Caribana week ahead: Beef Patties

So for the second day in my West Indian food week, I decided to make jamaican beef patties, the kind that were so popular when I grew up as a snack or quick meal, and remain so here now.I should note that patties have never been a personal favourite of mine, but I since they are so convenient, ubiquitous, and universally acceptable, since they keep well and store easily, and since pastry is kind of an adventure for me (continue reading for more on that) I decided they were definitely warranted.

Caribana week ahead: Saltfish and bakes

This summer, I'm generally doing the cooking Mondays through Wednesdays, and this week in particular, I've chosen a theme of traditional West Indian dishes to work with. Now, I could just make the foods I already know how to do -- Cook-up rice, Pepperpot, Macaroni and cheese, Curry -- but what fun is that! So instead, I found recipes for stuff I love to eat but haven't yet tried making (or made on my own, in the case of today's dish).

Welcome to Grown-up-hood

Nonsense and I have made purchases together before that were based on taking each other's opinions into account and figuring out what was best for our household, but in the past, these items have either been relatively unimportant (financially, aesthetically, or practically) or they've been pretty much for the exclusive use of one or the other of us (as in the case of my entire home office system).

This past Saturday, we reached what felt somehow like a new milestone for us -- we bought an armchair together.

Here it is! Innit nice?

Caribana week ahead: getting ready (to wuk)

This week will be an exciting one, with the Caribana parade this Saturday, partying the Sunday after, and all the preparation that's going into it all.

Today was the last class of Socasize Bootcamp, a dance aerobic class a couple of us took to get ready for the road, both by getting familiar with this year's music and moves, and also of course by upping our endurance to wine up for some 6 hours straight! I found that two hours of aerobics was really pushing it at first, but I got more used ot it, and the format of the class is perfect. It used the moves I grew up with as well as new ones to build tone and endurance, and the instructor really encourages you to throw it all out there and have fun with the dancing and the music. I totally would do it again, either during the year as a regular one-hour non-boot-camp class, or the bootcamp again if I play Mas in the future. Some of my favourite songs from the class:

• Come to Meh by Iwer George
• Hard Wuk by Machel Montano 
• Advantage by Machel Montano
• Illegal by Machel Montano
• Tornado by Otis 
• Wotless by Kes the Band