Looking For Honest Critique

[s]I need 4 ppl to "sample" my cakes (Plain Vanilla flavor and Caribbean Black Cake). I have 2 already and looking for 2 more. Since I am posting on NL, why not get your opinion. Don't worry; I'll express the cake(s) to your destination.

I already heard from family and friends. How about yours?[/s]

1 love
****edited**** got me my 4 "testers*

Ten Healthy Cooking Tips


Cut the salt in half in your favorite recipes. Most of the time this will not produce a noticeable taste change. Consider replacing part of the salt with an herb or spice, flavored vinegar, citrus juice or peel. Garlic or onion power (not garlic or onion salt) work well in meats, soups, and sauces. Make your own mix of garlic, onion, paprika, and parsley flakes. See also: Salt Sense

Use veggie spray or non-stick pans for grilling or stir-frying.

Choose methods of cooking that will retain flavor, color, and nutrients. Steam instead of boiling vegetables. Avoid cooking at high temperatures (except for quick stir-frying) and long cooking times. Both extended heat and liquid can destroy or leach out valuable nutrients.

Add vegetables whenever possible to ensure your five-a-day intake. Experiment with more veggie variety in salads, try new vegetable mixes, include some shredded vegetables in casseroles, and add different vegetables to soups and stews. Use chopped red or yellow peppers to "pep" up the flavor. Try vegetable salsas and fruit chutneys as accompaniments to meat or poultry in place of heavy gravies or sauces.

Try some lower-in-fat substitutes such as low fat cheese, salad dressing and evaporated skim milk. Try low cholesterol egg products. Use two egg whites instead of one whole egg to significantly reduce the fat and cholesterol content of some baked goods. See also: Defatting Your Recipes

When you use oil, select olive or canola oil. Drain off visible fat while cooking, blot pan-fried foods on paper towels to absorb extra grease, and allow soups to chill before reheating and serving so that the fat can be skimmed off the top.

Choose roasting, poaching or stir frying as frequent cooking methods. Keep open-flame grilling of meats to a minimum as this practice produces cancer-promoting compounds. Avoid eating charred food. Microwave cooking is a healthful way to cook vegetables because the short cooking time reduces nutrient losses and usually no added water or fat is needed.

Reduce the fat in home baked goodies by substituting applesauce, pureed prunes, mashed bananas, or yogurt for up to half of the shortening. It works! Obviously prune puree would discolor a yellow cake but does well for chocolate cake and brownies. The end result is moist and fat content is reduced. See also: Fruit Puree Fat Replacement

Substitute some whole grain products for all-purpose flour in your cooking. Try whole wheat flour, oatmeal or flax in bread and muffins, or add some bran or wheat germ to your meatloaf. Try using some soy flour in biscuits and breads.

Try more fruit desserts (fresh, stewed, and cobblers) instead of cakes and cookies. Choose frozen yogurt, sherbet and sorbet instead of ice cream. Serve cake with fruit sauce instead of frosting or whipped cream.

*Using sensible cooking methods, less fat, and adding more vegetables, fruits and whole grains to recipes are guaranteed winning techniques to set a better nutritional table. These steps can also help lower risk for chronic diseases such as cancer

http://www.fitnessandfreebies.com/fitness/10cookingtips.html

.

.

.

.

.

Bravo!

Great thread epi, your food looks excellent (and I'm 100% it tastes even better).

Thanks for the showcase, I'll be sure to keep this thread in my favorites.

.

Epi is you ever open a restaurant will be your loyal customer LOL

Outstrip:

Epi is you ever open a restaurant will be your loyal customer LOL

A see you giving Pam Anderson a run for her money. LOL. Hope all is well with you

Caribbean Food - A Little History
By Linda Thompkins

The Arawak, Carib, and Taino Indians were the first inhabitants of the Caribbean islands. These first inhabitants occupied the present day islands of British Virgin Islands, Cuba, Dominica, Grenada, Haiti, Trinidad, and Jamaica. Their daily diet consisted of vegetables and fruits such as papaw, yams, guavas, and cassava. The Taino started the process of cooking meat and fish in large clay pots.

The Arawaks are the first people known to make a grate of thin green wood strips on which they slowly cooked meat, allowing it to be enhanced by the flavor of the wood. This grate was called a barbacoa, and the word we know today as barbeque is taken from this early Indian cooking method.

