You may not know that while I am now a professionally trained Chef (love always for the Algonquin College School of Hospitality and Tourism), my first degree is in Chemical Engineering (❤️uOttawa Génie Engineering) and I spent most of my career as an Engineer and Manager at Environment Canada.
So it gives me great pride and joy to introduce for the first time Baccanalle Sorrel Chai Tea. Not only can you have a “cuppa” anytime, we now have a zero-waste process based on our ingredients and essentially a full line of Sorrel products (and more to come) - all #vegan and #glutenfree
1- Sorrel (traditional Caribbean Hibiscus drink)
2-Cranberry Sorrel Compote (made with locally sourced cranberries)
3-Sorrel Chai Tea
We look forward to sharing them with you -a great gift or enjoyable for the Holiday season!
Find us at Etsy Made in Canada Ottawa, Beechwood Market Thanksgiving Saturday and Ottawa Farmers' Market the last two weekends leading up to Christmas.
Cheerfully Made Goods + Markets #613etsy #etsy #artisans #ottawa#caribbeanlifestyle #trinistyle #613food #613food #ottawafood #foodies

​More than 100 cows, sheep and goats ar­rived in the South­west­ern penin­su­la late yes­ter­day, in what res­i­dents be­lieve to be an il­le­gal car­go.
The an­i­mals were seen sit­ting on the South­ern Main Road near Ica­cos up to dusk.
Most of the cows ap­peared to be high bred Ze­bu and Hol­stein and most like­ly came from the South Amer­i­can main­land. Res­i­dents who re­quest­ed anonymi­ty said the an­i­mals were pos­ing a health haz­ard in
Ica­cos. The herd first be­gan show­ing up ear­li­er this year.
"One morn­ing we woke up and saw these big breed an­i­mals sit­ting on the road in front our hous­es," the source said.
The an­i­mals are be­ing brought in on pirogues up a de­sert­ed riv­er in Gran Chemin.
"We are con­cerned be­cause this pos­es health risks. We have had in­stances of Hand, Foot and Mouth dis­ease. These an­i­mals are not quar­an­tined," the source added.

The an­i­mals are al­so pos­ing a traf­fic haz­ard to mo­torists and school chil­dren.
Usu­al­ly by morn­ing butch­er trucks would show up in the penin­su­la and the an­i­mals would dis­ap­pear with­in hours, the source added.
Since the clo­sure of the Ce­dros Breed­ing Unit there is no place to im­pound the an­i­mals so the po­lice are turn­ing a blind eye be­cause there is no place to put the cows.

​And then....
Donkeys have virtually disappeared across Trinidad over the past decade but thanks to smugglers, the animals have now reappeared in the southwestern peninsula.
On Monday around dusk, a grey donkey and a horse, believed to have been smuggled in from the South American mainland arrived in Icacos, much to the delight of residents.
The animals were seen walking side by side along the Southern Main Road. 
Unlike previous animal cargo which is brought up through a deserted river in the peninsula, residents expressed pleasure at seeing the donkey.
The last donkey of San Souci died several years ago and it has been years since a donkey has been seen in Trinidad.A resident from Icacos said the smuggled animals are usually cows, sheep, and goats.
The cows are usually high bred Zebus and Holstein.
"It was in March that we first noticed a surplus of stray animals in Icacos. The animals are brought in illegally and they sit in front of people's homes, on the roads.
Sometimes we have to wait until they get up so we can get into our garages. We had an accident a few months ago where a car ran off the road trying to avoid a stray animal," the resident said.
Unwilling to give their identities because of the repercussions from the smugglers, the residents called on the Ministry of Agriculture to reopen the pound at the Cedros Breeding Unit so the stray animals can be impounded.
"Most times when the animals show up on evenings, the butcher trucks come in by morning and the animals disappear. We are hoping that the donkey stays," a resident added.
Since the closure of the Cedros Breeding Unit, there is no place to impound the animals so the police are turning a blind eye because there is no place to put the cows, a resident said.
Councillor for Cedros Shankar Teelucksingh said the matter has been brought to the attention of the police during a recent police Town Meeting.
"Residents raised the concerns of illegal animals coming in. At present they are seeing cattle, sheep, horse and now a donkey.
They are concerned about he4health and safety issues which are not being addressed by the Ministry of Agriculture and Ministry of National Security.
Contacted for comment Minister of Agriculture Clarence Rambharat said the issue has been brought to the attention of the Chief Veterinary Officer Animal Production and Health Division.
Rambharat denied that the Breeding Unit was closed. 
Source:  CNC3, September 2018

Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II has today recognised Fitzherbert Glen Niles, representing Trinidad and Tobago, as the 69th Commonwealth Point of Light in honour of his exceptional voluntary service to people with Down Syndrome and their families through the ‘Down Syndrome Family Network’.
Fitzherbert Glen Niles, is drawing on his own experience as a father of a child with Down Syndrome to transform the support available for other families.
When Fitzherbert’s son was born with Down Syndrome he felt isolated and taken aback by most people’s lack of knowledge about the condition.
He created the ‘Down Syndrome Family Network’ to advocate for the value, acceptance and inclusion of people with Down Syndrome, and equip families with the access to resources, support and information they needed to help their children to live full and active lives.
In six years he has grown the project into a flourishing network, with free quarterly workshops and skills training sessions, including occupational and speech therapy.
Every year Fitzherbert hosts an annual conference to coincide with the UN’s World Down’s Syndrome Day, inviting international speakers and government representatives to discuss inclusion and human rights, and providing a forum for parents to meet, share experiences and support each other.
As part of the legacy of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in London 2018, Her Majesty The Queen - as Head of the Commonwealth - is thanking inspirational volunteers across the 53 Commonwealth nations for the difference they are making in their communities and beyond, by recognising one volunteer from each Commonwealth country each week in the two years following the summit. 
By sharing these stories of service, the Commonwealth Points of Light awards celebrate inspirational acts of volunteering across the Commonwealth and help inspire others to make their own contribution to tackling some of the greatest social challenges of our time.
Each Commonwealth Point of Light will receive a personalised certificate signed by Her Majesty The Queen as Head of the Commonwealth. The award for Fitzherbert Glen Niles will be presented on Saturday 15th September from 2:30pm at the Down Syndrome Family Network Family Workshop by British High Commissioner, Tim Stew MBE.
The presentation will take place at the University of Trinidad and Tobago, Valsayn Campus.
Fitzherbert Glen Niles said:
“I am honoured to receive this award in recognition of my work as Chairman and Founder of the Down Syndrome Family Network. We advocate for the human rights of persons with Down Syndrome and other disabilities, not expecting any awards, but to bring about change in how society perceives persons with intellectual and other disabilities. I thank Her Majesty and the British High Commission in Trinidad and Tobago for recognising our efforts and I further commit to working towards an inclusive society. Opportunities truly reveal potential.”
Tim Stew MBE, UK High Commissioner in Trinidad and Tobago said:
“I am delighted to present Glen Niles with this honour on behalf of Her Majesty The Queen. Since he launched the Down Syndrome Families Network six years ago, Glen has created a world of new possibilities for people with Down Syndrome in Trinidad and Tobago. His investment in promoting their rights in Trinidad & Tobago has supported a welcome message of equality which I hope this Points of Light Award will help him spread further. There are many people who will be very proud of Glen and pleased to see him recognised through this award. I wish him all strength as he continues his good work.”
The Commonwealth is a diverse community of 53 nations that work together to promote prosperity, democracy and peace. The Heads of Government meeting brought together leaders from all the 53 Member countries to reaffirm common values, address shared global challenges and agree how to work to create a better future for all citizens, especially young people.
Voluntary service is a vital part of this agenda, which is why Her Majesty The Queen has chosen to recognise outstanding volunteers across the Commonwealth in this special way.

