Amazon Flavors 2013

After last year's Amazon flavors, I could not wait for this year's. For those of you who haven't read it yet. Here are the pages:
http://atastybit.blogspot.com/2012/11/amazon-flavors-culinary-weekend-to.html
http://atastybit.blogspot.com/2012/11/amazon-flavors-culinary-weekend-to_22.html

Last year I had so many information that I wanted to share with my readers, that I could not do it in one single blog. I had to divide into two sections, so that I could give my readers a thorough walk-through of my experience. This year....it was kinda different!

The first remarkable thing about this year is the media exposure of this event. It could be because I'm so isolated from media outlets, but I hardly notice anything that had to do with Amazon Flavors. Just to give you a head's up, my only media outlet is Facebook or e-mail. And I haven't noticed any postings or whatsoever on Facebook: the media when it comes to reaching everyone on a budget.

It is that I got an invitation from my friend, Jill-Joy Landburg, again that I knew that it was held in the weekend 1-3 November.  But I thought, it has to be because I was so busy with work that I might have missed the media coverage. I remember that last year they had a breakdown of all the chefs, who were gonna participate in the Chef's competition. I'm not sure if they did that this year.
But no sweat, I was psyched to participate in the program of the day:

I probably missed the first one about the food trends, since I got there when Ms. Liz started talking about meat. It was really educational for me and these are some of the tips:
- never rinse American beef (actually all kinds of beef, but since she was from America). Just dab   
  with a napkin or so to dab the juices, but never rinse it with lemon/vinegar water. Rinsing makes the
  meat lose its natural juices.
- never press the meat or poke the meat after searing it. Searing the meat creates a grilled film
  over the meat, which keeps the natural juices inside. If you're gonna poke or press the meat after it,
  it will cause the meat to lose its natural juices.
- the more marble, the more done you can cook the beef that's still tender
- 14-18 days aged meat is more tender than fresh meat.
- when it comes to pork, the whiter the meat, the tougher the meat.
- when cutting beef, cut across the grain and not with the grain.

And the best thing about the workshop is the tasting of the different pieces of meat: the difference between choice and select meat, along and across the grain, pork well done vs. pork done the right way. It was a real eye-opener how a simple thing as cutting it differently can affect the texture of your meat.

Chef Gerrit Greveling was accompanied by the MC Ramon Beuk. The MC is the best thing the organization did this year!! He knew a lot about food and has the talent to keep the audience amused. Chef Gerrit is a Michelin Star Master Chef. For this event, he specially prepared an earthy dish with potatoes, cooking cream and truffles. I never had truffles, but I pretty much like its earthiness. And I don't expect anything less from a Michelin Star chef.

Thereafter, we got to taste some pastries from Chef Monti. The whole intention of his workshop is to promote PreGel, an instant product to make pastries within minutes. For more information, please check this site: http://www.pregelamerica.com

I don't know if it has to do with the product or the constant flow of pastries one after another, I got a bit overwhelmed with the taste of PreGel. Call me old fashion, but I like the pastries made from scratch. The pastries made with this product look really gorgeous, but for me it tasted a bit too sweet and I don't know if it's in my head, but it kinda tasted instant/artificial.

Starting at the pastry workshop, visitors are starting to become very chatty. Constantly the visitors needed to be shushed. This was really irritating. It is not only a nuisance for the rest of the visitors, but most of all, very disrespectful to the person giving the workshop.

For instance, during the workshop of Master Sommelier Noel. He seems like a very kind person with a soft voice. At some point, it seemed like he gave up trying to overpower the chattering of all the people, who got their glasses filled with wine. For a wine tasting, the pourers were very heavy-handed. And I gotta say, we got about 10 different kind of wines and unfortunately I was not amused with the line up of the wines. The two wines that did it for me were the Trapiche Merlot and Trapiche Syrah.

