Trinidad food & much more

[Page Stephens]

Out of curiosity having lived in Trinidad in the late 1960s what does a roti
cost these days?

Back in those days it cost 35 cents T&T or about 17 .5 cents US.

The description you gave of it: _Roti:_  A hefty flour wrap (often filled
with ground split peas) filled ith your choice of curried vegetables and/or
meat.  Sada roti is a slightly
stiffer, greaseless variation, commonly served with choka, vegetables auteed
Indian-style does not resemble the rotis I knew back in those days hich was
a thin unleavened wrapper which the owners of  roti shops would sell as a
fast food who were invaribly persons of East Indian descent , i.e it was the
Trinidad version of the hamburger.

In terms of the meat included in a roti they used to have a joke in Trinidad
which went as follows: "You never see a dog or cat anywhere near a roti
shop."

The wrapping was never leavened, i.e. not thick but very thin.

Either times have totally changed in Trinidad or you are not living anywhere
near where I used to live in Gasparillo with those who were natives to the
island.

Have you eaten Black Puddin yet or been anyplace where they have rum and
souse parties which in the old days used to take place quite often in sleazy
bars and whorehouses?

If you haven't then you have missed something and please me when I tell you
that until you live with the natives and not at the Hilton or or some other
tourist hotel you will never learn anything about local dialects and
cuisine.

Be you vexed when the mango trees are not laden with fruit?

Just please believe me when I tell you that the recipes which you have put
up have no more relationship to reality than a snake has hips.

Page Stephens