a while back we discovered pepper roti in debe. all the heavens rejoiced! we love it! but with my kneed-a-phobia that makes me mess up anything dough related and baidawi's (the official muffin man) confusion about the whole subject, pepper roti remains one of the things that could only be solved by a debe run. imagine my optimism when i stumbled across this new product in the supermarket. rani sada roti. nice packaging. looks very premium. and the all-important best by date is on there too. not that it seems to need it... the product isn't staying on the shelf. i mean, if you're selling out racks of sada roti in aranguez, you have to be doing something right. anyway, after trying it, i got this crazy idea that i could use this to create a pepper roti substitute. soooo...
i put some spuds to bubble on a dj.
chopped up some shadon beni, good bit of garlic, a hot pepper and two pimiento peppers. yes, iz pepper roti we said.
grated a little carrot. more for the colour than anything else.
put it all into a nonstick an sauteed everybody up a bit to let the flavors out.
so potatoes all boiled and strained, time to make this happen.
i put them into the pot with the seasoning, mashed them up and mixed them up with a little salt, black pepper and a touch of safron. so far, i'm thinking the filling is shaping up to hit the nail on the head.
the rani sadas have some size and they're soft and fluffy. i think they would make some reaaaaally nice wraps with some chicken, veggies and a nice sauce or two. for my imitation pepper roti i opened it up.
i pasted the mixture onto the sada. a decent layer.
after topping that with some cheese, i sprinkled just a little bit of italian seasoning on it...
and a lot of crushed black pepper. did i mention that this is supposed to be a pepper roti?
yeah... so this is what the landscape looked like after the sprinklings. next step, close it and put it into the oven with the fire on top. just looking to crisp it up a bit and melt the cheese inside.
end result... this. NOT EVEN CLOSE! it didn't taste like a pepper roti. spicy and nice, but not a pepper roti. actually, it was more like a real nice homemade sada and alloo. not a problem, we enjoyed it all the same. nothing like a tasty morsel to take the sting out of missing the target right? i probably might not try making pepper roti anytime soon, but this will definitely get a repeat performance when i'm in that mode. and i'll be keeping some of that rani sada handy for that quick bite.
so! we kinda left things hanging with regards to the developments of the culinary team. partly by circumstance and partly by design. the aim was to drop it on you in an interesting manner that would get as much hype as possible. so here it is. from the THRTA food and beverage competition day 1 and day 2, here are the winners who are now the trinidad & tobago national culinary team, as they were presented at the awards ceremony, hyatt regency, with minister of tourism The Honourable Dr Rupert Griffith M.P. (5th from left). from left to right: Carla Cupid (alternate Bartender) - Kapok Hotel, Isaiah Connell (Junior Chef) - Toppers Restaurant, Devon Joseph (Chef) - Chaud Restaurant, Daniyel Jones (Bartender of the Year) - Martini Makers, Rajesh Goolcharan (Chef of the Year), Kendell Mulzac (Pastry Chef of the Year) - Hyatt Regency Trinidad, Arnold Jupiter (Alternate Chef). the team would be captained by Raymond Joseph of Courtyard by Marriott! this is the crew that will represent t&t at the esteemed 'TASTE OF THE CARIBBEAN' competition, june 2012 in miami. it's a big deal.
in preparation for the big event, the team engages in a series of practice dinners that seek to recreate the competition environment. this is serious business. apart from the stresses of competition cooking, it adds the extra pressure of having to use the mystery basket ingredients provided to create a three course meal for paying customers. this round was at TTHTI, so our friends at THRTA invited us to take in some of the action. action indeed. lots of slicing...
...and dicing. made possible by sponsors MALABAR FARMS FOOD SERVICES who are providing all the ingredients for these tasty training sessions... 12 in total.
and while we're talking about sponsors, we must mention BRYDENS for supplying the ingredients for the bartender's drink as well as MARKETING & DISTRIBUTION for supplying wines to accompany the dinner. check out the drink demo in the video.
the chefs used the ingredients in a very creative manner, taking local favorites and giving them that international slant needed to win a competition like this.
it was a rush seeing them maneuver the kitchen with the intent of preparing the meals in time for the 8 o' clock dinner time that guests were invited to be seated for.
it seemed like no time at all before a calm prep turned into a fast paced production line styled plating session.
unlike the previous competition, they had to prepare way more than two plates. they had to cater the full three courses for about 32 guests.
all with the expected accuracy and consistency competition judges look for under competition rules. we were right on hand to see chef raymond inspect each plate. tight ship boy raymond.
and it was no different for the dessert. it was way more intense than we imagined.
but like first class professionals, the team displayed great skill and a lot of technical ability under the extreme conditions.
bringing a level of innovation that made us think that once again, t&t would be going in with a very difficult team to beat.
the end result was a clever menu: the appetizer was a fish trio. poached curry marinated snapper paired with mint/apple chow. deep fried cod fish tempura ochroes served with mango chutney. and pan seared red snapper atop garlic wilted patchoi accompanied by a spiced beet glaze.
