I remember when I was younger and used to spend holidays with my grandmother. The best part of holiday was her cooking; especially the Sunday dinner. After each meal being the craven child that I was, I would always ask for seconds.
There were so many meals that I don’t even remember them now. And not only the meals but the beverages were also fantastic. But the problem is; I can’t cook those meals. Let me defend myself though and say I can cook to keep myself alive.
But being serious now, a lot of the young people of this generation cannot prepare our traditional meals. Quite frankly some of us simply just can’t cook. This is really unfortunate because we are losing a very important aspect of our history or tradition.
I mean our parents and grandparents won’t be around forever. Thus when they are gone what will we do. Even more important what will we leave for our children? We should not be comfortable only consuming meals that were prepared for us; we should learn how to prepare them ourselves.
I am aware that we are living in a society where fast-food restaurants are very popular. Therefore home cooked meals are becoming more and more irrelevant. But that is not our tradition; it was imported to us from North America.
And let us be honest with ourselves, which do we enjoy more; rice and peas and curry goat with just the right amount of scotch bonnet pepper and a cool glass of lemonade.
I am talking about this meal being prepared on wood fire; not gas stove because yes it does taste good depending on where it is cooked. Or you prefer KFC; not saying anything bad against KFC because I do enjoy KFC every now and then but it cannot compete against our traditional meals.
I am imploring all the young people; not only women but the men also. And let me tell you a secret men; when you can cook you have definitely elevated your attractiveness in the eyes of women. The next time that your mother or grandmother is cooking, please assist her in preparing the meal.
I know that it is embarrassing for some to admit that they can’t cook. But look at it this way; by learning you are rescuing a very important part of our culture and also more importantly you would be saving yourself a fortune that would have been wasted at a fast food restaurant!
My mother is from St Vincent and died a few years ago. Her specialities were fish cakes (unlike the British potatoes with fish cakes, 99% fish), Black Cake, Hot Pepper Sauce (eye watering agony!), Callaloo Soup, fish stew, bakes, macaroni pie, Souse, dumplings of all sorts, breadfruit roasted in the ground. That was just the traditional home food. She also perfected and improved English food by adding Caribbean sass and cooking through (no pink lamb roast for us! Although, I was well into adulthood before I realised prawns were not supposed to be as hard as rubber bullets) . She taught me, but the main ingredient is always missing… Mum. There is hope. There are many wonderful books, Instagram and YouTube heroes. Actually, maybe we should do one too. I hope the islands realise how unique, developing and bulging with talent and potential. I know this is true. My mum came from there.