Chongqing weather is like a woman in a Victoria Secret outlet or any store for that matter. Confused and undecided. A sunny morning followed by a stormy afternoon is no longer a strange phenomenon to me. So, instead of focusing my energy on appropriate clothing, especially since I get it wrong most of the time, I focus on treating the flu that would eventually come my way. And here lies the problem. I don't like medicine. I avoid it at all costs. So I had to find some effective and natural remedies for my special situation. Here goes....


1. Ginger
A concentrated ginger tea, the kind that burns, sweetened with brown sugar soothes my throat and clears up most of the mucus blocking my channels. I boil about 500 g peeled and grated ginger for 20 minutes or until it comes to a rolling boil, then I sweeten and drink hot. Every night and morning until I feel better which is usually in about 3 days.



2. Pineapple
 As I mentioned  in a previous article, pineapple is really good for the flu because the bromelain reduces pain, swelling and mucus build up. It can be eaten fresh or baked and is effective in relieving symptoms as quickly as overnight.




3. Zhengqiheji 正气合剂
This can be directly translated as 'positive gas comprehensive agent'. How can I clarify this chinglish? In traditional chinese medicine, 'positive gas' is seen as a sign of health, like good circulation.This is artful blend of herbal extracts is used by the locals when something isn't feeling right. Like you know, when you wake up 'on the wrong side of the bed', or  you're a bit queasy after lunch. When the flu hits me by surprise, a couple shots of this gets me up and running in about 2 days. Main ingredients are dried rhizoma atractylodes, dried aged tangerine peel, magnolia bark (ginger base), angelica root, poria fungus, arecae pericarpium, raw pinellia root, licorice root extract, patchouli oil and basil oil. Yep...it's good for you.



4. Lemon
Correct me if I'm wrong, but there is a lemon flu action combination in every arsenal of the globe. I grew up on fresh lemon juice, honey and salt. Others drink dried lemon peel or citrus leaf tea. Whatever you choose, if lemon is it in, your flu symptoms will die a beautiful death.




5. Tumeric
The prescription is simple: a spoon of tumeric in a cup of warm milk. Unfortunately tumeric is a bit difficult to locate in China but if you have it in your area, don't hesistate to try it. My Indian friends swear by this and the antiviral properties of this spice shouts try me.


6. Sweating
As a kid, my parents would trap I mean wrap me in blankets and leave me to perspire profusely. I would wake up the following morning with my channels clear and my body feeling much more energized. Whenever I am down with the flu, I always stay active, hit the gym for some cardio or jog on the track, anything to get moving. I don't have scientific evidence as to why this works for me. I do know I feel physically and mentally better. I guess that's why they say, you are only as sick as you feel.

If you are a fan of remedies, I hope these suggestions helped you in some way. Are there variations of these or any new ideas that help you during flu season?  Share them below!! I'll love to hear what everyone else is using.

An authentic Caribbean Easter is not about bunnies and eggs. After attending church in the fanciest of Easter hats, children and adults go their separate ways. Children search for the clearest field to fly their kites and adults get suited up for the kitchen.

Beer and Cheese Bread

With the abundance of fruit this season, juicing and smoothie making comes naturally and constantly.  Enjoy the beautiful mix of fruit below. The frozen watermelon and banana gives texture and thickness and long an provides a natural sweetness with creamy tones.

Spring in a glass

200 ml milk
11/2 cups plain yoghurt
250 g paw-paw (don't you love that name)
300 g watermelon, frozen
2 large bananas, frozen
1 tbsp brown sugar
8 long an
Juice of one orange
*Dash of Angostura Bitters


1. Cut fruit based on your blender. If you got one of those super bullet thingy, no cutting for you. For an ordinary blender, cube with compassion.

2. First blend frozen and then fresh fruit together. Follow up with liquids and sugar. Lastly but optional, Angostura Bitters.

3. Decorate with edible flowers or sprinkle with bee pollen for the true spirit of Spring.

I'm not sure if this is just a Caribbean thing, but generally when we prepare to leave home for a long period of time, we are loaded blessed with many gifts and essentials of food and the like. Kind of like young Maroon warriors on their first hunt after passing the Coming of Manhood ceremony. Kind of like maybe we may never see home again. Or just in case we land on a deserted island, we have all that we need. Smoke signal who?

