Coconut Drops
(Serves 16-20)

A favorite of Trinidadians, these little coconut candied-cookies need no baking. They're sweet and chewy.

1 C water
1 C sugar
4 C grated coconut
1/2 tsp. cream of tartar
1 tsp. almond extract*


In large sauce pan, bring water and sugar to boil, cooking until mix thickens into light syrup. When small bubbles begin to form, add coconut and cream of tartar.

Continue heating and stirring until the coconut pulls easily away from the sides of the pan. Remove from the heat and stir vigorously with a spoon (a good 4 minutes). Add the almond extract, mix again. Then drop by spoonfuls onto an oiled cookie tray. Allow to harden completely before serving.


* You can add a dash of rum extract if you want.

Tips & Glossary:

Caribbean cuisine is an exquisite blend of African, Asian, European, and Carib Indian (the area's original inhabitants) foods. Dishes are highly seasoned, either with a dry rub or marinade—or both. Following are some typical ingredients found in Caribbean food.

Spices: Allspice, bay leaves, black pepper, chives, chili peppers, cilantro, cinnamon, coconut, curry powder, escallion, garlic, ginger, lime, mace, nutmeg, onion, oregano, sugar, thyme, orange, tomato paste, vanilla, cayenne (red) pepper.

Jerk: Jamaican cooking method in which meat is rubbed, prior to grilling, with a blend of seasonings, often firey hot. Jerk is also the name of the seasoning (from Spanish charqui, or dried meat). You can buy jerk in most grocery stores (even McCormick makes it), or can make and store your own.

• 1 T each—onion powder, garlic powder, dried chives, brown sugar; 2 tsp. each— (ground) allspice, nutmeg, cinnamon; 1 tsp. each—sage. thyme, salt, black pepper, cayenne (or more to taste). Mix thoroughly and store in a tightly covered jar.

There are thousands of versions; figure out what flavors you like most and add or subtract accordingly.

Typical Caribbean Meats: goat, pork, chicken, and some beef (though beef has tended to be expensive).

Fish: varieties that abound in surrounding waters, some familiar to us—grouper, cod, tilapia, blue marlin; others not so—200 species of jack, chip-chips (tiny clams), casadura (primitive armored catfish).

Indigenous plant foods:
• ackee—/peach-looking fruit with pulp like scrambled eggs
• annatto (achiote) seed—red coloring or flavoring agent w/ slightly sweet peppery taste.
• callaloo— like spinach
• cassava root (taro root)—
• malanaga root—
• scotch bonnet peppers—
• breadfruit—fruit used like a potato in salads, stews, even whipped.
• passion fruit

More familiar foods:
bananas and plantains, okra, yams, papaya, mangoes, coconut, yams, sweet potatoes, rice, beans, corn and cornmeal.