I gotta say, this year they really invited some impressive people over for the event:

- Chef Gerrit Greveling - A Michelin Star Master Chef
- Chef Monti- Pastry chef with 30 year's experience in Ritz Carlton
- Noel Van Wittenbergh- just recently awarded with the title 'Best Sommelier of the Netherlands'
- MC Ramon Beuk, who is known for his TV shows like 'back to my roti'

Overall, I have to say that this year's event did not meet my expectations. However the price of a day pass went from $100,- (including lunch) to SRD75,- ( about 1/3 of the price), the whole set up was a bit chaotic. Visitors don't need to sign up for any workshops/ seminars anymore, but just walk in at anytime they'd like. The group of visitors also seemed like a different group compared with last year. Last year, the visitors were eager to gain knowledge and this year's group seemed more interested in having fun and enjoying themselves than listening to anything the invited speakers had to say.

Next to that, the focus of such an event is supposed to be on the chef competition, but with all the seminars happening at the same time the competition lose its attention. I only went on Saturday, so I don't know if Sunday was better with the Iron chef battle.

A positive change in the program was the several food stands, providing lunch options. There was choice between Spice Quest (however I do believe that they were selling Dumpling's #1 menu items), Indian food (roti and snacks) and Creole ( every day a different menu).

But my compliments to the following participants, who highlighted Amazon Flavors :

- Ramon Beuk -> you contributed to a greater experience during the seminars and made many attempts to shush the crowd, while at the same time trying not to show your annoyance.

- Lavazza -> it really gave me a boost of energy whenever I was really in need of it. And I'm sure I was not the only one appreciating this.


- Jethro Wirht- one of our Surinamese culinary pride. I was not present during his battle, but he won the 3rd edition of the International Iron Chef battle of Amazon Flavors. With this victory, he did not only put himself into a higher level, but creates a role model for the Surinamese culinary world.

Something to think about: Surinamese gourmet?

Next to its untouched rainforest and the multicultural variety, Suriname is best known for its food. It could be the water, the fresh ingredients or just simply the cooking style, but the same food made here just tastes many times better. And I know, since I tried to cook the same Surinamese dishes in Aruba, but it always seemed to lack something.....

But even though, tourists mostly come here for the local food, but most locals LOOOVE international food. And I kinda am one of them. Look...I love to eat home cooked food and I buy it all time as a lunch option, but when it comes to a night out or dining with friends, I'd prefer a little bit extra. And till now, I don't see any Surinamese food served in a great ambiance and even if there is, we, locals, would surely not like to pay the extra for the same dish that we can get for half the price. At least, I don't. And even if someone might think of a fusion food, but Surinamese style, we as locals still tend to lack the understanding why we'd pay more for a Surinamese dish done differently. And mostly, when done differently, the portions also seem to shrink in size.

A great example is Javanese food. That is one type of Surinamese food that people are willing to go out for. And everybody knows that for a good and 'authentic' Saoto Soup, they need to go to Blauwgrond. I remember one time when someone gave it a shot and opened a warung (Javanese restaurant) near the nightlife area 't Vat. They hardly made the ends meet and closed down the business soon after. Two of the Javanese places, Sarinah and Mirosso, mostly chosen by tourists because of the ambiance, but you won't see that many locals visit the dining room. Of  course locals will still go to Mirosso for instance, but they would prefer to go to the one next door, where a Saoto Soup is double the size for half the price.(extremely exaggerated).

What is your opinion? Is there a way that Surinamese restaurants can sell their specialties for a greater price or  will you just keep it as a lunch option?

Snesie! Chinese! 中国人！

On October 20, 1853 the first Chinese arrived in Suriname. Tomorrow, that will be exactly 160 years ago that this happened. For the celebration of this event, all kinds of activities are planned.  There is even an association in charge for coordinating all the activities. I have to admit; if I compare this year's activities with those of 10 years ago, they are doing a pretty good job!
 
One of the things that are remarkable is that many Chinese establishments have decorated their shops/companies with red lampoons. And all the locations for the celebration activities are branded with them. It really look like as if you're walking on the red lampoon lane.

 
For this event, I had to think up some of the remarkable Chinese culture that I could use as part of an advertisement and I had to admit that however the Chinese have been here for so many years, but we did not really imbedded many of our cultural aspects. However not many, but these are the most remarkable ones from the Chinese culture in Suriname:
 
1. Omoe (uncle) from the corner

 

    However Omoe means uncle in sranang tongo (Surinamese creole language), I remember    
    times when I was calles Omoe. For many locals, Omoe is the term for the Chinese behind the
    counter. However the Chinese have different establishments now, but somehow the idea of
    Chinese people behind the counter of a restaurant, bar or supermarket remains.
 
