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It’s well-known that visitors from around the world visit our shores to get a taste of our local cuisine—from food critic Anthony Bourdain to travel vlogger Nicholas Nuvan, foreigners have become admirers of our native dishes.
But what of Trinis travelling and living overseas, taking our culinary traditions to introduce them to the people in those countries? This isn’t unusual in the United States and Canada, where a large contingent of the Caribbean diaspora resides, but in non-anglophone spaces, it’s fairly less common.
This is what Carla and Justin Audroing had in mind when they launched Trini Bites in their home of the past five years, Paris, France.
Carla Audroing spoke with Loop News about moving to France with her husband and two young daughters, her passion for Trinbagonian cuisine and her drive to share it with others.
Settling in and starting small
Born and bred Trinbagionians, the couple decided to take advantage of Justin’s French citizenship to broaden their options for where they could raise their two young daughters and expand their respective careers.
​“When we had our kids, we wanted to settle down somewhere,” she shared. “It was a decision I questioned a lot in the first few years [but] we’re now settling down properly into the life and culture.”
Audroing spoke of the rough start when the young family first moved to Paris back in 2019, getting adjusted, along with some less-than-pleasant interactions before eventually finding her tribe.
A maritime consultant by profession, Audroing enjoys cooking for her family and for others and began sharing her food with her colleagues at work.
“I used to cook for my coworkers,” she shared. “During the pandemic, when everyone was making doubles, we started to do it too. I took for my coworkers to try Trinidad food [and] everyone really, really liked it.” She mentioned that her Indian colleagues were particularly fond of the doubles, saying that it reminded them of food from back home.
The positive reviews from her colleagues, a relatively international bunch, encouraged the couple to start thinking about expanding their reach and developing their Trini cooking into a concrete business idea.
In December 2021, they rented their apartment building’s recreational area to host a tasting for the other residents, this time, adding sweet treats such as coconut fudge and black cake to the menu. The couple used the event as market research to gauge responses from the public and to get an understanding of what flavours they may have to adjust to adapt to the French palate without watering down the authenticity of the dishes. Soon after, they launched into doing Trini-style lunches for their neighbours.
While the responses were mostly positive, Audroing mentioned that many of the older residents weren’t too fond of the fact that they had to eat the doubles with their hands whereas the younger crowd were more open to the idea of non-Western concepts of street food meant to be eaten in this way. Taking this into account, they began offering cutlery.
Red beans and rice, stewed chicken, stewed pork and curry dishes were among some of the meals on the Audroings’ menu, which quickly became a hit with their customers.
Justin being a gourmet chef, this venture gave him the opportunity to put his culinary training to use, experimenting with local flavours and using the ingredients found in Europe to mirror that of the local products for maximum authenticity.
Venturing into the event space
Ever eager to make Caribbean connections in her new environment, Audroing came across an ad for Paris steelband group Calypsociation’s 30th anniversary event in July of last year and saw it as an opportunity to offer their services.
“We contacted them and told them we do Trini food and said ‘Could we come and do doubles?’” The response was an instant yes, as the organisers thought the pair would help to give the event more of an authentic feel. “It was very, very successful,” Audroing said. “People were lining up—long, long lines.”
The event offered an excellent networking opportunity, allowing the pair to begin making their way into Trinbagonian and other Caribbean spaces with requests to appear at other events.
“Word began to spread among the French pan community,” she said, and she soon became known as “the doubles woman” among the community of Trinbagonians living in Paris.
By May, the couple found themselves taking the business outside of Paris for the first time, to Nantes, for Panfest, an all-day steelpan festival organised by the city’s resident band, Calyps’Atlantic—coached by our very own Duvone Stewart—which saw some six bands from various French cities come together for a full day of steelpan music and good vibes.
The event itself was a first, the massive undertaking of uniting several bands in one venue. As with the Paris event the previous year, the Audroing’s doubles would be the perfect culinary touch.
Once again, Trini Bites was well received; the couple crossed paths with a handful of other Trinbagonians while in Nantes, including one homesick Trinbagonian who travelled from a nearby town to get her fix of local culture.
