before a hearty mid morning meal. Green bananas are used by Caribbean cooks to make dumplings, porridge, chips or boiled with other foods. Grating green bananas to make porridge is just of the many ways we use this staple Caribbean food.… Read More

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Jamaican chocolate tea

Jamaican Hot Chocolate Tea) Recipe

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My favorite part of drinking a cup of authentic Jamaican Chocolate Tea is  the crunchy little bits of cocoa nut that settles in the bottom of the cup. I am not a chocolate lover by any stretch of the imagination. Still, there is something irresistibly decadent about sipping on a cup of steaming hot rich, creamy, chocolate tea fresh from the stove. Sweeten this chocolate delight  with condensed milk and a dash of cinnamon, ginger or Sian’s Cooking sweet spice  for a burst of added flavor. Made from ground ripe cocoa beans. Jamaican chocolate is 100% natural. The beans are ground and then shaped into sticks or balls. Outside the Caribbean you… Read More

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Peanut Porridge Recipe

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The first time I tried peanut porridge I was strolling down Barrett Street. Near Spanish Town Hospital in Jamaica, in the early hours of the morning. I had heard  about the wonderful deliciousness of peanut porridge but, being that I’m not much of a peanut lover I never bothered to seek it out. As it were I was hungry and the first person I spotted was a ‘Porridge Man’  pushing his cart in my direction. Since my adventurous ways had already netted me an overnight stay in town I figured  ‘what’s 1 more adventure? One taste was all it took.  Before long I was seeking out fresh roasted peanuts and blending oats… Read More

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Saltfish Fritters Recipe (Stamp n’ Go)

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Saltfish fritters appear in several Caribbean cultures. There are subtle differences across each culture but the main ingredients are the same. All you really need for a tasty batch of  authentic Caribbean fritters are saltfish, onion or scallion, thyme and a little bit of hot pepper.  I like fresh colorful ingredients in my dishes so I’ve added multi-colored peppers and herbs. They are completely optional. Following is an easy to follow recipe for my version of Saltfish Fritters or Stamp n’ Go as we Jamaicans call it.  Saltfish (baccala) is a staple of the Caribbean and Latino diet. Popular Caribbean dishes that feature saltfish include Saltfish Buljol from Trinidad, Cook-up Saltfish from Jamaica… Read More

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toto - Jamaican coconut cake

Toto – Coconut Spice Cake Recipe

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Toto is a coconut spice cake that is popular throughout the Caribbean. On some islands it is simply called Coconut Cake. Toto is a dense cake that is rather plain and not much to look at but the combination of coconut and spices makes for a delicious confection that is sure to delight any coconut lover. Add a little (¼ C. or so) dark rum for added flavor. This recipe happened quite unintentionally a few years ago. I had some grated coconut lingering in the fridge and a new brand of vanilla to try. Add to that the fact that my now former boss had just gifted me with some… Read More

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