2. Matjok ( Mahjong)
                             
    However it's a game I still don't seem to grasp ( I know, what kind of Chinese am I, right?), but it
    is one of the games most locals seems to have learned from the Chinese. The stories about
     mahjong games bring up mixed feelings. Maybe it only happened once and long time ago, but
    whenever I hear Matjok, I can only think about those stories where Chinese men gambled away
    their shop and family. Nevertheless, don't blame the game, blame the player, right?
 
3. Chinese market
   For some years now, the Chinese market is a must for Chinese locals and a nice morning visit for   
   others. Here you will see all kinds of Chinese products. It ranges from garden-grown veggies to
   restaurant holders selling their roasted meat to imported fruits. Many locals and tourists come here
   score some Chinese snacks for an affordable price. But for those who are interested, there are two:
- The one at the corner of Grote Combeweg and Sommelsdijkstraat.

 
 
   This one have a great similarity with the normal market.
- The one at Soeng Ngie Oriental Market
   This one looks neat and seems better organized. They even make it look like a happening with the
   blow-up gate and colorful stands.

 

4. Dim Sum

    One thing that CAN'T be left out in this post is of course the food. And we start with the most

    important meal of the day: breakfast. Dim Sum literally means 'touch the heart'. I think the old

    Chinese geniuses were eating some great breakfast and you know when you eat something really

    good and kinda melts,,,,i think it's then that they came up with that word ' Oh, this really hits the   

    spot! It touched my heart!' I think it happened kinda like that. It goes without saying that those

    acquainted with dim sum will know the usual snacks like dumplings, siu mai and wonton. In

    Suriname, there are several Chinese establishments opened only for this. My two favorite shops

    are:

-   Kong Nam (Location: Weg naar Ma Retraite)

    This establishment is known by many as the one next to the big tree. The setting won't make you

    feel special and the environment does not even seem that well maintained, but it's one with the  

    better tasting dim sum.

 

-    Fu Nga  ( Location: Plutostraat)

     This establishment has a way better interior. The paint look new, there are TV's on the wall and

      even the lighting seems a bit more suitable. If I really think of a dining atmosphere for dim sum,

     I'll go there. It's also a bit more appealing if I'd invite friends for dim sum. Next to that, they have

     more menu options than most other dim sum places. And last but not least......they are open till

    3pm!! Talking about late breakfast!

 

5. Chinese cuisine

 

    Save the best for last! However Chinese food can be found everywhere (even though some are

    posing to have Chinese food), but Suriname Chinese food differs from the rest. It tastes totally

    different. Some weeks ago I mentioned it to a foreign acquaintance and she asked why. I can only

    tell her that it probably is the water quality we have here, the fresh ingredients that are within   

    reach. Like every restaurant has its specialties, I have my favorites in different restaurants:

    For my tjauwmin ( fried noodle) I most definitely will visit Lian Fa at the anamoestraat. The

    noodle itself has so much more flavor and their fa chong (chinese sausage) is the best! And believe

    me if I say that, because normally I don't eat fa chong since it's so fatty, but I'm willing to sin for it.

    Another dish that's not healthy yet so tempting is the Eggplant stew from Fa Tai. All other

    restaurants has it, but there the salty fish really has a great aroma. You'll smell whenever you have

    it in front of you. Then there is also the egg tofu from Kwan Tai. They have other dishes, but

    whenever I'm there, you can bet that it's one of the dishes I've ordered!

 



Lian Fa- Anamoestraat 12

Fa Tai- Maagdenstraat 64

Kwan Tai - Kwattaweg 428

 



For those of you who have missed all the activities till now, tomorrow you'll see the biggest group of Chinese together walking from the Chinese school (wanicastraat) to Independence Square. After the walk, there will also be performances from different Chinese associations and groups. There will also be stands selling all different kinds of Chinese goodies.

Carifesta: evaluation

It's already 2 days after the closing ceremony of Carifesta. Everything seems to be back to the daily routine. But after such a big event, I believe it is necessary for everyone to evaluate for themselves what were the highlights and what could be improved ...for the next time.