The Carib Indians added more spice to their food with hot pepper sauces, and also added lemon and lime juice to their meat and fish recipes. The Caribs are said to have made the first pepper pot stew. No recipes exist since every time the Indians made the dish, they would always add new ingredients. The Carib had a big impact on early Caribbean history, and the Caribbean sea was named after this tribe.

Then the Caribbean became a crossroads for the world . . .

Once the Europeans brought Africans slaves into the region, the slaves diet consisted mostly of food the slave owners did not want to eat. So the slaves had to be inventive, and they blended their traditional African foods with staples found on the islands. The Africans introduced okra, callaloo, fish cakes, saltfish, ackee, pudding and souse, mangos, and the list goes on.

Most present day Caribbean island locals eat a present diet that is reflective of the main ingredients of original early African dishes, and includes cassava, sweet potatoes, yams, plantains, bananas and corn meal.

African men were hunters in their homeland, and often away from home for long periods of time. They would cook spicy pork over hot coals, and this tradition was refined by the early slaves in Jamaica. The technique is known today as “jerk“ cooking , and the secret involves a slow meat cooking process. Jamaica is famous for jerk chicken and pork, and you’ll find jerk all over the island.

After slavery was abolished, the Europeans went to India and China for labor, and more cooking styles were introduced. Much of the Indian cooking culture remains alive and well in the Caribbean of today with the introduction of curried meats and curry powder. Indians call it kari podi, and we have come to know this pungent flavor as curry.

The Chinese introduced rice, which is always a staple in home cooked island meals. The Chinese also introduced mustard, and the early Portuguese sailors introduced the popular codfish.

Most visitors to the Caribbean have no idea that the fruit trees and fruits so familiar to the islands were introduced by the early Spanish explorers. The fruit trees and fruits brought from Spain include orange, lime, ginger, plantains, figs, date palms, sugar cane, grapes, tamarinds and coconuts.

Even the Polynesian islands play an important role in Caribbean cooking. Most of us remember the movie “Mutiny on the Bounty”, but do not know that particular ship carried breadfruit, which was loaded on board from the islands of Tahiti and Timor. In the movie the crew took over the ship, forced the captain into a small boat to fend on his own, and they threw the breadfruit, which they considered “strange fruit” overboard. Another ship was more successful in bringing breadfruit from Polynesia to Jamaica and the St Vincent and the Grenadines. Breadfruit is a staple diet in the current day Caribbean

America is responsible for introducing beans, corn, squash, potatoes, tomatoes, and chili pepper to the Caribbean. In fact these particular foods had never been seen in Asia, Europe or Africa, so America actually introduced these foods the rest of the world via the Caribbean.

So it's no wonder Caribbean cooking is so rich and creative with the flavors of Africa, India, and China, along with Spanish, Danish, Portuguese, French and British influences. Food served in the Caribbean islands have been influenced by the cultures of the world, but each island adds its own special flavor and cooking technique.


The Coal Pot

I had the opportunity to eat food (from a Rasta Dude) cooked on a coal pot. The Rasta used a pot made from dirt (can’t remember the name of the pot). I am sure you are thinking “dirt pot. . .yeah right” but it’s true, The Rasta dude cooked rice and bean with okra, carrot, cabbage and coconut juice, Mmm, Yummy. May God strike me if I am lying? The food was “off-the-hook” (very delicious). And guess what? No salt was added to the food yet it tasted as if salt was added. He said the taste came from the smoke (LOL)

Coal pot was the main method of cooking (Caribbean) back in the days. As per the Rasta dude, it was an “upgrade” from the three (3) stones. However, some folks (especially Rastas) still use the coal pot to cook with.

His “stories” on method of cooking from then to now . . . . . .Ok, just say, I didn’t want to leave his “back yard” in Tortola

Below is a picture of a coal pot. However, the Rasta coal pot different from this one (looks better ). His coal was at the top and pot was on the coal.

He spoke about wood stove etc. Later I’ll write more. I need sleep. Up since 4am cooking

Nice!!!

In the BVI, around June, July and August Periwinkles are washed ashore by waves. Sometimes we use paper clips or pins to get the periwinkle out of the shell (see pic below) so plentiful, kids take home by the buckets. Periwinkle Soup is a popular dish in the BVI. It's my mom favorite

PeriWinkle Soup

Ingredients

1 C chicken stock
2 potatoes, diced
1/2 tsp. tarragon
1 tsp. paprika
salt & pepper
2 onions, chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
3 slices bacon, chopped
1/2 C dry white wine
1 C milk
1/4 C butter
1 1/2 C cleaned Periwinkles
1/2 C light cream pinch cayenne pepper

Directions

In a large soup pot, heat chicken stock, potatoes, tarragon, paprika, salt & pepper. Melt butter in a skillet, and lightly sauté the cleaned Periwinkle meat (see below), onion, celery, and bacon.

