Calendar

 JUNE 2017  CARIBBEAN FOOD EVENTS

 Thurs., June 1, 6:30pm-8:30pm – The Cuban Presence in DC – Humanities DC – June 1, 6:30pm-8:30pm.  Enjoy the first event celebrating Caribbean-American Heritage Month—-music dance, food and religion with a panel of Cuban-American who have lived in the area all of their lives, Busboys and Poets, Takoma Park.   busboysandpoets.com

While there are a number of great Cuban restaurants in the DMV, there are many fond memories of The Omega Restaurant with its all-u-can-eat black beans and rice and the outstanding morsels of pork and mariscos.  And of course there is the music and the beginning of the Latin Festival in Adams Morgan.  Come on out and join the conversation and reminisce.  Share with current residents your fond memories of this space and time.

Sat. June 3 / 11AM-7PM  – TASTE OF THE CARIBBEAN  *FREE EVENT*  Bladensburg Park Water Front, MD Features local Caribbean cultural performers. Onsite food vendors. visitprincegeorgescounty.com/events

Food and other vending charge by vendors.  Enjoy this unrivaled setting on the banks of the Anacostia River tributary, while listening to Caribbean music, including live performances, dancing, people-watching and enjoying Caribbean foods, sold by vendors.  Past standout foods included shaved ice  with traditional tropical syrups, and foods from the Caribbean diaspora unique to an  Island  such as pholourie balls with tamarind sauce, or new fusion foods such as  jerk wraps, and of course, traditional dishes with each vendor’s added specialty and touches.   Nyam good!

Sat. & Sun. June 3-4, 10-11, 17-18, 24-25 – TASTING & FACTORY TOUR OF CHOCOLATE FROM THE CARIBBEAN  *FREE EVENT*  / Spagnvola Chocolatier, Gaithersburg, MD.  Factory Tour, reservations needed.   Cocao originated in South and Central America.  Some of the finest grows in the Caribbean and is used in chocolates at this small-batch producer. spagnvola.com

To many who grew up in the Caribbean, there are fond memories as children of opening ripe cocoa pods, eating the light fruit which surrounds the precious beans and roasting  and preparing cocoa tea from scratch, often with freshly grated nutmeg.  Since 2009,  SPAGnVOLA  has been changing the world of chocolate using  only the finest cacao beans harvested from its  farm on the mountain slopes of the eastern part of the Dominican Republic. Spagnvola cultivates and processes its cacao beans the traditional way, hand picking perfectly ripened pods, fermenting, drying and grading the beans to insure the finest make its way to its factory. Upon arrival, the cacao is roasted, winnowed and refined into ultra-premium chocolate, and  handcrafted into premium bars, bonbons, and truffles.  Handcrafting chocolate is not easy and bringing forth exquisite chocolate takes many hours and days. As Spagnvola believes  that quality manufacturing should be shared with their  customers, as such, their Truffle Factory opens its doors every weekend for a factory tour. Take a tour of Spagnvola’s factory and learn about the process of chocolate making.

Sun. June 4, 11, 18, 25 – COOCOO & CALLALOO – A TRADITIONAL TRINI BRUNCH & FOLKLORE / 11AM-4PM / Crown Bakery, Georgia Ave, NW, DC, 202-291-3009. Foodways talk on June 25 with Jennifer Selman, Co-owner & Baker.  Popular Trini brunch foods – Coocoo, Callaloo, Steamed fish and Sadha Roti. All-you-can-eat Sunday brunch buffet $24.95.  dccrownbakery.com

Foodways talk    Caribbean cultures share some breakfast items and then there are dishes distinctive to each Island.  Crown Bakery which specializes in Trinidadian foods adds bakes, saltfish, callaloo, coo coo, buss-up shut (roti), and my favorite, coconut bread, to its all-you-can-eat brunch menu ($29.95).    Popular Trini Breakfast Foods : Sada Roti which is usually served with: Fried or Curry Bodi (long beans), Fried or Curry Bhindhi (okra), Curry Sem, Curry Saijan (moringa drumstick), Fried or Curry Kareli (bittermelon), Baigan Choka (roasted eggplant), Damadol Choka (roasted tomatoes), Kohda Tarkari (pumpkin simmered in garlic.

Past folklore talks have included Trini-Americans of Chinese, East Indian and African heritage sharing the diversity of their respective heritage—and the impact of the many influences.