Keeping the culture alive overseas
Audroing spoke of the sense of pride she is able to draw from preparing these meals on a larger scale and sees expansion as a way forward, aiming to launch the first Trinibagonian food spot in France.
“I’m amazed that there isn’t one already; French people love to try new food and different restaurants,” she said. “I want people to experience Trini culture—I think we’re so underrepresented here.”
For Audroing, preparing her native cuisine in a foreign place is not only a side hustle, but a means of staying rooted to her culture, not only for herself, but for her daughters, who, apart from visits back home here and there, won’t have an attachment to Trinidad and Tobago as strong as the ones their parents do.
“I see the food business as more than a means to money,” she explained. [My daughters] eat the food [but] they don’t connect to Trinidad in the way that I do and Justin does. Food is one of the ways that they make that connection. For us, this is keeping our culture alive.”
Check out Trini Bites on Facebook for more information.  (Source: The Loopm October 20m 2024)

BREADFRUIT, aptly named as history dictates that it once served as a main source of nourishment for the enslaved, who were brought to the Caribbean to work on the sugar plantations.
It originates from the South Pacific and the trees were brought from Tahiti to Jamaica and St Vincent by Captains Bligh and Cook in 1793. It has since spread throughout the Caribbean and we are now blessed with this delicious and versatile fruit.
This irresistible provision, and I say this with conviction, with its unique flavour and texture produces the ubiquitous breadfruit oiled down when simmered in a coconut milk broth, fired up with hot peppers, and flavoured with local herbs; an oiled down (oil down, run down, mettagee) is certainly one of the most delicious local dishes around.
Whipped, baked, fried, sautéed, souffléd or scalloped, breadfruit is a cook’s dream ingredient because of its versatility.
Breadfruits are more readily available these days. There are two types available, the yellow breadfruit, which tends to be a favourite because the flesh has a creamier texture and flavour than the white breadfruit which tends to be a little drier. However, they are both really wonderful when used in any of the recipes below! Remember breadfruit is a good source of complex carbohydrates and is rich in vitamins A, B and C.
Breadfruit Chips
These can be serves as an appetiser with an avocado or tomato salsa or as a side dish in place of French fries.
1 medium-sized breadfruit
oil for frying
salt
Peel and cut the breadfruit into quarters, remove the seed and slice each quarter into 1/4-inch thick slices length-ways.
Heat oil in a deep frying pan, when hot drop breadfruit slices into hot oil and fry in batches turning occasionally until golden in colour on both sides, drain and sprinkle with salt.
Serves 6
Roasted Stuffed Breadfruit
1 large yellow breadfruit
1 lb ground beef
1 small onion minced
2 tbs Paramin herb paste
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 hot pepper, chopped
2 pimento peppers
2 tbs celery
salt
Remove top of breadfruit and set aside.
With a sharp knife, remove the heart, or centre only.
Season beef with herb paste, celery, garlic and salt.
Heat oil in sauté pan, add onion and peppers, sauté for a few minute. Add beef and cook until tender for about 20 minutes. .
Stuff the breadfruit with the beef, place the top back onto the breadfruit and wrap in foil.
Place on a preheated open grill or barbecue and roast for one hour until tender.
Slice into quarters and serve.
Breadfruit Creole
1 medium-sized breadfruit
2 tbs olive oil
3 cloves garlic chopped
1 cup onion chopped
1 hot pepper, seeded and chopped, or to taste
2 pimento peppers, seeded and chopped
2 medium tomatoes, chopped
1 tbs fresh thyme
1 tbs chopped celery
2 salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Cut the breadfruit into quarters, remove the seed and place in a saucepan, cover with water and cook for about 20 to 30 minutes until tender.
Drain and peel, cut into one-inch cubes.
Heat oil in a large heavy skillet, saute onions, garlic, and peppers until tender, add breadfruit and combine, add tomatoes, thyme and celery, cook stirring occasionally until all the ingredients are tender, about 10 minutes, season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Serves 6

Creamy Breadfruit Pie
1 3lb breadfruit
3/4 cup milk
1/4 cup butter
1/2 cup grated carrot
2 tbs chopped parsley
1/2 cup grated cheese
Peel, core and cut breadfruit into 1/8ths.