Add to stock mixture. Stir in wine and simmer until potatoes are cooked. Do not boil. Add milk and cream slowly, stirring constantly; do not boil or it will curdle. Add cayenne.

To clean Periwinkles: take a sauce pan full of water and throw in a small amount of salt. Bring to a boil and toss in the snails. Let them simmer for a few minutes, remove and use a toothpick to pull the meat from the shells. The salt water serves to both shrink and toughen the meat, making it easier to remove. Don’t boil them too long or you will end up with a very tough and chewy meal.

Retrieved from "http://recipes.wikia.com/wiki/Texas_Periwinkle_Soup"

Angostura Aromatic Bitter

Whenever I have hiccup, I put a few drops of Angostura Bitters in a glass of water and drink it.  Yep, it’s bye bye hiccup.  I also use it to flavour most of my foods and drinks. Just a few dashes can enhance the flavor of any dish.  We still don’t know the formula/ingredients for Angostura Bitters but I do know Angostura Bitters is made in Trinidad & Tobago (T&T)

1 love

Angostura Bitters “Go Ahead Be Bitter See If I Care”

Now that you have a new one in your hands, you’re thinking as what do I do with it?? Good questions. Let’s skip the upset stomach and go right to the most common cause - cocktails. I won’t go into details here as you can always Google it and get a thousand great ideas. Try them. Your sophistication in tending to guests will impress. And your remedy for the hangover will show you versatile! What I’m curious about is cooking with bitters.

To read more on Angostura Bitters, please click link below.  Thanks

http://foodluvin.com/2008/08/angostura-bitters-go-ahead-be-bitter-see-if-i-care/

YaY!!! lol, Thanks for the stew chicken recipe. I've been looking for it!!!

epi, if this is a joke you better stop right now.
you don make me catch long throat now.

since you are being nice, can i also have some mailed to the UK?

o se pupo

Badriyyah:

YaY!!! lol, Thanks for the stew chicken recipe. I've been looking for it!!!

send some 4 me

OMO IBO:

epi, if this is a joke you better stop right now.
you don make me catch long throat now.

since you are being nice, can i also have some mailed to the UK?

o se pupo

No it wasn't a joke.  The folks (i sent cake(s) to) on here can attest

And why some?  How about one

1love

epi:

send some 4 meNo it wasn't a joke. The folks (i sent cake(s) to) on here can attest

And why some? How about one

1love

one ke. o ti o. no way
just look at everything you posted. do u think one would be enuff to whet my appetite?
i dont think so miss.

abeg, reconsider.

meanwhile, whats the recipe for ewa agoyin/agoyin ewa?

How do you make your icing?

Here is one.  It's as easy as ABC, 123

Ingredients

4 ozs Butter
10 ozs Icing Sugar
1/2 tsp Vanilla essence
*1 tsp of milk or water


Method

Cream the butter in a bowl using a wooden spoon.  Keep stirring until it’s of a creamy consistency.
Add Vanilla essence
Add the icing sugar a spoonful at a time. 
Continue to cream the butter between each spoonful until all the sugar is been mixed in
* for thin only (so the icing can spread properly) add water or milk

1love

OMO IBO:

one ke. o ti o. no way
just look at everything you posted. do u think one would be enuff to whet my appetite?
i dont think so miss.

abeg, reconsider.

meanwhile, whats the recipe for ewa agoyin/agoyin ewa?

  Please check the Nigerian Recipe thread. It's the first thread on your left

kitchen is closed _{until i get my camera fix}

1love

Ummm. . .pls get that camera fixed fast oo , missed your recepies, and missed the pix even more!!

TOYOSI20:

Ummm. . .pls get that camera fixed fast oo , missed your recepies, and missed the pix even more!!

am back. well I bought a new camera.

much love

.

.

.

Why did U burn the cake na?

Did U fall alseep in the kitchen.

Hey I'm hungry; I've been waiting here for the past 2hours please don't serve me burnt food.

epi, you carribean? where are their stew darkish? i only knew stews to be reddish but if you go to jam eatery, they have goat, oxtail stew etc and they all looked dark goat stew looks currish o. they don't use tomatoes right?

peace girl


cassava cake? ummm see my country men and women focus on garri and Akpu alone eh we should exporting cassava cakes by now.

Chai!

.