After the marvelous show of Tropicana Santiago de Cuba, I only went to a show in Thalia and that was the end of my Carifesta experience. I went to Thalia with the intention to see some tango. On the program that I'd downloaded in the very beginning of Carifesta, I saw that there would be a tango show from Argentina in Thalia. However the show of T&T, Jamaica and Haiti was very good and especially since entrée was only SRD 5,-, but it's like expecting to eat Tiramisu and getting chocolate cake instead. However the latter is still delicious, but it is totally different from expectations. But no sweat, a good show need to be praised. The dancers gave their utmost to express the emotions they wanted to show through dance. During the 90-100 minutes, I learned a bit of Haiti's history, the proudness of the Black people (not to be disrespectful, but Black was what they used in their performance) and the elegance of their dance moves. The bitterness of the angry Jamaican could be felt in the deepness of my skin.

Next to this show, I also attended the Nationale Kunstbeurs (National Art Fair) and saw the artistic talents of Suriname. And I notice that I have a very expensive taste when it comes to art. All the pieces that I like were at least $1500,- worth, so I guess I either need to become richer (I've learned I should never say that I'm not rich) or need to learn how to paint myself. Will let you know in the future which one I chose.

 

Back to evaluating the Carifesta event. Let's start with the great things I like about the whole event:

1. the affordability

    Most of the activities were kept at a minimum entrée fee or were even free to enter. The Columbia

    stand at Palm Garden even gave out free samples of their culinary items.

2. involvement of the other districts

     

    Every district was so involved and created their own Carifesta happening. This way will not only

    create a better distribution of people, but also create a chance for the districts to promote their

    specialties.

3. international standard performances

 

 

    This does not only include the performances of the artists. Of course, it was a cherry on top to have

     celebrities like Wyclef Jean and DJ Chuckie to be part of the whole happening, but let's not forget

     the awesome light and sound show that could be enjoyed at our own presidential palace. The

     variety designs on the catwalk from local and international designers.

 

I can go on and on about all the great things that happened, but this was the top 3 that comes to mind. And as the highlights, I would also only mention three improvements that would enhance the atmosphere.

 

1. improved information distribution

    In this period many things went wrong due to a lack of information distribution. Not everybody   

    was aware of the information on time. And the discrepancies between the program and the actual

    happenings that day. However I still enjoyed my show at Thalia, but I can understand that in the

    same case somebody might be furious not to have seen the tango due to a wrong schedule which 

    was given by the Carifesta site.

2. better organization for the many sub-events:

-  a screening of the many event ideas:

   If all event ideas were screened, it could have prevented disappointment from the visitor's side or at

   least, visitors could be informed in advance what they could expect. Incidents like having

   inappropriate clips shown on the screens of Youth Village.

-  the regulation

    And no disrespect to the owners/ organizers, but it would be nice to have

    someone regulating the seats at Flamboyant during the Tropicana show and remain visitors from

    feeling agitated because latecomers are sitting in front of them.

-  have information on paper and stick to it

   I happen to have friends participating in the several events and internally many things went wrong.

   At the last minute changes were made like the payment of the stands at Palm Garden or that the

   culinary stand of Columbia will not be part of GCM, but will be located at Palm Garden and other

   countries were also planning to put their stand in the Palm Garden instead of GCM. I can only

   assume how pissed everyone is with these sudden changes.

3. better timing

    Like in my second blog about Carifesta: http://atastybit.blogspot.com/2013/08/carifesta-who-is-it-for.html where I wondered for who this event is intended. I believe that this will need to be taken into

consideration. Even though the entrée fee is kept low, but everyone who goes out would like to have some extra cash to spend. Even if it's only for gas to drive around, money for drinks and a snack, it's still an expense. And if it's for foreigners, consider the school holidays when most families plan to travel.



Carifesta: Tropicana Santiago de Cuba

After several mentioned attempts to Carifesta events that left me with an awful aftertaste, I even hesitated to go to Tropicana. This is a Nightclub Cabaret Show. For some days, it has been greatly promoted on several media outlets and after a great review of it in the newspaper, I decided to give it a shot. However it was mentioned that the entrée would be SRD 25,-, when I stood in front of the gate it seemed they either lowered their prices or that the person writing the review was misinformed.

