The food! A mix of all cultures, mostly Indian, African and Chinese. First the local market, what can I say, when you look around the food becomes it's own art, such a beautiful array of color and texture. There are many familiar and not so familiar items here... and even if you think you know what it is, it may have a different name. If you ask for a fig, don't be surprised when you get a banana... or christophene is a fruit we get here called a chayote... cilantro is chado bene, which is actually Mexican cilantro. They have mangoes, I had no idea there were so many, over 25 different kinds?! I had a starch mango that was unbelievable, it tasted more like a mango smoothie! Among the many fruits and veggies are a lot of spices and different types of hot sauces available here as well.
For breakfast, I look forward to Doubles with slight pepper (a wonderful chickpea and fry bake combination) so simple, so delicious, then a nice coconut water... imagine finding a vendor in NYC with a stand of fresh off-the-palm, yellow and green coconuts, ready to cut one open for you. It is cut with precision by machete, making a small whole in the top to drink from, (they have straws for novices like me) that will cool you down, and pick you up!
They have the fast food chains that a lot of us are familiar with, but when there I like to indulge in the local food, which actually includes a spicy version of KFC that I wish they would bring to the US. Other tasty items include: dosti roti or bussup shot with curry chicken, or stew chicken, potato salad and mango masala... calaloo (dasheen [tarro leaves], ochre, smoked meat, and sometimes crab), dahl, crab and dumplings, pelau (rice dish), the world famous shark and bake... and so much more!
Photo © Beatrice Bork, Arima market, Trinidad
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