I get so excited when it's time to travel; plane, train, boat whatever it may be. My current trip began with a train ride of 24 hours. Nope, there was no way around it. So instead of complaining about the fact that I won't get to flirt with a handsome air host, I made preparations for a comfortable ride and that obviously meant carrying things that made my tummy happy. With the help of my friends and the experiences of previous train excursions, I gathered a bunch of traditional and maybe not so traditional travel food essentials for the long journey ahead.    

Today we visit the beautiful country Tanzania of Southeast Africa. I adore their chicken pilau, chips mayai (potato chips fried in egg), and general approach to cooking. The food's natural flavor is prominent with little flavor embellishments and enhancement. When I am eating, I taste the vegetables and meats for what they truly are, not seasoning-covered potential. It is a welcome relief to my palette to eat with my Tanzanian brothers and sisters, who by the way, are some of the warmest, kindest people I have ever met.

I was introduced to the possibility of eating homemade yoghurt with sweet potatoes. Being intrigued and apprehensive at the same time, the sampling conversation when something like this:

Friend: Try a little and tell me what you think
Me (looking at spoon in hand): I don't know about this combination.
Me (finally putting spoon in mouth): Why would you guys eat this together?
Me ( putting another spoon in mouth): I don't get it.
Me (one empty bowl later): So next week, I bring the yoghurt and you bring the potatoes, okay?

My friend laughed at me the whole time. Although I didn't understand the dish, my taste buds some how appreciated it. I want to eat it all the time. It's now part of the scared-meals-thou-shalt-not-add-store-bought-ingredients-to.

In terms of nutrition, sweet potatoes are high in fiber among other things mentioned here. Yoghurt provides protein, calcium and healthy bacteria for a smooth running intestine. So if you have this for dinner, your entire body will thank you. You're welcome in advance.

This is my last post from China for a bit...Can someone say HOLIDAYS!?!...So see you soon from a new location!

Happy New Year to each and everyone of you. Thank you for accompanying me on this journey in 2013. I hope and pray that 2014 will bring many more wonderful food-related opportunities my way to share with you.

Unfinished noodle soup

Watermelon and Cheese is a true reflection of what I eat, so you are probably wondering how I survived such a circus diet. At first, it started as 'when in China, eat like the Chinese'. That meant you needed to master efficient chopstick use. I am still working on that but once you have worked so hard to put it in your mouth, you should eat it right?

The island girl spirit of 'never see, come see' also contributed to active sampling of new foods. And yes there were instances of upset stomach but my Antiguan brothers taught me well. Try it THREE times to confirm that particular thing made you sick. With the exception of Black Fungus 木耳 Muer  (apparently I am allergic)，  either something else was the culprit or my tummy grew in resilience. Safe to say this method is more effective than the three second rule.

Black Fungus 木耳

Lastly, the only way I could truly adapt to a place so far away from home is by understanding their culture. Every food choice made by the Chinese is backed by a world of reason. I have learnt to trust that and found myself becoming healthier and happier. So this year, I will break down any remaining walls of fear and doubt. Look forward to many more hair-raising, appetite-awakening foods coming your way.

The clock strikes at 1 a.m. and it happens again. Cravings for something delish from home awaken in my pit of a stomach; obviously she refuses to change time zones. The pineapple on top of my fridge is finally ripe and begging me to use it. The first thing that comes to mind is the wonderful pineapple upside down cake I ate every Saturday at the St. Joseph of Cluny residence. I pause to thank the Sisters of this house for the unconditional love, support and teaching throughout my adolescent and adult life and this cake that is forever seared in the memory of my food sac stomach.

P.U.S.D cake is traditionally made with a base/cover of caramelized tinned pineapple, maraschino cherries and shredded coconut but as you know at Watermelon and Cheese we have to adapt a lot...but hey, we never lose the flavor....so here goes.

Pineapple -Where Have You Been- Upside Down Cake

No coincidence the supermarket had this in stock for Christmas

As a kid, I recall being bombarded with multiple TV ads of  "Guinness, it's good for you", "I got the power" remixes and a superhero named Micheal Power who could escape fires and land unscathed from high buildings. An after-work Friday lime was not complete without a Guinness (T.G.I.F = True Guinness Is Forever). With the addition of milk, angostura bitters, a dash of spices and sometimes an egg, it evolves into a punch for contenders of the World Strongest Man competition or at least makes you feel like one.

If Barbie drank Guinness....

For the ultimate hookup recipe check Chris at www.caribbeanpot.com and bring in your Christmas Eve feeling unstoppable.

I absolutely love and miss malta, especially the Vita Malt brand. Although it is available all the time, my parents always kept a case around at Christmas, so I tend to associate it with this season. Malta is made by brewing barley and hops and is later sweetened and carbonated. It's non-alcoholic so its smooth, creamy taste can be enjoyed by all.

Vita Malt, in particular, is said to provide energy and a great amount of nutrients (Vita stands for vitamin).

What I actually meant to say was Winter Solstice Day which occurs the 22nd of December every year. Roughly translated, it can be called Winter Coming Day although honestly, it really felt like winter 'done came' through these parts. Any advice for this island girl on how to keep warm?