the main course was a grilled pesto rubbed lamb loin in a rum enhanced reduction. sweet potato, dasheen and plantain in a roast corn blue cheese sauce served with a vegetable souse and finished with a basil oil drizzle.
but the dessert was our show stopper, mainly because of this channa brittle. a creative take on peanut brittle, using an ingredient that offered some difficulty fitting into the dishes.
it became part of a citrus zabagloine sitting on pumpkin pudding with a nutmeg tuile. Poached coconut meringue on a channa brittle accompanied by a chunky green pawpaw sauce, served with a shot of pineapple mojito at the side.
it was an exciting experience for us and we're sure a valuable learning experience for the team who would need all the practice they can get between now and the competition. our overall review: the menu was very creative with some nice twists that utilized the ingredients effectively. flavors weren't magnificent, but were enjoyable for the most part. however, some of the ground provisions didn't reach a satisfactory degree of tenderness which was the most noticeable inconsistency to us. we think that we've got a strong team with exceptional strength in dessert and beverage. it will be good to see how things progress and what the outcome of the competition will be. check out the video to find out how you can support and be a part of the demonstration dinners.
i feel somewhat blasphemous doing this, but i knew the job was difficult when i took it. it's no secret that we're guinness drinkers over here, so it might shock a few that we're actually saying the word mackeson on the blog.
well truth be told, in a realm such as this, we're equal opportunity. so when i was given the choice of stag bread or mackeson bread at maria's bakery, i opted for the only available stout option. decided to take one for the team.
turns out that things could have been much worse. it was actually a nice bun. taking one for the team wasn't bad at all. though it was a hefty bread that was very filling (it was part of a relatively big breakfast that rallied me through the entire day!!) the price tag puts this in luxury class for me. at $25, this will have to be a once in a while treat. i mean, i think two people can share it if done right, but that's still a good bit of coin to put down on a round. now the bun i got (yes, got as in got a free sample. thanks for the generosity) was from the daily display, so there is a chance that the price tag might be the loaf price. we'll double check and let you all know.
following the recommendation of the sales rep (my bad fuh not getting her name but... more times fuh dat), i wanted to try it with something cheesy, so i whipped up some cheesy scrambled eggs with a few strips of turkey bacon at the side. i also toasted the round a little for no reason other than i like a lil crisp to my bites. it did go well with the sharpness of the cheese as it had that bitter sweet stout flavor. not the alcohol flavor, but the dark, roasted aftertaste you get from stout. it worked in this situation. i think it could also be nice at the side of a spicy chili bowl topped with cheddar. or even with a flavorful stew. i would imagine the beer versions might do well with a soup.
i would have preferred the flavor of guinness bread more (which they also make) because i don't really like the sweetness of mackeson, but that is purely a preference thing. it was a good bun with the right texture and flavor for a bread of that nature. if nothing else, it got me interested in finding out how the guinness and the stag versions would do. if you happen to be interested as well, you have to place an order to have it made as it's a specialty item. i think i'll be placing one soon.
whoever said one thing twice is NEVER nice wasn't quite on the ball. because when chef jason invited us to another TTHTI Internal Internship session, we thought it was great.
this time we went for dinner and we got there early so we could go backstage to see what happens behind the doors.
just to bring you up to speed, the Internal Internship is a series of breakfasts, lunches and dinners prepared and hosted by the TTHTI students. this creates a real-life scenario which allows the students to use their skills in a true environment, inclusive of paying customers with appetites and opinions.
it is intended to help prepare them for what they will face when they step into the commercial kitchens of the real world.
for us, it was exciting to see how a commercial kitchen really operates. it showed us what it takes to get an order off the menu and onto the plate.
the one word we'll use to describe it is: PACE! we struggled to keep up and keep out the way at the same time. imagine our surprise when the chef in command on this dinner, chef david, assured us that a real kitchen is even more tempo with a lot more shouting, brutal honesty and plain ole cussin'.
up close, the students showed a lot of skill on the job.
simple stuff, but they seemed to be making it happen under the pressure.
so down to the tasty stuff. after we collected our footage, we sat with chef jason and chef gregory for dinner. i had the mussels in marinara sauce for my appetizer.
there was also a nice chicken chowder with a split peas base.
the salad got some high praises. fresh garden vegetables, tempura plantains and blue cheese dressing.
the main course featured a pan seared snapper with garlic lemon butter sauce, which i had with the duchess potatoes and sauteed vegetables.
also available was leg of lam with dijon mustard. this was a best seller. sold out pretty early.
and there was also an asian rubbed chicken with a peanut butter and soy sauce reduction. you'll also see the cheesy spaghetti here. another choice the menu offered. the chefs were impressed with the sauce.
did i mention that they baked fresh bread in house to go with the meal? ok. well they did. with a herb butter to spread.
