Lucinda Frye
Diverse and indigenous cuisine brought by the many ethnic people to St. Maarten from all over the world piques our interest. To this end, we are on a quest to find where it comes from, if it is used for celebrations, if it is exotic to some but normal food to others. Anything to do with keeping the body and soul nourished with what is produced from good old terra firma is what makes the world go around.
This has to be the strangest feeling I have had recently – writing about the “now” and not about the past; being positive during a crisis and how one can and should make an effort not to panic in a pandemic! (Also ensure that we do not pass the virus along, even to those living in the same house with us!) Past or present, we humans need to give sustenance to those we love, to help them get through this time.
Most times I have written about were about history and food put on the table at that time. This is history in the making and more than ever it is about feeding one’s body and soul to get through this critical time during lockdown!
What does lockdown mean?
From the dictionary: Noun: the confining of prisoners to their cells, typically after an escape or to regain control during a riot. A state of isolation or restricted access instituted as a security measure: “The University is on lockdown and nobody has been able to leave.”
Here is another meaning of lockdown: People everywhere – in the entire country, state, municipality, parish, block of condos, high-risers, flats, houses – must stay home and not gather together in groups anywhere, throughout the world. Yes, I know that this is not happening all at once everywhere, but it needs to happen at the same time in any place where there are many folks residing because this virus is contagious and can and is being passed on to all ages, religions and creeds. No one is exempt from catching this; although some may not be affected as badly as others, there is no way of honestly knowing how it will affect you/me/the baby/the older generation.
I have been laughing at many comments on social media about how bored some folk are. How they do not know what to do with themselves; that they will die of boredom!! Oh puleeezze! If nothing else, start cleaning out cupboards or start doing whatever needs a bit of a sort out. Housekeeping aside, there are so many courses one can find to do online; there are movies to watch and books to read. There is facetime and the opportunity to make some really weird “boredom” videos of oneself.
My nephew started a daily “show” on the first day of their lockdown in South Africa. It is all about the GW (Goddess Woman,) BS (Boy Squatter) and GS (Girl Squatter) who are in their latter teen years and what they get up to. Suffice to say, GW seems to be out stocking up on wine (lass after my own heart!), BS is giving the deathly screams that go with TV games while sequestered in his room, and GS simply abhors the KH (King of the House) swanning around, wearing a cape (her dressing gown) around his shoulders and singing “I’m the King of the Castle and you are dirty rascals!” But then he cooks – and he cooks fantastic meals – so all is forgiven. Well, during meal times that is!
Yes, of course there is always cooking and this is as good a time as any to learn to cook if one is not that way inclined. Mr. Passionate Foodie is not into cooking much; he makes a great bowl of oats in the microwave every morning; he makes a mean scrambled egg and he can cook a good side of salmon by putting it in a hot pan with just a zzzz’t, zzzz’t on each side. He is good using the BBQ if the food has been prepped. That is it!!! He is contemplating learning how to make a loaf of no-knead bread; I may even get him to peel some potatoes for his favourite comfort food, cottage pie!
It is heartening to see on social media how many people who simply have no time in their ordinary lifestyle – what with work, young children and the myriad things they do – now taking up cooking. Trying new dishes, allowing the kids to have time to cook with the parents and generally taking an interest in what is put on the table can be fun.
We are grateful that we live where we do. No cement city here on this lovely island. Fresh air (and thankfully a little rain) as well as open spaces where we can all socially distance ourselves while we walk the dog and go out on occasion for our own personal health. We are grateful for the leadership our little island has at the moment, even though a lot more can and needs to be done regarding the economy.
When we read/hear about some other leaders and their attitudes, we are gob-smacked and can only feel desperately fearful for the folk who live in those countries. (It is a scary fact that every time we open the news, we see the statistics climbing all over the world.) One of the biggest (thankful for small mercies) feelings we islanders have in this crisis is that we have water and power and can communicate right from where we are living! (Was it only a few short years ago that we suffered through Irma?)
What should we do in this period of lockdown? Gardening is one of the most satisfying things to do, even if we only have a small balcony. While we are still able to go out, buy some bags of dirt and small shallow planters. We are all able to grow simple healthy herbs and salads even on these balconies. Don’t over-water and don’t allow too much wind or sun.
There are groups of people all around the island who are going back to their roots and starting up their gardens again. It is such a satisfying thing to do. Grow something to eat not matter how simple it is – like green (spring) onions. Just cut off the root ends from a bunch you bought, push them into the dirt, water and watch – in a couple of days, new green stems will start growing.
In a few short days, you can start snipping these long green fronds. Wash and snip into a scrambled egg, over a salad, on top of a stew. I like these green onion snippets in homemade no-knead cheese bread. Back to basics was never so good.
The COVID-19 pandemic is well and truly a global crisis and social distancing and self-isolation are critical measures to help curb the spread. Here are a couple recipes to try while you are staying home!
RECIPES
Fish Cakes – use canned tuna, salmon, crab or even shrimp, as long as they are in brine or water.
Ingredients
2 medium potatoes, peel, diced (use sweet potatoes as variation)
1 TBL butter
1 small onion, finely sliced
2 x 170 g tins fish in salted water, drain well
3 TBL mayonnaise
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 lemon, zested
1 TBL chives, chopped
2 TBL dill, chopped
Salt, pepper to taste
250ml seasoned flour for dusting
Oil for shallow frying
Dressing ingredients
½ cup mayonnaise
Lemon zest and chopped chives
Spring onions, thinly sliced
Lemon wedges
Method
Boil potatoes in salted water until tender.
Drain, mash until smooth – set aside.
Heat butter in frying pan, sauté onion until softened and translucent.
Mix fish, mashed potato, fried onion, mayonnaise egg, lemon zest and herbs together.
Season to taste.
Allow mixture to chill 30 minutes.
Flour hands, divide chilled mixture into 10 balls; flatten into patties.
Dust well with seasoned flour.
Heat oil for shallow frying in a frying pan.
Fry fishcakes 3-4 mins each side until golden and cooked through.
Drain on paper towel and serve with lemon wedges, etc.
Beer, Bacon & Cheese Bread – a quick no-knead beer bread that is preferably cooked over a wood fire but can be adapted to the oven. Cook in a cast iron pot, an enamelled flat bottom pot or in a loaf tin. (You can use self-raising flour instead of cake flour and baking powder.) You can also make muffins out of this mix, adjust cooking time accordingly.
Ingredients
4½ cups flour
1 TBL sugar
1½ TBL baking powder
1½ tsp salt
1½ cup grated cheese
250g streaky bacon – cooked, chop into small pieces
550ml beer of your choice
4 TBL melted butter
Method
Pre-heat oven to 375 °F.
Mix flour, sugar, baking powder and salt together in a mixing bowl.
Stir in bacon and cheese.
Pour in beer, stir well until just mixed (these are like muffins, don’t over mix).
Spray / oil inside of a flat-bottomed potjie pot or loaf tin.
Line with baking paper
Pour 1/2 melted butter into the pot/tin.
Spoon in dough.
Drizzle remaining butter over the top.
Put a greased lid on to the potjie pot (if using loaf tin in the oven this step is not necessary).
Bake in a pre-heated oven for 30-40 minutes.
If the bread sounds hollow when tapped, it should be ready. If you feel it needs a bit longer, then remove it from the pot and place it back into the oven for 15 more minutes.
Allow to cool on a cooling rack