The longest night of the year is usually spent with family and friends eating a dinner of dumplings and mutton, both of which are considered heating foods. One mao ( a Chinese ten cent) is placed in one of the dumplings, so everyone bites carefully until it is found. The winner is granted good luck for the rest of the season and the dumplings are eaten at leisurely pace one more.

Lovely bowl of steamed dumplings

Sauces and soups are the key to a great dinner

Mutton and vegetables cooking in a well seasoned soup

Recently, I found my own form of 'luck' in these sequential one yuan (a Chinese dollar). So happy that they were not hundreds so I am perfectly content with saving them.

呵呵呵圣诞节快乐！！ Merry Christmas to all my readers!! Well in advance hehehe.....This Christmas season's countdown features Grenadian cuisine that warm the heart, mind and most importantly the body.

This wonderfully flavored chocolate is the proof of my country's resilience in the face of Hurricane Ivan's destruction in 2004.
















It's earthy, fruity and all over rich. It can be eaten raw but I love to make cocoa tea with it. Not to mention that it much easier to use than the traditional method :P

This tea is brought to life by organically grown spices and raw brown sugar. Condensed milk is a must have or else my ancestors will cry a rainstorm from the heavens.

Spicy Cocoa Tea

1. Bring spices and water to a boil. Continue boiling for 5 mins while your nose enters olfactory bliss.

Strawberries!!

Don't they look yummy....I guarantee you they taste even better than they look. These fruits are placed on a bamboo stick and then coated in a sweet syrup made from rock sugar 冰糖 Bīngtáng. Rock sugar is preferred because it offers a more complete flavor than ordinary white sugar.  Although it contains mor e calories, its full taste allows you to use less of it, therefore eliminated that concern, if it is one of yours. All this transforms the fruit, already packed with nutrients, into a super duper snack for the winter.


Originally, Chinese hawthorns were used because of their contrasting sour taste. Over time, however, other tart fruits and even nuts have been introduced to this enjoyable winter snack.


Chongqing winter weather rarely drops below zero, so we can safely thank the northern states of China for sharing this with the rest of the country.

Living in the south of China has its perks. While my friends are complaining of knee-deep snow, I'm still sporting my sneaks. But I must be clear. These warm days are totally sporadic, so unfortunately the flu crept up on me. My aversion to pills had me up at dawn searching for soothing throat relief. With no citrus in sight, I turned to the next best thing: Pineapples.

The following recipe is great because 1) pineapple has a rich Vitamin C content, the official go-to for colds and flu, which gives the immune system a boost 2) pineapple contains an enzyme called bromelain which can reduce pain, swelling and mucus 3) ginger, in addition to that beautiful burning sensation, also contains antioxidants and nutrients that you body needs at this time 4) honey has wonderful antibacterial properties and 5)wine...at dawn...need I say more....actually I do. My original intention was temporary comfort but then the next day I felt so much better: headache and sore throat all relieved. Thank God for pineapples!

People often compare life to a 'Rat Race' but across here I feel more like a part of an ant colony. We  They all walk the same, headed in the same direction and if one person breaks pattern then confusion is amiss. But if you are one of those who think that all Asians look alike, like me, you would discover differently.

China is mainly comprised of the Han nationality, along with 55 recognized minorities. But you don't notice it at first. I'll admit I was one of those who though everyone was cut from the same cloth and at one point even distinguished my classmates by hairstyles. But now, I graciously admit my error and even discovered that most locals have a hard time distinguishing me from other foreigners. So please, no need to take offense. Now back on topic.

Compliments Google

When shopping in China one must not leave the house with this one thing...sunglasses.... because cashiers, customers and even babies are undercover paparazzi. What is most important though, is a translator. My Pleco translator always saves the day when I'm in the vegetable section and despite names like Granny Lettuce and Moonlight Tomatoes (no I didn't make those up), my meals are always healthy and tasty. Today however, we hit a bump in the road. While perusing the brown sugar section, I encountered an immense challenge. As hard as I searched for raw brown sugar, I only found ginger, pepper, jujube and lots of something called Ejiao brown sugar. Excited about a new product, I plugged in '阿胶' into Pleco and got the following result:


Yup...that's right. Donkey skin. After all these years, I can still come face to face with food that leaves me speechless. Needless to say, brown sugar shopping was left for another day.

All of my Caribbean childhood, I was taught that brown sugar is healthy because of its unrefined state. In China, however, the clean appearance of refined white sugar is preferred and so in order to sell brown sugar, it is often enhanced with various functional foods and nutrients. The appearance of these sugars are usually dark, powdered and sometimes damp. Ginger provides antioxidants and can sooth the digestive system. Pepper provides antioxidants of a different family which are considered anti-bacterial and anti-carcinogenic. Jujube or Chinese dates nourish the nerves, strengthen skin and intensifies the effects of other herbs.

Donkey hide gelatin

Donkey hide gelatin steals the show. It promotes stronger bones, improves immunity, helps with anxiety, improves the function of the circulatory system and here's the bonus, enhances natural beauty. Who said no new friends for 2014?

Donkey hide gelatin brown sugar

Any of these sugars can be mixed with herbs and hot water at the beginning of the day to promote a healthy lifestyle. Interested anyone? Let me know below.