I don't know about you but for the most part I'm grateful. Once I accomplish carrying those heavy logs of suitcases to my abode and receive a restorative Chinese massage, I go straight into promotion mode. Start marketing my goods as organic, untainted and the best tasting in the world. It also brings out the collectivist in me as I ration my treats to last as long as they can. Two minutes on a packet of ginger fudge seems long enough. Okay, I'm just kidding. But it takes muscles of control not to.

This time around my 'Home in a Suitcase' contains...

• Confectioneries like Coconut Sugar Cake, Fudge, Tamarind balls and Guava Cheese

Cocconut Sugar Cake

Tamarind Balls and Guava Cheese

Milk Fudge

• Definitely Cocoa balls for cocoa tea. Also spices and herbs for all my cooking and baking needs like nutmeg, cinnamon, mint, rosemary, curry. Food never taste like home without condiments from home.

• Angostura Bitters for sure. As a kid, before there was rum and coke, there was bitters and coke for all your diarrhea needs. It took me years to distinguish the taste from the memory and it's maybe the reason why I have never had Coca Cola cravings. However Angostura Bitters has proven to add that kick to any recipe and is quite the kitchen wing man.

• Without Clarks Court Pure White Rum, my Sorrel Drink is incomplete. And it doesn't hurt to share with friends.

• Saltfish for a finger-licking saltfish souse. To be welcomed by warm Coconut Bakes or Dumplings.

• Farine which is a Cassava cereal has a variety of uses. Porridge, dumplings, baking and best of all mixed up some granulated sugar and eaten raw ( I'm an 80s baby). 

• Snacks play a pivotal role in how long I spend in the books. There has to be some scientific explanation as to why one must snack while studying and why it is so effective. I will get to the bottom of this.

• Fruit Cake and Bread from the Aunties to make up for missing Christmas.

• Cheese. Real Cheese. Foreigners who live in China will understand.

• Jam and jellies from De La Grenade. This brand is synonymous with nutmeg in Grenada for quite some time. Quality product from a quality source.

Nutmeg syrup, Nutmeg Jam, Nutmeg Jelly

Sometimes I worry that 20 years from now, most of these foods won't be available and my tummy will go into withdrawal. If you had a choice, what local food item would you carry into the future?

Firstly, much thanks to marvelous person who came up with chocolate-covered strawberries. A combination of heart shaped berries and the food of the gods can only be considered eternal bliss. Seems like the Chinese have taken it a notch higher and placed the chocolate flavor in the strawberries.


The vendor claimed that chocolate was used in the growing process to accomplish the flavor fusion. To add to the hype, he offered to sell me milk flavored strawberries while treating me to a mischievous eye twinkle. Felt like Snow White buying that dreadfully beautiful apple. Playing along, I purchased a couple and put my friends to the test.


At first sniff, most persons registered notes of pineapple and of course strawberry but definitely nothing of a chocolate nature. It was much sweeter and less acidic that the most strawberries, especially as the season is coming to an end, so at least the vendor kept his promise that it was more 'deelishush'.


At the end of the day I was going to have my chocolate strawberries so I did what anyone would in my position. I melted 2 squares Belmont Estate Nib-a-licious Dark Chocolate. Double the antioxidants, double the fun...Next time I'm buying cheese flavored watermolon *wink wink*

With only a short period in transit and a tummy to feed, my visit in Beijing became sort of a hunt. I needed something tasty, hygienic and I was hoping at least 20% healthy. I came across an alley of street vendors in Sanlitun 三里屯 that offered quite an array of foods. There were 15 RMB Mojitos, fruit bowls of pineapples, watermelons and cantaloupes, home made fries and these...





all ready to be grilled to my 'delight'. I have yet to come across extremes such as larvae and oysters in Chongqing so it being 2014 and all, I got excited. Then I remembered my trip in a couple hours and thought of how an upset stomach would reek of embarrassment. In other words, I punked out. Yup, I know ... shame on me. Now I'm left to wonder what could have been.

However, I did find something tasty, hygienic and 100% healthy. Freshly squeezed and bottled fruit juice.

