West Indian Food – Late Blooms

“If variety is the spice of life, enjoyment of a variety of different foods has to top the list.” (Late Blooms)

Food is near and dear to the hearts of most people. If we have enough or more than enough, we’re grateful and happy. If we have very little or just enough to get by, all our energy is directed to the acquisition of this precious life-giving commodity. This is true for all cultures and peoples on earth.

When we come together as people, irregardless of our beliefs, faith, education, conditioning, or other proclivities, food is always an essential part of our celebrations. A simple home-made meal, restaurant food, or a big banquet is what keeps body and soul going, day by day – and meal by meal. Since food is life-giving, these collages are all about food. Enjoy!

Caribbean (West Indian) cuisine has been largely influenced by the African, Indian, Chinese, Portuguese and British people who came to live there. Some staples in a Caribbean kitchen are curry, green seasoning, jerk seasoning and hot peppers, among other things.

The above collage shows peas and rice, dhal puri (roti), curried chicken, chowmein, curried goat, salads, and jerk chicken. All the dishes here were prepared by the hosts, except for the dhal puri (roti) which was catered.

Salads are very healthy and there are a variety of different kinds to choose from - as was the case at this party. The mango salad was especially delightful! — Salads are very healthy and there are a variety of different kinds to choose from – as was the case at this party. The mango salad was especially delightful!

From my first trip to Thailand, I fell in love with Thai cuisine. The unique flavors and spices along with fresh ingredients made all the dishes mouth-watering. “A large container of rice is always the centerpiece. Surrounding the large central bowl of rice there will be several dishes offering a balanced selection of flavors and textures. In addition to the rice, a typical meal might include a soup (Tohm Yaam), a curry (Gaeng), fresh vegetables (Yaam), a fried dish (Phad), a spicy hot dipping sauce (Naam Prig) and a steamed one. The soup is served together with the other dishes whereas western customs is to serve the soup before.”

Silk Restaurant - Toronto — Silk Restaurant – Toronto

This collage shows some Thai soups, a chicken curry dish, a shrimp dish, and mango salad. Thai food is not only delicious but there’s great artistry where presentation is concerned.

The Young Thailand Restaurant serves their Pad Thai wrapped and we all had guesses as to what the wrapping was and discovered it was egg when we ate it. That’s on the top left. The picture (top right) is an appetizer plate. The decor here is lovely too – very Thai.

~ "A tasty blend of North African, Arabic, Spanish, and French influences, Moroccan food satisfies a craving for the exotic."|(Amy Riolo) — ~ “A tasty blend of North African, Arabic, Spanish, and French influences, Moroccan food satisfies a craving for the exotic.”|(Amy Riolo)

The images in the above collage were taken at the Sultan’s Tent in Toronto. There’s fine food and a real eclectic atmosphere. There was even a belly-dancing show. We tried the braised lamb shank which was served on tagine seasoned couscous and tagine sauce along with Moroccan root vegetables. The other main course shown is the Chermoula Salmon which is topped with Chermoula sauce and served with saffron basmati rice and vegetables. Soup and salad was also served. For dessert, we chose the traditional Moroccan cookies and pastries which came along with Latshin – a dessert of fresh orange slices sprinkled with powdered sugar and cinnamon. A great culinary experience.

"Whenever there is a mention of Indian food, the first image which comes to mind is that of a variety of spices which are visibly discernible courtesy of their color, flavor and aroma. Indian food is indeed replete with spices of many types and while ginger, garlic, turmeric, red chili powder and cumin are added in almost all preparations, the addition of certain spices like dried red chilies, curry leaves and mustard seeds depends upon the style of preparation being employed and expectations pertaining to the taste of the dish. However, the credibility of the cook lies in adding the spices in perfect proportions so as to come up with well flavored food as opposed to loading them indiscriminately". — “Whenever there is a mention of Indian food, the first image which comes to mind is that of a variety of spices which are visibly discernible courtesy of their color, flavor and aroma. Indian food is indeed replete with spices of many types and while ginger, garlic, turmeric, red chili powder and cumin are added in almost all preparations, the addition of certain spices like dried red chilies, curry leaves and mustard seeds depends upon the style of preparation being employed and expectations pertaining to the taste of the dish. However, the credibility of the cook lies in adding the spices in perfect proportions so as to come up with well flavored food as opposed to loading them indiscriminately”.

It looks so good! The above collage shows everything from appetizers to desserts. There are samosas, pakoras, curried chicken, kebabs, and my favorite chocolate burfi, is there along with other colorful desserts. Many Indians are vegetarians (for religious reasons) and a great deal of fine Indian food is vegetarian.

Fine Indian Dining - Toronto — Fine Indian Dining – Toronto

Tandoori chicken, naans, chick-pea curry, rice, and a yummy fish curry make this meal a feast. At fine Indian restaurants, they pay attention to how they present their food – as you can see from the above collage.

As we move on here, we can’t forget everyone’s favorite – Italian food. It is one of mine as well. The cuisine of Italy is mainly based on cereals, vegetables, meat, fish and wine. The food is colorful and appetizing in a hearty way. Many of us think tomato sauce when we think Italian food but it was not always part of Italian cooking. “Until the discovery of the new world, tomatoes were not known to Europeans. Italians before the 16^thcentury did not create sauces with tomatoes and pasta or macaroni was dried and often eaten as a snack. The tomato did not become a common ingredient in Italian cooking until the 18^th century. When Catherine de Medici wed Henry II of France, the gastronomical world changed forever. Eating in courses became de rigueur and haute cuisine was born.” (Italian Food Facts)

Pasta is the most important food in Italy. It means 'paste' because it is a paste of water, flour and sometimes egg. It can be either 'dried' or 'fresh.' There are hundreds of different shapes and types of pasta. Pasta dishes are normally eaten as a first course (un primo piatto). Here are a few pasta shapes and the meanings of their names: farfalle = butterflies penne = quills / pens fusilli = spindles spaghetti = strings vermicelli = little worms conchiglie = shells tortellini = little pies fettucine = little slices — Pasta is the most important food in Italy. It means ‘paste’ because it is a paste of water, flour and sometimes egg. It can be either ‘dried’ or ‘fresh.’ There are hundreds of different shapes and types of pasta. Pasta dishes are normally eaten as a first course (un primo piatto).
Here are a few pasta shapes and the meanings of their names:
farfalle = butterflies
penne = quills / pens
fusilli = spindles
spaghetti = strings
vermicelli = little worms
conchiglie = shells
tortellini = little pies
fettucine = little slices

The color of the tomato sauce on the meatballs was used as the background for this collage.

There are stuffed Cornish Hens, a stuffed turkey, a glazed ham, macaroni and cheese, potatoes and carrots, Greek salad, and gravy – in this collage. Isn’t this a feast?

Hope you love to eat too and enjoyed this post!

Tag: West Indian Food

Gastronomic Delight