At first, the night started pretty well. We got a very neat parking space near the entrance and when I finally was in the hall, there was an empty seat, which after verifying with the neighbor appeared to be vacant. Since there was still so much space next to the empty seat and I saw plastic chairs piled up in the back, I asked my boyfriend to grab a chair and join me. Here the disturbance started.
                           
First, since the ladies in the back saw the same empty space as me, they moved in front and put their chairs next to mine. Even after I told them that my boyfriend was coming with the chair, they only mumbled something about moving a bit to the side when he finally reaches. I thought you know what....I don't want to spoil my evening, so I moved to their old spaces together with my boyfriend.
Supposedly no sweat right? Those spaces were already taken. Well...here another moment I can only sigh and shake my head to.

The lady behind that space while talking on the phone complained with phrases like :' Some antisocial people come in late and is sitting in front of me' and that said with the intention to stir up the neighboring crowd. And the man some seats next to us agreed loudly with it. (and I was not even blocking his view). But I have the idea that they thought we could not understand/speak Dutch, because as soon as my boyfriends made a remark that she doesn't need to get all fuzzy about it, the whole atmosphere changed and both the lady and the man were totally quiet and had totally no problem whatsoever with us sitting there. So, what do I have to make out of these moment-of-truths? I'll leave you, the reader, to judge it yourself.

For me, I was done with this issue as soon as I sat down. I was there for the show and especially since I saw people grabbing their own chairs and sitting totally in the front where the VIP's are seated, I don't see the problem with me there in the middle of the hall.

Even though, the show started awkwardly, but I enjoyed the Nightclub Cabaret Club "Tropicana Santiago de Cuba"

from the beginning till the end. All the bright colors, the headdresses and the costumes. It IS what I do expect from such a show. What amazes me the most is the way the acts follow up on each other. There were no quiet moments, no seconds that you imagine what to do now and it actually keeps me so mesmerized that I even remained from going to the restroom. The greatly advertised act, the fire spitting act, was actually my least favorite. Maybe because I have already seen several of these acts before and I expected to be more spectacular. The only thing I could think of was that she can save on hair removal products, since all hair on her skin should be burned by now. But next to that, the singers went to great altitudes with their voice. I don't understand a word they sing, but it was amazing!! And don't forget the band.....they only had a moment's rest during the fire spitting act, but next to that they were constantly playing. I really admire their stamina and energy. And what makes it memorable is that during the final act, all the members of Tropicana really showed how much they loved what they were doing.

That was the best SRD10,- spent and I would even spend more if that would avoid seating arguments. It is highly recommended for the organization to have a seating arrangement plan or maybe have such an event at a different location. For those of you, who still want to see this show. Tonight is their final act, so be there!

Carifesta: who is it for?

As mentioned in my last blog, I was all hyped up to be part of Carifesta like many other locals in Suriname. In the last 3 days, I went to several Carifesta happenings and started thinking who the target visitor was actually meant to be. Does the organization have an idea, who they actually want to attract?

Probably it is because of the great promotions about Carifesta that created a huge expectation on my side that this Carifesta will be on international standards and make me proud to be part of it. Unfortunately I had been disappointed time after time in the past 3 days. Or maybe I just chose for the wrong activities to attend?

Here is a summary of the several Carifesta activities I attend and my experience:

1. Openings Ceremony
This is one of the activities, who nearly whole Suriname got stirred up for. First of all, none of the media outlets ever mentioned about needing to sign up or buy entrée tickets to this event until several hours before show starts. Next to that, only 7000-8000 tickets were available in total to the 500k locals and the many foreign visitors for this event. So even though I did not have the ticket, I still gave it a shot to embrace the ambiance. Both sides of the Independence Square got closed in by a fence and from outside, there is nothing going on. Heard no music, no movement and no projector screens near the fences to accommodate the crowd that could be expected outside the fence. I even went to several places, where supposedly should be somewhat livelier, but the whole nightlife area seemed dead. After the happening, there were many appraisals about the light and laser show, which I'd missed.

