Archive for Belize
August 4, 2007 at 1:21 pm · Filed under Belize
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Imagine my delight when my friend mailed me the newly released cookbook titled, “Aaaah…Belizean Rum Recipes.” In it, some of the Cayo district’s best cooks and mixologists contributed recipes like the Sorrel Slammer, Sweet Ting Pastries’ Mocha Rum Cake, Kick Start French Toast and Pescado Caliente a spicy, fruity sauteed fish recipe including Belize’s 1 Barrel rum, and the national hot sauce, Marie Sharp’s. After mentioning to my cookbook connection that 1 Barrel rum may not be available in Brooklyn, I received a leaden package with three boozes branded “Tasting is Belizing.” With its Jack-Sparrow-meets-70s-AM-Gold motif, the package had me pining for a pina colada Read the rest of this entry »
July 1, 2007 at 5:39 pm · Filed under Belize
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I have great admiration for self-published and small-run bookbooks. In my travels, my suitcase fills up with charming and delectable cookbooks that I heft home, intending (and usually failing) to recreate the flavors of my trip. Browsing through my favorite native cookbooks - xeroxed, spiral bound, stapled, riddled with typos, inside jokes and painful plays on words - they are some of the most honest tellings of a cuisine, its ingredients and preparations.  Their authors, whether educators, chefs, local business owners, politicians or just good cooks, plainly contribute and compile their most loved dishes to share. Surpassing luggage weight restrictions and overwhelming my tiny kitchen, these local cookbooks help spark my recall of culinary meanderings. Read the rest of this entry »
April 12, 2007 at 7:16 pm · Filed under Belize
Helmets in hand, we tromped single-file on a trail to Actun Tunichil Muknal, a spectacular series of caves in Western Belize containing calcified human remains and ceremonial vessels left by Mayan shamans most active between 700 and 900 A.D. Getting to the entrance of the caves required a beautiful morning jungle hike, and we were lead by Carlos Panti, a local guide who knows the area, its plants and animals like the back of his hand. In his drill-sergeant-meets-bushman manner, our rainforest superman informed us that there had been recent sightings of a petite but deadly poisonous viper on this very path and to watch where we were stepping. Barefoot, Carlos lead our small, intrepid group across land and through water, pointing out notable plant and animal life, and the occasional warning (watch the ants!), neatening the trail with his machete along the way. We followed like eager apostles behind him, excited but uncertain about where he was taking us. The entire day turned out to be one of the most exhilarating and wondrous times I can remember. But in addition to the hiking, swimming and spelunking through the sacred caves, Carlos shared with us some unforgettable tasting experiences.
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April 8, 2007 at 11:38 am · Filed under Belize
“It smells like pumpkin pie,” my friend commented as we paused, staring at a small green leaf in the subtropical rainforest.
We were holding a three-inch piece of foliage to our noses from the shrub-like allspice tree which grows abundantly in the limestone-hilled jungles of Western Belize. While Jamaica is the world’s largest exporter of allspice (a key ingredient in jerk seasoning), in the beautiful, New Jersey-sized country of Belize, I repeatedly came across this fragrant tree, whose dried fruits are used Read the rest of this entry »
