Who says you cant go back home?

OK, I know I said this blog was supposed to be about trying new things but this morning I woke up & I felt a little nostalgic. I was an only child to my mother & grew up in a 2 family house in Flushing, NY with her & my grandmother. The first generation of my family born in the U.S., I was raised on fresh, flavorful home cooking from the island of Jamaica. Of course, when I got old enough I cast off the foods I was raised on to be like my friends & eat at McDonald's or Subway or whatever else was in the Queens Center Mall at the time.

It wasn't until I grew up that I really missed not paying attention to the recipes & lessons on making wine, rice & peas & potato pudding. Thankfully, I have one good recipe from my grandmother & after they both passed (God bless them both) I was able to get some long distance cooking lessons from my aunt in Miami. I woke up today feeling a gentle spring breeze & it reminded me of the spring mornings when my grandmother would take me outside to pick fresh mint for morning tea & callaloo. I remember the mint smelled so fresh & strong you could open any window on the north side of our home & smell it. So this morning I made callaloo with fried dumplings & plantains to attempt to go back home if only for a meal.