This particular vendor offered Orange, Pomegranate or a mixture of both. No added water or sugar. For my blend, he squeezed 5 of each fruit and after straining, capped my bottle with tight, factory precision. This meant that this juice could last at least a week unopened.  Give me this over a sidewalk Mojito anyday! And did I mention how smooth and sweet it was? Better than any drink on the shelf. Although I did miss grilled frog and its accompanying belly ache, this was definitely a worthy drink for a worthy cause. Check out the juice making process below!


Which would you have chosen, grilled delicacies or 100% pure juice on the sidewalks of Beijing? Let me know below!

Common Fig

I'm blessed to have a sister with a sweet tooth that's larger than mine. She especially loves a moist fruit bread so for her birthday the only shopping I had to do took place in the supermarket. This bread features two main ingredients and they are both called Fig. First is Rock Fig, a local name for dwarf bananas in my home town. Second is the Common fig which I shed light on in 'Green Thumbs and Red Fingers'. Given the rarity of this fruit in Grenada, I had only one shot to get it right. Some shoddy baking soda got in the way of perfection but I promise that if you get all you ingredients in order and up to date, you will have the most delicate tasting fruit bread.

Double Fig Bread

3 Rock Figs, mashed equivalent to one large banana
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp mixed essence
1 tsp all spice
3/4 cup plain yoghurt
pinch of salt

1. Preheat oven at 375 C.
2. Mix sifted flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and all spice. Set aside.
3. Mix yoghurt and Rock Fig together and set aside.
4. Cream butter and sugar together. Beat in eggs one at a time.
5. Add essence and yoghurt banana mixture and mix in well.
6. Stir in the dry mixture and end by folding in Common Figs.
7. Bake for 40 mins at 400 C or remove when tooth pick comes out clean.
8. Cool and slice..Happy Bday Sis!

Grenadian damson tree laden with fruit

Fruit seasons are synonymous with fruit stews. Plums, tamarind and golden apple are boiled in brown sugar, cinnamon, ginger and bay leaf for a sweet snack. Gummy bears and ring pops didn't stand a chance in my primary school days when these fruits were on the market.



My all-time favorite is Damson stew. Damson, not to be confused with Damsel, has as many names as the Caribbean has ethicities: gooseberry, sour cherry and jimbilin to name a few.

Th original damson fruit

It is extremely sour, making it the perfect balance to the sticky, sweet, spicy stew.

Red sour cherry stew compliments Caribbeanpot.com

Some people, and by some people I mean Trinidadians, add a couple drops of red coloring. That's patriotism for you.
As a kid, eating the stew went something like this:

As much as I miss my childhood days, I promise this behavior is a thing of the past. What cherished childhood memories of snacks do you have? Feel free to share below.

A mango tree is a gift that keeps on giving and giving. If you don't own a couple trees (it's rare to have just one), then most likely your neighbour does, or your neighbour's neighbour. There is always more than enough to feed the entire community, but at the end of the day, that doesn't stop us fighting over mangoes.

However, if you are tired of the generic 'mango sucking' then Mango ice cream is an easy way to spice things up and since it's homemade, any variety of mango is welcome. For this recipe, we'll use local Julie mango, which contrary to hairy belief, has a very potent mango flavor and thick creamy texture to perfect this frozen snack.

Frozen Mango Delight

It's easier if done bit by bit

This hair ball could make or break your ice cream

The result is a smooth, creamy texture

Sun hits the shore

Growing up next a beach is one of the many blessings as a kid. Despite the time away, my skin's candid familiarity to the sea water is astonishing. With each crinkle of sand, my entire body was at peace.

A view of the capital city

While waiting on the pot of oil down, we kids would make sand balls, chase each other around and then skin up the Sea Grape trees (Coccoloba uvifera) to see what fruit could fill our famished tummies.


This kind of grape is more seed than flesh, so we had to consume many of the pebble-sized berries. The tangy-sweet fruit combined with salt from the sea sprays must have given us more energy, for soon we would be engaged in a war with the naked seeds as our cannons until we worked up our appetite once more. Had this been summer vacation, you would have seen many pictures of ripe fruit. I found these hidden behind some leaves.

Sweet sea grapes

Blessed Morning indeed!

Another old friend is the Sea Almond tree. The (Terminalia catappa) were and still are at least 100 ft tall. Without a stone, the birds enjoy all the purple flesh. That leaves me with the work of cracking open the husk to get to the seed.