🚨 The sweet treat that almost disappeared from Trinidad

Dear Reader,

Wow, it's May already. We're nearly at the halfway point of 2026, and I am still trying to figure out where the time went.

Do you feel the same?

Maybe it's the speed of life right now, but I've been feeling very nostalgic lately. With Mother's Day on the horizon and Indian Arrival Day coming at the end of the month, it feels like exactly the right time to share the story behind "7 Sweet Trini Treats," my very first ebook, which I created in 2011 and brought back last year.

I've never really said this in a newsletter before, but Trini sweets carry a visual code. Toolum has to be rolled a certain way. Sugar cake has its characteristic dual-toned layers. Kurma has its angles. The shape isn't separate from the tradition. It IS the tradition.

Back in 2011, when I sat down to write the foreword for this little ebook, I kept asking myself the same question: "What is it that makes these sweets worth preserving?"

Not just the recipes. The memory inside them.

The neighbourhood parlours where these treats once lived were quietly disappearing. Biscuit cake in particular, was becoming harder and harder to find. And when a food disappears, something else disappears with it — a link to who we were, what we celebrated, how we fed each other.

That's why TriniGourmet has existed since 2006. Not to chase trends. To preserve what matters.

Food is a powerful link to memory and identity.

The sweets of your childhood aren't just recipes. They're part of your mental tapestry. And the way you present them, the way you roll the toolum, the way you set the sugar cake down, that IS the culture. Not just a reflection of it.

So I put together seven of them for you.

Seven Sweet Trini Treats. The ones that belong at every table, every fete, every offering. Each one with a story. Each one with a technique. Each one with a look.

Someone who downloaded it put it far better than I could.

It's yours, completely free. Because some things are worth sharing without a price tag. Nineteen years of documenting our food heritage has taught me that much.

👉 [Download 7 Sweet Trini Treats here]​

Best Wishes,

Sarina

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🔥 IN THE SPOTLIGHT

🧑🏽‍🍳 CURATED FINDS

Explore my top Amazon picks this month, curated to help you bring the flavours and warmth of the Caribbean into your kitchen with ease and style. Your purchases support the site at no extra cost to you.

Cuisinart Mesh Strainers Achieve silky-smooth sauces, lump-free batters, and perfectly sifted dry ingredients with a fine mesh strainer that elevates your cooking precision. Learn More Porcelain Tea Set, Vintage Rose Elevate your tea time with a porcelain floral tea set that adds elegance and grace to every soothing sip. Treat Yourself

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Sylvia Hunt’s Cooking Celebrate the legacy of Trinidad & Tobago’s first television chef, Sylvia Hunt, whose iconic recipes continue to inspire generations with their rich flavours and cultural pride. Learn More Caribbean Cookbook Dive into Rita Springer’s “Caribbean Cookbook”, a cherished classic that brings the vibrant flavors and time-honored techniques of Caribbean home cooking to your kitchen. Peek Inside

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Thank you for being part of the TriniGourmet community. Here’s to another month filled with vibrant flavours, warm moments, and culinary joy. Until next time, keep cooking and sharing the spirit of the Caribbean!