2. Grand Central Market

According to the social media, the KKF area would become the GCM, where the participating countries will showcase their art, fashion and culinary. I went there with high hopes of tasting all kinds of Caribbean goodies. Even there, I got disappointed. The foodie area was scarcely occupied and some countries just did not show up since they heard they could have their stand in the Palm Garden. Probably I was too early for most of the activities (I was there around 6-7pm). There was a fashion show going on, a dance performance was on stage and however I went there for the food, the art was the part that made my while. The various artistic expressions on canvas transformed the hall into an art gallery. One of the art pieces was a life size 'human' made from pieces of cloth. It really reminded me of the  snowman prank on youtube and gave me the idea that any moment it would move.

3. Sana Budaya Cocktail
My expectations of the Sana Budaya Cocktail is first, a great showcase of the Javanese culture, and second a variety of cocktails. But to my astonishment, when I arrived at the location, it is full of people, but nothing seems to be going on than an explanation of a cultural happening. In total there were 3 stands and the stage was empty. One of the stands sold cocktails and I counted only 3-4 choices. So probably like GCM I was way too early too. I was there around 5-6 pm. I expected a mini version of the Indo Fair, but was unpleasantly surprised with the reality.


Next to it all, I also went to the Palm Garden and visited the Independence Square. The lights and sound were amazing. I don't know how Youth Village would look like, but I can only imagine how awesome it would be having DJ Chuckie mixing it up at the Presidential Palace. It's like having our own Surinamese version of Tomorrowland and call it 'Tamara Kondre'. It would be the party of the year!



However, it seems that I had only unpleasant experiences, I don't give up on the idea of Carifesta. But then I wondered, if all this were supposedly in place for tourist, how did they experience it and did it meet their expectations? And if it is organized to attract foreigners, isn't this period a bad timing? Most schools in the region has already started around mid-August. And if it is for locals and a way to spend the school vacation on, why hold it mid-August and not at the end of August? All locals know how broke we are during the 2nd and 3rd week of the month. Wouldn't it be more suitable to hold it in the first week of August or at the end?

Carifesta: the true meaning

Today is the first day of Carifesta in Suriname. For weeks this event can be heard all over the radio and announced at all TV stations in Suriname. Everybody seems excited that today is finally here. But truth be told, not all locals actually understand the true meaning of Carifesta. What is Carifesta? Is the investment worth it? These were the questions I got during my conversation with the taxi chauffeur this morning. My answer to him was that I believe it is a step in the right direction towards putting Suriname on the global map.

The academic definition from Carifesta, Caribbean Festival of Arts,is:

CARIFESTA, is an international multicultural event organized on periodic basis by the countries of the Caribbean. The main purpose is to gather artists, musicians, authors, and to exhibit the folkloric and artistic manifestations of the Caribbean and Latin American region
*definition from Wikipedia

This year it will be the second time that it will be hosted by Suriname. Twelve years ago was the first time and nearly nobody noticed its existence until it was over. I only remember the cultural parade with all kinds of artistic carts on the streets with people singing and dancing, but besides that, there was nothing more to it for me.

This year the organization had all kinds of preparations in place. This is the 11th time Carifesta will be held and 12 countries are participating this year. The most remarkable difference of this year's organization is the involvement of all the districts. Events are organized in the whole country, creating possibilities for everyone to get a piece of Carifesta. Just out of my head, I can name several events during 16-25 August:
                                                
* Saamaka Marron Museum, where you can get a peak into the culture and heritage of the Marroons. http://www.saamakamarronmuseum.com/
* Nationale Kunstbeurs for the art lovers during the period 16-25 August. This year it is held at the garden of De Surinaamsche Bank, where I have heard is a very beautiful setting and is sure a must see.
* For fashionista's and foodies, there is everyday something going on at GMC also known as KKF
* Thalia, CCS and TBL are places to be for those, who are fond of theatre and movies. Pieces from all participating countries will be presented.

* Even Coronie, the coconut district, will host a Cokofest. The Coronians will educate visitors about all the possibilities with coconut and even have a fashion show with coconut wear.

For a better understanding of the different locations, here is a map of the venues:
http://www.carifesta.net/venues/. However, these are the venues in Paramaribo.
                              

Get all hyped up about what there is to do in Suriname during Carifesta, please check the program at: http://www.ewinsi.com/index.php?view=show-schedule