Monthly Archives: April 2016

Puerto Rico dedicated to containing zika; welcomes tourists

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico — With the zika virus making headlines around the world, Puerto Rico has implemented a comprehensive program to protect its nearly four million residents and five million annual visitors. The Puerto Rico Department of Health is working in close collaboration with…

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A Great Caribbean Hot Sauce Recipe

 

By Fernando Franco
CJ Contributor

International pop star Beyoncé Knowles Carter made attention-grabbing headlines earlier this year when she released a new song that included the phrase “hot sauce in my bag swag” in her lyrics.

It simultaneously set the music world and Twitter on fire but here in the Caribbean, the concept didn’t seem that unusual.

That’s because pepper, and hot sauce, are integral parts of our culinary experience.

Both trained chefs and home-cooks use Scotch Bonnet and Chili peppers in the seasoning process and hot sauce is an expected table-topper in many local restaurants.

One resident told me soon after I arrived that, “pepper is eaten with everything in Trinidad – even on eggs at breakfast.” I quickly realized she wasn’t joking.

In a country that held the Guinness World Record for having the hottest pepper in the world for three years – the Trinidad Scorpion pepper – adding spicy heat to food for a greater explosion of flavor is the norm rather than the exception.

I’ve tasted several pepper sauces while working and living here and the flavors range from tangy to spicy and sweet, with varying degrees of acidity and heat. Store-bought varieties like Berties, Chief and Matouk are some of the local favorites but there is no denying that the best concoctions are home-made.

We developed our own hot sauce recipe at Hyatt Regency Trinidad for you to try at home.

You can use it in marinades for your meats or for basting ribs and chicken on the grill at your next family barbecue. For persons who prefer to manage their own heat index personally, the great news is it works well as an ‘add only what you can handle’ side condiment, too.

TRINI PEPPER SAUCE RECIPE:

Ingredients:

20 Hot Peppers (Scotch Bonnet)
5 cloves Garlic
10 Pimento Peppers
6 Leaves of Shandon Beni
¼ Ripe Pineapple
½ Carrot
1 Cucumber
2 tbsp Dijon Mustard
2 tbsp Brown Sugar
2 Cups White Vinegar
2 Cups Warm Water
2 teaspoons Salt

Method:
Combine all ingredients into a blender and blend until you get thick smooth consistency. Store in an airtight container and serve to taste.

Fernando Franco is executive chef at the Hyatt Regency Trinidad.

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Royalton Opening More New Caribbean Resorts

 

One of the Caribbean’s fastest growing luxury brands is expanding again.

Royalton Luxury Resorts has announced plans to open four new all-inclusive resorts in the Caribbean.

The company will open Royalton and Hideaway at Royalton resorts on both Seven Mile Beach in Negril, Jamaica and in St Lucia, as of Feb. 1, 2017.

The expansion will mean 573 new rooms in Jamaica (including 166 at Hideaway at Royalton Negril) and 455 suites in St Lucia (including 94 at Hideaway at Royalton St Lucia).

“As Royalton Luxury Resorts is becoming an established and successful brand, we now have the ability to build these resorts from the ground up and consider every part of our guest’s experience,” said Jordi Pelfort, Managing Director, Blue Diamond Resorts. “We have created signature touches that guests of Royalton and Hideaway can come to expect.”

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VIDEO: Checking In at Secrets Royal Beach Punta Cana

 

Punta Cana, the Caribbean’s tourism capital, is home to so many great resorts.But how do you choose?

That’s why we’re here to help, with Caribbean Journal’s new Checking In feature, which takes you on a virtual tour of hotels around the region.

We begin with the Secrets Royal Beach Punta Cana, a must-visit all-inclusive with 465 suites.

Here’s what it’s like to check in at the Secrets Royal Beach Punta Cana.

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Rum Journal: The Best Bar in Saba

 

Saba is a small island, and it is not a haven for rum.

But if you come to this wonderful little island, an island that reminds of a Caribbean that no longer exists, you can still find great rum, if you dig a little deeper.

You see, tucked away in the island’s best hotel, the Queen’s Gardens Resort, is what is certainly Saba’s best bar — and, more importantly, a very good rum bar.

bar2

While the view alone would make this bar worthy of your visit, its rum selection wows: a nicely-curated selection of top rums and, more importantly, rhums agricoles.

The latter includes a wide selection of La Mauny rums from Martinique, topped off by the superb La Mauny 1998.

This is a terrific bar, the kind of bar that makes a great hotel even better.

And it is the best bar in Saba.

— CJ

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