Trini doublez are a sandwich of garbanzos and condiments between two pieces of light, spongy, savory fried dough. The condiments are so spicy that when I bought one at Cocobreeze Caribbean Restaurant and Bakery in Oakland and opened it in the car, my mom asked me to wrap it up again because it hurt her nose. When I had a chance to eat it, it burned my mouth, but it was worth it for how delicious it was. Here is a recipe: https://cookingwithria.com/2018/12/how-to-make-trinidad-doubles-detailed-recipe-instructions.html
That was my first experience with food from Trinidad and Tobago and I wanted more. I reached out to Albert and Hina to eat with me at a Bridgetown Roti near their house in Los Angeles. (See my Spain blog for more about Albert. See my Pakistan blog for more about Hina.) We arrived to find that Bridgetown Roti has take-out only (Google is wrong to say they have dine-in). We ordered and waited outside a plain brick building and took the food back to Albert and Hina’s house. We went all vegetarian with pigeon peas and rice; macaroni and cheese pie; sweet and spicy plantains; curried yam, mango, and coconut patty; and a channa and sweet potato roti. Everything was delicious and nothing was as spicy as what I had in Oakland. I had a fun evening getting to know Albert and Hina’s daughter and catching up with them. There are many more recipes here: https://cookingwithria.com/
My third Trini meal was at Trinistyle Cuisine near LAX. Cathy came from Santa Clarita to meet Gladys, Sam, Joanie, and me on a recent Friday night. There was quite a line when we got there with music and people dancing in the parking lot. We ordered at the outdoor counter and seated ourselves at the outdoor tables, but quickly moved inside because none of us had dressed warmly enough. We started by trying the Mauby drink made of tree bark. Cathy liked it but it was too bitter for the rest of us. Sam went with the more sweet sorrel. I ordered the pholourie, a split pea fritter served with two kinds of chutney, for the table. I had my own vegetable roti with potatoes, pumpkin, garbanzos, and mango. Cathy had a roti with chicken. Sam got the bake shark in the fluffy, chewy fried bread like the doublez. Gladys and Joanie split a veggie roti and a doublez. They told me it wasn’t as hot as the one in Oakland, but they did find the kick. We passed around a bowl that included goat curry, rice, plantains, and cabbage for everyone to try. It was all so good. The best part was that the woman who took our order was welcoming, kind, and patient while answering our questions and other’s questions as well on such a busy night. Don’t expect fast service, but expect delicious food and a great experience. To see the food for yourself, from the ingredients to the finished product, check this fun video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WXOuM4wTTxU
It has been years since I read A House for Mr. Biswas by V. S. Naipaul. I didn’t reread it, but I found Naipaul’s Nobel Prize lecture and appreciated some new insights into the history of Trinidad: https://www.nobelprize.org/prizes/literature/2001/naipaul/lecture/
I read another Trini book, Archipelago by Monique Roffey, that I picked up from the Los Angeles County Library. It’s a good story of a dad and his daughter sailing from Trinidad through the Panama Canal and to the Galapagos. I learned some things about the region and that once you sail that way, you can’t sail back.
Fun events and music from Trinidad and Tobago that can be experienced online include:
· Goat racing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FqXsIesN0Qg
· Steel Pan Drums: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uYqAX9vCUrk
· Billy Ocean: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fTsuSDWlA5U
· Nicki Minaj: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4JipHEz53sU
· Soca music: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eHW-MspQSEA
There are beautiful places to visit in Trinidad and Tobago. Here are just a few: https://www.thecrazytourist.com/15-best-things-trinidad-tobago/#more-16607. I would love to go! I look forward to a time when broad travel gives us new perspectives. In the meantime, I’m hoping we all survive, thrive, recognize our mutual humanity, learn to deal with our conflicts, and allow peace, health, and safety to flourish in Trinidad and Tobago and throughout the world.
Photo Credit: Kenrick Baksh https://unsplash.com/photos/tM9R9CQ_rp8
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