Boil in plenty of salted water,
Remove and drain when breadfruit is very tender.
Preheat oven to 375F.
Mash with potato masher.
Warm milk with butter and add to creamed breadfruit, more milk may be needed.
Add carrots and season to taste with salt.
Place in a greased glass dish and top with cheese, bake until golden on top.
Serves 8
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(Source: Newsday, Sept 14, 2024)

Traditional sponge with lime meringue frosting
Ingredients:
1 cup butter
2 cups granulated sugar
3 cups all-purpose flour
5 tsp baking powder
4 eggs
¾ cup milk
2 tsp vanilla essence
Measure all your ingredients and set them aside.
Preheat the oven to 350F.
Cut your butter into chunks and place into your mixing bowl, make sure that your butter is very cold, you can use frozen butter. Add your sugar and start the creaming process, cream your butter and sugar until light in texture and colour, take your time here, use your fingers to feel the mixture to determine whether your sugar has dissolved.
Now add your eggs one at a time, beating well between additions.
You must incorporate your eggs slowly, and your mixture should be light and fluffy before you add another egg. If your mixture is somewhat loose and rather eggy, or appear curdled, you must beat a little more.
Measure your flour and sift three times.
Combine the milk with vanilla.
Now add your flour in three additions, folding in the flour alternately with the milk, beginning and ending with the flour.
Prepare 2 nine-inch cake pans: grease the sides, line the base with waxed paper, grease your paper and flour the pans. Shake out any excess flour.
Spoon the batter evenly into cake pans, and bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until the cakes pull or shrink away from the sides of the pan.
Do not open your oven door during baking or your cakes will fall.
Remove cakes from oven, cool in pans for five minutes, then invert onto cooling racks, remove lining and place right side up.
Lime meringue frosting
1 cup granulated sugar
2 egg whites
⅓ cup water
⅛ tsp cream of tartar
1 tsp lime zest
With an electric mixer, beat egg whites until fluffy but not dry. add cream of tartar.
Combine sugar with water, stir gently to combine, place in a small saucepan and bring to a boil, boil sugar until bubbly and spins a thread when lifted from a fork.
Poor syrup into egg whites with mixer running, add lime zest, continue to beat until all the syrup has been incorporated, beat for a few minutes longer until mixture loses some of its gloss.
Frosts 2 nine-inch cakes. (Source: Wendy Rahamut via Newsday, Aug 31, 2024)

He gave the world what some might term the quintessential rum song: Drunk and Disorderly.
But now a brand of rum will actually bear his name.
The Mighty Sparrow: Aged Rum with Spices was introduced on his Facebook page on May 14. However, the Mighty Sparrow is not the one behind the rums, although they bear his name.
US singer/songwriter Lane Steinberg and US producer, director and screenwriter Lenard Dorfman are the rum’s founders.
Four images of bottles were posted and visitors to his page were asked to give their opinions on the bottles and labels. Sparrow reposted them on May 19 asking for more responses.
The product’s website was launched on June 8. The producers said were looking for partners to bring the product to market and all the details were available on the website. The rum falls under The Mighty Sparrow Company, headquartered at 10 Center Street, Irvington, New York.
In a brief phone interview on Wednesday, Sparrow confirmed he had granted permission for his name to be used for the brand.
“I thought it was something good and I am waiting on my contract,” he said.
Sparrow said he was approached three years ago with the idea.
The calypsonian was baptised at the Linden Seventh Day Adventist Church in New York in 2022.
Asked if the rum bearing his name was in conflict with his religious beliefs, Sparrow said, “As long as we have to go along those lines, we have to remember, moderation is the name. It is the key, and not because somebody is sponsoring something that they have to find themselves completely out of it.
“Whatever you are doing, you have to do things moderately.”
Sparrow said he was not deeply involved, and wished the founders success.
The website describes the rums as being “blended with rare TT rums that have been aged in ex-bourbon, American Oak casks. Of this blend, 51 per cent is aged for ten years, and one per cent is aged for 15 years. This age profile is unique and unprecedented for the category.”
It said most spiced rums use an “unaged, neutral base spirit” and added flavourings to mask “harsh-tasting inferior-quality spirit.” However, this rum’s producers were taking a different approach: it was blended at 80 proof, and was complex, deeply rich and with a “velvety, smooth finish.”
