The Blog Idea
My dad when describing my self-imposed dietary restrictions:
“she’s a vegan”
“no i’m not.”
“Okay fine, she’s confused.”
Couple that with annoying everyone with my food pics, comes this blog.
Flavor Influences
Family (con)fusion
The Daddy Side
My father is Caribbean.
Enter– garlic and onion in everything; Currants, mangos, and melons after everything; shrimp, fish, shark, and crab.
Due to it’s position near Venezuela and the triangular slave trade, Trinidad, in particular has a more robust flavor profile. Food is very heavy in curries, spicy peppers (scotch bonnets) and hot sauces (“heat” or “fire”- as daddy says), herbs like, parsley, thyme, and chadon beni.
Big ups, daddy.*
*The man and the Island are very serious about their meat (goat, turtle, chickens…), but…. enter Mamadukes.
Mamadukes
My mother is a very pale pescetarian woman, adopted from California into a Jewish family in New Jersey, who converted to Christianity and moved to Manhattan before I was born.
What did i even just say?
From the Jewish side comes smoked salmon, bagels, capers, olives, hummus, and jams.
Influences of more western fusions with avocados, salads, an array of nuts, basil, dill, fennel, and vegetables galore.
Enter- no meat. Because there was always a meat dinner option and always a meat-free option for dinner, I leaned towards meat free at an early age.
Big ups to mamadukes.
Cultural (con)fusion
New York City
I spent the first 30 years of my life in Manhattan. You are correct in your assumptions. It was oysters and champagne straight out of the womb.
(However, despite being a pescetarian, my mom does not eat oysters. confused? Welcome to me.)
Enter– slowly cooked foods, julienned vegetables, truffles, and every thing subculture.
I have dabbled in raw food, vegan, vegetarian, and pescetarian life-styles.
Enter– nut butters, dehydrated vegan cheeses, juiced vegetables, dandelion root, and apple cider vinegar everything.
Confused how it all works together? Come and try it out.