Desserts - Jamaican/Trinidadian/Guyanese
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Bulla
Cake/Bread - Jamaican A gingerbread flavored Jamaican cake/bread. They don't look like much, but the taste is rich and spicy! Would I try again? Yes - especially toasted! Where I found it: Tremes |
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Busta - Jamaican A favorite Jamaican candy made of ginger, sugar, coconut, nutmeg, vanilla flavoring, almond and rose water. (Whew, what a list!) Interestingly, it was named after Jamaica's first Prime Minister, Alexander Bustamonte. Tastes like if someone took a hard, chewy taffy molasses and crossed it with an old fashioned GingerBread Man. Would I try again? No, although it was nice. Where I found it: Golden Krust |
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Coconut Drop -
Jamaican A neat little treat, in the same category as the peanut drops (see lower down.) Chewy coconut, covered with a ton of sugar, and syrup, and a strong lacing of ginger (?) 3.4 stars! Would I try again? Yes - it was a great shot of sugar! Where I found it: Golden Krust |
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Currant Roll -
Trinidad Little currants studded across a heavy, but tasty and filling pastry roll (not particularly sweet). It was very filling, and pleasant. Would I buy again? It wasn't sweet enough for me to run out and get another one, but I certainly don't have anything against these items. Where I found it: Ali's Roti Shop |
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Gizzad/Gizzada
(Pinch Me Rounds) - Jamaican Freshly grated coconut with a strong ginger spice, filling a star shaped pastry shell. It was good, with the ginger getting stronger (and tastier) with every bite. Would I try again? Yes, I would. Where I found it: Golden Krust |
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Grater Cake -
Jamaican A very pretty pink and white dessert - it's grated coconut and what tastes like confectionary sugar. A little dry, but a *very* sweet treat. I like these, although I like the coconut drops better, due to the ginger in them... Would I try again? Yes - it kind of reminds me of Easter Where I found it: Rock A Tone Seafood |
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Kurma -
Trinidad/Jamaican Crunchy little finger length snacks, with flour and sugar. I don't know much about these snacks - they look fried, and they're rather brittle and bland. Not my thing - I'm terribly cheap, and always finish what I buy. I tossed these after trying two. They weren't bad - but they weren't much of anything. 10/06 - Update - tried a few at Savi's Quik Serv, and found them sweeter , better. At least I finished the bag this time... Would I buy it again? No - it was
bland and uninteresting. |
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Persad -
Trinidad (and maybe Indian?) I couldn't find information on the web for this one, best described as a pinkish paste...flavored with sugar, spotted with a few raisins and other (unidentified) fruits. It was given to me as a taster at Hot and Spicy, a day after the Dewali holiday. (That's a great group of people over there...you have to go!) And I enjoyed the taste. Nice and sweet...and a wonderful way to end a meal. Would I try again? In theory yes - tasty stuff.. Where I found it: Savi's Quik Serv (aka Hot and Spicy) |
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Pera - Guyanese Small white confectionary balls with a fudge like consistency - and a slightly rich texture. Not overly sweet, little information exists on the web regarding these snacks. But if you're into such things, they're readily available at the Little Guyana Bake Shop - right off the Lefferts Stop of the A train on Liberty Avenue. Would I try again? Nah - the taste of these weren't particularly impressive... Where I found it: Little Guyana Bake Shop |
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Peanut Drop
(Peanut brittle) - Trinidad It wasn't too hard, kinda chewy, and tasted like peanut brittle with a slight peppery aftertaste. I hear that peanuts are also considered an aphrodesiac in Jamaica! Would I try again? Occasionally. Where I found it: Golden Krust, the McDonald's of Jamaican restaurants. |
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Pone - Trinidad Grated cassava cake, mixed with cinnamon, nutmeg, coconut and angostura bitters. The result is a gelatinous slab with a somewhat dry texture - and really, not much else. There's even a slight burning sensation once the mixture goes down (maybe due to the bitters?) It looked good - but this was a real disappointment for me. (My comment after the first bite? "Ew.") That's from someone who's actually eaten bees....and finished them. Would I try again? Um...no. Where I found it: Savi's Quik Serv (aka Hot and Spicy) |
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Rock Cake -
Jamaican Pretty mundane stuff, here. Sigar, eggs, butter, coconut and vanilla. Baked together into a slightly coconutty tasting muffin. Big whoop. Would I try again? No - way too bland (and too high calorie with no 'taste' payoff.) Where I found it: Golden Krust |
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Rum Cake -
Jamaican Okay - this one is a no brainer. A cake with nuts, dates, soaked with quite a bit of rum, especially on the bottom. Dark, rich, pungent rum in every bite. Oooooohhh yeah. Yummy! Would I try again? Oh yes! 3.2 stars. Where I found it: Daphnes |
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Salara- Guyanese A hard bread/roll, filled with swirls of grated coconut (dyed vivid red.) The bread has a slightly flaky texture - the filling is mildly sweet, with a hint of coconut. Walk into any Guyanese bakery, and they're hard to miss! Would I try again? No - the taste was acceptable - but nothing special. Where I found it: A grocery store on Liberty Boulevard |
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Sweet Potato
Pudding - Jamaican Firm enough to be called more cake than pudding, it's got a gooey, moist texture. Ingredients include sweet potato, sugar, coconut milk, nutmeg, and flour. Kind of like pumpkin pie, but firm enough to hold a slice in your hand. Sweet and tasty. Would I try again? Yes. Where I found it: Golden Krust |
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Sugar Cake -
Guyanese This may be the same as rock cake - I'm not entirely sure. The size of huge softballs, these confectionaries are made of grated coconut slivers, melded together into a sugary mass, with a tender chewy inside. Brightly colored in vivid red, brown or white, these things are tasty (and sweet - though they fall slightly short of inducing insulin shock...) Not bad. Not for every day - but good for your basic sugar rush! Would I try again? Yes - but there are too many other things to try first.... Where I found it: Little Guyana Bake Shop |
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Tamarind Balls-
Jamaican The ubiquitous sweet n sour tamarind, formed into balls and (I think) coated with extra sugar. Not bad - my usual complaint of chewing around the seeds inside remains the same, but I think I can get over it. Would I try again? Yes, it was nice munchies. Where I found it: Purity Foods |
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