The “ultra-premium blend” was then infused with a big, bold taste, it said.
The history of the rum is told on the site: it said Steinberg discovered that Sparrow – his childhood idol – lived nearby. He picked up his guitar and knocked on Sparrow’s door in the hope they could sing together.
“Before long a friendship developed that evolved into a musical partnership. Together, along with Sparrow’s band they performed to enthralled fans throughout the world, until covid19 struck and put an end to the sold-out performances.”
Steinberg was a senior sales executive at an alcohol spirits distribution company and would often share industry tales with his childhood buddy Dorfman.
“Since their formative days spent in the south Florida sunshine, Dorfman went on to be an acclaimed internationally recognised commercial director and marketer,” the website said.
It added that late one night during the pandemic, Sparrow, Steinberg and Dorfman were talking about their mutual love for aged rum and how “there is not a delicious-tasting premium spiced rum on the market.”
Sparrow agreed and shared memories of “big, bold, delicious-tasting, high-quality, aged rums he tasted travelling through the most exclusive Caribbean hotspots.
“Following in the footsteps of the King of Calypso, we created the ultra-Premium, Mighty Sparrow Aged Rum with Spices,” it said.
Other celebrities involved in the spirits industry include Machel Montano, US singer Ciara and French rapper and producer Joey Starr.
Newsday contacted the founders for more details on the brand and company and Dorfman said they would be interested in an interview next week.
​ (Source:  Newsday, June 12, 2024)

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Ingredients:
- Ripe mangoes, peeled and diced
- Coconut milk (full-fat)
- Granulated sugar (adjust to taste)
- Lime juice (optional, for a hint of acidity)
- Shredded coconut (optional, for added texture)
Instructions:
1. Place the diced mangoes in a blender or food processor and puree until smooth.
2. In a mixing bowl, combine the mango puree with coconut milk and granulated sugar. Adjust the amount of sugar to your desired level of sweetness.
3. If using, add a squeeze of lime juice to enhance the mango flavor and add a hint of acidity.
4. For added texture, stir in shredded coconut into the mixture.
5. Pour the mixture into an ice cream maker and churn according to the manufacturer's instructions until it reaches a creamy consistency.
6. Once churned, transfer the ice cream to a freezer-safe container and freeze for at least 4 hours, or until firm.
7. When ready to serve, allow the coconut mango ice cream to sit at room temperature for a few minutes to soften slightly before scooping.
8. Scoop the ice cream into bowls or cones and garnish with additional shredded coconut or slices of fresh mango, if desired.
9. Enjoy the tropical flavors of Coconut Mango Ice Cream and savor the taste of summer!

Do people still make this?  One of the great memories of childhood.
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Congratulations to Ms. Doolarie Ramdath, cocoa farmer of Rio Claro! She is one of three local cocoa farmers who have achieved international recognition for their beans this year.
At the 2023 Cacao of Excellence Awards, Trinidad and Tobago proudly claimed 3 Silver Awards in the category of Central America and the Caribbean. Ms. Doolarie Ramdath was one of these recipients.
The ceremony took place at the historic Beurs Van Berlage in the heart of the Amsterdam at the Chocoa Trade Fair, during the Amsterdam Cocoa and Chocolate week, on February 8th, 2024. Ms. Mala Partap of the Cocoa Development Company of Trinidad and Tobago Limited accepted the award on her behalf.
Cacao of Excellence recognizes quality, flavour and diversity of cocoa beans from origins around the world, to improve farmers’ livelihoods and drive sustainability of the cocoa supply chain, since 2009.
Here is the Cacao of Excellence’s flavour profile description for the chocolate made by Doolarie’s beans- “This smooth chocolate opens with moderate acidity over a solid cacao base, hints of fresh grapefruit, tropical, and yellow fruits. It transitions to deeper raisins and dried apricots, mild wood, and vegetal notes. Subtle hints of tobacco emerge, and astringency builds up in the finish supporting the lingering cacao aftertaste.”
We wish her more cocoa successes in the future! (Source: Cocoa Development Company TT, March 13, 2024)