we weren't up for dessert, so we didn't sampled the creme de mint chocolate mousse. but it looked really good when it was setting.
this shoot was fun. and the conversations we had with chef jason, chef david and the inspiring chef gregory (who could be a motivational speaker if he wanted to be) were particularly encouraging that night. this time around the food was good. not blow mind, but well executed with good flavours across the board. and the chefs pointed out just one or two technical improvements that could be made, which honestly, the average customer may not pick up that easily. the internal internship period ends on february 4th, so you still have some time to head down to TTHTI and check out breakfast, lunch or dinner if you're interested. check out the video of our backstage experience:
the search for the most talented chefs and bartenders to represent T&T came to an end with a... hmm... bang doesn't seem right to say as we're talking about cocktails. let's go with SPLASH! day 2 of the THRTA food & beverage competition was the mixology round in which 18 bartenders (minus one who unfortunately passed away before the competition) competed for the 1 coveted spot on the team. now, just to give a quick insight as to why it's such a big deal, the T&T team is the team to beat at the annual TASTE OF THE CARIBBEAN competition. last year in miami, the team won gold and master mixologist daniyel jones won prizes for best rum drink, best vodka drink and most creative cocktail overall. in other words, we have it goin' on.
anyway, the competitors worked 3 at a time (with one group of 2) and had 4 minutes to complete 2 glasses of their original cocktails. one for the judges/samples and one for display. and yes, the audience got samples too. a good competition to be at if only for that.
there were 3 rounds. in the first round, the bartenders got to prep their garnishes before preparing a rum drink and likewise in the 2nd round for a vodka drink. the top 6 competitors from these two rounds went on to the final round in which they had to produce 2 glasses of their unique creations from a mystery bar of ingredients. they were given 15 minutes to submit a recipe for their cocktails, then 10 minutes to execute it before the judges.
though the bartenders exhibited a sense of style in their presentations, some even going as far as describing the processes they were using, this wasn't a flair competition. the judges were focused on the classic cocktail and the methodology behind them.
once again, people following the competition over the years commented that the level this year was remarkably high. i guess we came in at a good time. now we did get shots of the drinks and such and footage to put the names to the faces, but we have to hold off on the ingredients for now. can't sell out the blends before the competition. it's serious we tell yuh! check them out (click on the slideshow to view photos):
the final 6 boiled down to (in no specific order) daniyel jones, amanda richards, carla cupid, abiola jules, clinton ramdhan and asha beharry.
as we mentioned, we have to hold off on the recipes for now, but maybe when they announce the winners in 2 weeks, we'll see what we can gather. if not, we'll update the blog after the competition when things aren't so secret. it was an exciting time. our first mixology competition was everything that we expected. check out the vid and see the stars in action:
a while back we discovered pepper roti in debe. all the heavens rejoiced! we love it! but with my kneed-a-phobia that makes me mess up anything dough related and baidawi's (the official muffin man) confusion about the whole subject, pepper roti remains one of the things that could only be solved by a debe run. imagine my optimism when i stumbled across this new product in the supermarket. rani sada roti. nice packaging. looks very premium. and the all-important best by date is on there too. not that it seems to need it... the product isn't staying on the shelf. i mean, if you're selling out racks of sada roti in aranguez, you have to be doing something right. anyway, after trying it, i got this crazy idea that i could use this to create a pepper roti substitute. soooo...
i put some spuds to bubble on a dj.
chopped up some shadon beni, good bit of garlic, a hot pepper and two pimiento peppers. yes, iz pepper roti we said.
grated a little carrot. more for the colour than anything else. 
put it all into a nonstick an sauteed everybody up a bit to let the flavors out.
so potatoes all boiled and strained, time to make this happen.
i put them into the pot with the seasoning, mashed them up and mixed them up with a little salt, black pepper and a touch of safron. so far, i'm thinking the filling is shaping up to hit the nail on the head.
the rani sadas have some size and they're soft and fluffy. i think they would make some reaaaaally nice wraps with some chicken, veggies and a nice sauce or two. for my imitation pepper roti i opened it up.
i pasted the mixture onto the sada. a decent layer.
after topping that with some cheese, i sprinkled just a little bit of italian seasoning on it...
and a lot of crushed black pepper. did i mention that this is supposed to be a pepper roti?
yeah... so this is what the landscape looked like after the sprinklings. next step, close it and put it into the oven with the fire on top. just looking to crisp it up a bit and melt the cheese inside.
end result... this. NOT EVEN CLOSE! it didn't taste like a pepper roti. spicy and nice, but not a pepper roti. actually, it was more like a real nice homemade sada and alloo. not a problem, we enjoyed it all the same. nothing like a tasty morsel to take the sting out of missing the target right? i probably might not try making pepper roti anytime soon, but this will definitely get a repeat performance when i'm in that mode. and i'll be keeping some of that rani sada handy for that quick bite. 
