Hey Pier Lounge Jim - I'll take that brick off your hands when I come back down in May for the low price of a frosty Belikin. How's that sound???

hi all---

just back from 3 weeks in belize---saw "black cake" for sale in various shapes and sizes at erva's restaurant in san ignacio & was curious to try it, even tho i am not a fan of fruitcake generally. in seine bight village over x-mas i watched some friends make "christmas cake" for about 40 people, mixed in a huge tub and baked in about 10 various sized pans. this was a pretty dense white cake, basic butter, flour, sugar, milk, & eggs recipe but calling for rose water flavoring. i've read this as an ingredient in lots of recipes but had never tried it. it tasted really good, like cake made of flowers (duh). my friends also made 100s of coconut breads (some cooked over an open fire, some in the oven!) round swirled cinnamon buns, casava pudding (also mixed in a huge tub) and hudut.

when we went to tobacco caye lodge over new year week, i got to try some black cake made by denise (it was ok...still fruitcake, better than most) and sharlot made sere and coconut pie. when we picked, husked and ground more coconuts & begged for more pie, she made me come help make them next ones. (i was glad to learn!) i also learned how to make that boiled sweetened condensed milk carmelized goop to pour over cakes ...yum... experimented with that & some toasted coconut over a chocolate box cake acquired after an island wide scavenger hunt w/ $5bz in hand ( we were out.)

then we went back to seine bight and made a big pot of sere for the family i was visiting...the mom helped me a lot. we ended up with this huge pot of stew that fed everyone the first day and into the next (this is a huge family.) sere is such excellent, strong making ital food. one nice bowlful feels nutritionally complete. a couple of the kids & grown ups had been sick over the holidaze and it felt right granny-ish to feed em some good soup.

i totally love picking up new recipes even if i'll never make them at home. when i feel lonesome for belize i make some beans & rice & coleslaw for comfort food.

just two days back, still weepy & decompressing....looking forward to june.

peace in 2003

gogo

Hola GOGO,

I loved your description of the food! YUMMY!!! You have only been back two day?? Pobrecita!! I feel bad for ya! Heres a little addition to my kitchen for the NW winter blues: Besides cooking lots of "comfort food" I brought my 2 banana trees and two large palms indoors for the winter we took a leaf out of the kitchen table to make room for the trees 3-5 feet tall. Next purchase is some tropical pictures or maybe I will have a wall mural done of San Pedro beach front? Thanks for your post I enjoyed it!!

Gogo - Why did you have to go and post all that onformation . I'm dying now for some sere and black cake as well as coconut tarts but Denver is somewhat of a wasteland when it comes to Caribbean and Central American food. I can get pupusas but not the other items. I need to find someone in Denver who can cook like this!!!