From the category archives:

Caribbean Life

Karen Getting Married

August 29, 2010
Thumbnail image for Karen Getting Married

Good day and Sita Ram!  That’s a Hindu greeting I learned this weekend in Trinidad.  In fact, I learned a lot of things this weekend, most of them having to do with the incredible hospitality of the people of Trinidad.  I’ve always thought Southerners had a lock on first place in that area.  But after the past weekend, [...]

Read the full article →

At the Market

May 12, 2010
A Nevis fisherman and his catch

Grocery shopping on a small island can be hit or miss at times.  I learned long ago that menus and shopping lists are only rough drafts.  Keep your plans flexible until you hit the shops and see what’s on offer.  Otherwise, disappointment looms.  Instead of planning for tagliatelle with a pork and mushroom ragu, try for pasta with [...]

Read the full article →

My Brother, His Bride and a Beach

May 6, 2010
Bragg and Erin

The bride wore flip flops.  So did the groom and the Registrar.   There were in fact no proper shoes at all on display when my youngest brother, Bragg, and his fiance, Erin, became husband and wife Saturday on the beach at Mango Bay, Virgin Gorda.  I do love a beach wedding.

Read the full article →

Behind the Camera

April 7, 2010
Audrey

Looks like Bones is not going to be the only photographer in the family.  Audrey managed to talk him out of a Nikon D100 and she spent much of the long Easter weekend photographing friends, family and food (that’s my girl!).  Like father, like daughter.

Read the full article →

Bones and the Rainy Day

March 9, 2010
Bougainvillea

When you see a photograph here at Sugar Apple that makes you say “wow“, chances are it was taken by my husband, Bones.  I’m learning (slowly) to use a camera, primarily to capture the food I’m cooking.  Bones, on the other hand, is a professional.

Read the full article →

Sexy Food

February 9, 2010
Oysters on the half shell

Valentine’s Day leaves me cold.  I think it’s a Hallmark holiday and the only people that really get lucky are the greeting card companies and the florists.  I did make the effort and “do” Valentine’s Day once, many years ago.  I went down to Colombian Emeralds, picked out a lovely garnet necklace and badgered Bones into buying it for me.  I [...]

Read the full article →

Please Help

January 19, 2010
Red Hibiscus

“Act as if what you do makes a difference.  It does.”  William James.
I was going to write about bread today but I’ve been having trouble concentrating on the subject.  Bread is, as they say, the staff of life.  I can’t find the exact origins of the phrase but it sounds biblical to me.  As I watch a disaster of [...]

Read the full article →

Tips on Cooking for a Crowd

December 28, 2009
Antipasti

Another Christmas has come and gone and I must admit I made it through the holiday season with a modicum of Christmas spirit.  Not exactly Scrooge, but certainly not my usual self, overflowing with cheer, going overboard on the present buying, drinking gallons of egg nog and annoying Bones with an endless stream of carols on the [...]

Read the full article →

Merry Christmas from Sugar Apple

December 24, 2009
Merry Christmas to All!

I should have known it was a bad sign when our local telephone company, Cable & Wireless, changed its name to Lime.  It’s like AT&T renaming themselves Chill or Laze.  For those of you not up on your Caribbean lingo, to lime is to basically hang out and do nothing.  As in – “what are you doing tonight?”.  [...]

Read the full article →

The Year Without Leftovers

November 28, 2009
My Turkey Sandwich

So another Thanksgiving has been put to bed.  The kitchen is clean (I’m thankful for guests who help with the washing up), table linens are washed and folded, the turkey carcass is bubbling away for stock, and my refrigerator is full of leftovers.  I over cater on purpose because really, aren’t leftovers the best thing about Thanksgiving?  Turkey sandwiches for [...]

Read the full article →

A Caribbean Thanksgiving

November 25, 2009
Cranberries

The yeast dough for my rolls is rising in the refrigerator, the ham is baked and glazed, and the cranberry sauce can be checked off my to-do list.  I’ve got my can opener at the ready for the green bean casserole and my iPod playlist is finished (an eclectic mix, as they say – Louis Armstrong, Sinatra, [...]

Read the full article →

Real Hardwood Charcoal

October 28, 2009
BVI Farmers Week

I’d never given much thought to charcoal until recently.  Charcoal to me was the briquettes in the bag marked “Kingsford” that Dad poured in the grill, squirted with lighter fluid and used to cook lovely summertime burgers, chicken and steaks.

Read the full article →

The Spa at Peter Island

October 22, 2009
The Spa at Peter Island

Thanks so much, but I don’t do spas.  Maybe you can use it.  So said my friend Tracey when I gave her a spa gift certificate for her birthday last year.  Apparently, Tracey had a bad facial once and it put her off spas forever.  I think it was the extractions.  Well, a few months [...]

Read the full article →

La Buscadora

October 16, 2009
La Buscadora

I’m very lucky to live in the Caribbean.  I know that.  But sometimes I forget.  It’s October, stinking hot, humid, half the good restaurants are closed, there’s no produce in the markets and I haven’t to the beach in months.  I’m finding sixth grade to be really hard (and I think Audrey is too).  Summer vacation seems a [...]

Read the full article →

Wipeout

September 28, 2009
Audrey water skiing

I had a little conversation with myself right before this photograph was taken.  It went something like this…

Read the full article →

← Previous Entries