Trinidadian Fallon Seymour is serving up Trini and Caribbean flavours at Pearl’s Caribbean, a colourful, cozy restaurant located in Williamsburg, Brooklyn.
Here, you’re sure to get all of the foods you’re accustomed to back home in the Caribbean like bake and shark, crab and dumplin’, shrimp roti and jerk chicken.
The authentic Caribbean restaurant has been cast into the spotlight after being recently featured on a food segment, Food Adventure, which aired on American cable news television channel NY1.
Seymour named the restaurant after her grandmother, Pearl, whom she fondly referred to as “Pearlie”. Unsurprisingly, she credits her grandmother for her love of cooking.
The Trinidadian restaurant owner said she ensures that visitors to her restaurant are given the full Trini-Caribbean experience.
“I really wanted the customer to feel like they were transported… I tried to put Trini flags everywhere and Trini sayings, and always try to represent.”
Her customer favourite, crab and dumplin’ is made with only the best ingredients.
“It’s a lot of curry. Chief curry from Trinidad, pimento, garlic, coconut milk, chadon beni, of course. Trinis put chadon beni on everything.”
“When you come and eat crab and dumpling, you feel like a true Trini,” she chuckled.  
Host Lawrence Weibman was treated to a spicy delight of crisp golden bake and pepper shrimp – a special recipe passed down by Seymour’s father. A red-faced Weibman gave the spicy dish a thumbs up.
“Trinidadian cuisine, right here at Pearl’s Caribbean in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. Fallon will take good care of you, but be careful! She may look nice but her food has some serious spice.”  If you are on facebook - check out the full segment by clicking on this link
https://www.facebook.com/pearlsbakeandshark/videos/249184022409739/
Source:  The Loop, Sep 20, 2018

FOR the love music!
Growing up in Success Laventille, WPC Kensa Thomas-James saw the struggles of her parents to provide for the family and vowed to use all that she knew, music, to elevate herself.
Fast forward to August 31, when Thomas-James was one of the women chosen from the Police Service band to serenade President Paula-Mae Weekes as she entered the Police Administration Building for the Independence Day celebrations.


The 32-year-old said she joined the service just to be part of the police band.
Playing the trombone is no easy task, said Thomas-James, and her title of being the only professional woman trombonist in the English-speaking Caribbean came through dedication and sacrifice.
Apart from having to feel and hear the musical notes rather than play them, the one time she sought assistance in learning the instrument she was denied after a man said, “women want to do too much”.
“My parents sacrificed and bought me a second-hand trombone, a gold painted Bundy that used to fall apart.
“But I saw how they were sacrificing for me, they could not afford to pay for two children to get music lessons. I saw what music could have done for me so I took it seriously.


“When they brought it home I had no idea what to do or where to start, but very soon I realised that music and this trombone was my only way out. I started to pay attention to music videos and tutorials and got a hang of it. I later joined the TT Cadets and spent two years in the band. Then I joined a youth band called Vizion,” she said.
Growing up watching her family and relatives play instruments and hearing of how her grandfather played his standing bass while chipping through the city, before laptop armed DJs boarded music trucks, made Thomas-James love music more.
In 2007, she auditioned and was successful in becoming a member of Divine Echoes.
From there she studied and earned her Bachelor’s degree in music from the University of the West Indies, St Augustine campus, where she graduated with honours in 2010.


She went on to arrange music for the band, as well as becoming the brass section leader and part time conductor.
“When I went for the audition I knew if I played well enough, I would get them bazodee and they would have to hire me. So said so done. I couldn’t read or write music then and I played Rene’s Song by Arturo Sandoval. There was a guy there, Mr Villafana, who told the others that if I could play that on trombone then I could learn to play anything and told them to give me a chance.”
After getting such a chance she bettered herself by copying the music sheets, taking them home with her to practice.
She watched and listened to videos and took tutorials wherever they came, because she knew from childhood that music was the key to improving life for herself and her family. The mother of one said she has motivated and mentored others to pursue their passion for music.
Asked about her first real paid gig, Thomas-James said, “Oh my God I was so happy. That went to the purchase of my car. It wasn’t about the money you know but to see my dream come through, you know. I knew that this was my way to give back to my parents and say they don’t have to worry about me any more. Trombone is my life, it pays for my clothes, my home.”


Thomas-James has played throughout the Caribbean and Africa, playing for David Rudder, Kes The Band, Errol Ince, and Caribbean In Excess. She credits her success to her dedication to her craft. She is at practice from as early as 6.30 am daily, and arrives for her performances ahead of time. The same goes for rehearsals.
“The passion I have and the love I possess for music gets me hired and has me where I am. I didn’t even know I was the only professional trombone player in the Caribbean. I was surprised when I learnt this and I did my research and I realise it is true. To be honest, I feel normal with that title, I just love music and my trombone.”
Source: Newsday, Sept. 2018

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