Sat. June 10 /TASTE OF JAMAICA FESTIVAL 12-8PM / Silver Spring Veterans Plaza, MD.  A fundraiser featuring Jamaican foods and cultural performers. silverspringdowntown.com

Live entertainment. Free Admission.  Food & beverage vendors. All proceeds go to the Jamaica Education for the Poor Foundation. tastejamaicamenu.com

Sat. June 10 / 3-5PM = THE CARIBBEAN INFLUENCE IN PANAMA – HISTORY & GASTRONOMY Esencias Panamenas Restaurant & Catering, Georgia Ave NW, DC, 202-688-7250. Music, food, and panel discussion on the history of the Afro-Antilleans who migrated to Panama in the early 1900’s, and the staple foods they brought with them. *Reservations strongly recommended* esenciaspanamenas.com

A Hot Hybrid, by Maria Mercedes De Corro – Panamanian culture has roots in at least three continents. It’s a heterogeneous culture, embracing elements from various communities that coexist peacefully, if noisily, within one of the smallest countries in Latin America, both in terms of land mass and in population. It is the result of a blending process that has been going on for five centuries, a hybrid that keeps evolving. Singling out the primary ingredients of this blend seems like a good way to decode it.

GENES DON’T LIE

In the year 2000, the Instituto del ADN y del Genoma Humano de la Universidad de Panamá (University of Panamá’s Institute of DNA and the Human Genome) did a study to determine what percentage each ethnic group had contributed to the genetic pool in the 500 years since the conquistadores disembarked. The researchers came up with a composition that is 39.4 percent indigenous Indian, 31.2 percent Caucasian, and 29.4 percent black. The most salient characteristics in Panamanian popular culture, as observed today, can be traced to these groups…. To the Afro colonials—descendants of slaves who were imported to work in the colonies—and the Afro-Antillean-Caribbean people who came to work in the canal—Panamanian culture owes a natural feel for music that makes dancing the national sport; and a way with drums and other percussion instruments that mark the beat at parties and resound in the parades celebrating the November holidays.

 

Sun. June 11 / 3-7PM – MEET THE MAKERS – CARIBBEAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE – SMALL FOOD BUSINESS EXPO & TALK

Cafritz Foundation Arts Center, Montgomery College / SS–Takoma Pk Campus, 930 King St, SS, MD, 240-515-6757. Meet caterers, food truck, online and cottage food entrepreneurs. Learn about starting & growing your food business.  Presenters include Doreen Thompson, Founder, NCAFFA, and local DMV entrepreneurs. info@cacce-gwan.org

 

Sun. June 18 / 12-9PM2^nd ANNUAL GRACE JAMAICAN JERK FESTIVAL & COOK-OFF COMPETITION

/ RFK Stadium, DC. Focuses on the popularity of jerk, with cook-offs, chef demos, and diverse Caribbean cultural performances.  $25.00 general admission and $125 VIP. Ticketmaster or dcjerkfestival.com

Grace Products, a leading distributor of Caribbean foods, introduced its signature jerk event to the DMV in 2016, having successfully sponsored such events in Miami and NYC. The Festival, will feature a cookoff pavilion, food and other vending, international and local entertainers, entertainment for kids, cultural stage focused on Caribbean culture and that of the wider African diaspora reflected in music,  dance, drumming and other cultural activities.

 

Thurs. June 22 – GRILLING WITH CARIBBEAN SPICES & HISTORY OF JERK – TALK & TASTING  *FREE EVENT* 

/ 6PM-7:30PM / Bazaar Spices Atlantic Plumbing Location, 2130 8th Street NW, DC, 202-379-2907

The Caribbean Islands are known for their precious spices, such as nutmeg, mace and cloves from Grenada (often referred to as the Spice Island), ginger, pimento, sorrel and jerk seasoning from Jamaica, etc. Waves of migration to the Caribbean have also added to this profusion.  Come celebrate Caribbean Heritage Month with Bazaar Spices, learn about the history of jerk at this  exciting event! It will also add to your knowledge and know-how about the contributions to “jerking” by the maroons of Jamaica.   O’Henry Bryan, producer of an artisanal jerk spice, Portland’s Pride Jerk Seasoning,  will share with you his experience growing up in Portland, Jamaica, the acknowledged home of the “keepers of the jerk tradition”  as he introduces us to the range of uses of jerk spices to add to your cooking experience and provides samples of dishes using jerk spices.    bazaarspices.com

Most Americans were introduced to Jerk in the last two decades.  Are you aware that this is a centuries old foodway or that the well-known African-American author, Zora Neale Hurston, participated and wrote about a jerking hunt in Jamaica in 1930’s.  Have you wondered about the origin of the name?  Is it related to jerky?

Are you aware that barbecue (barbecoa) is the term given to the food preparation method that the Portuguese observed being used by the Taino Indians in the Caribbean?  Come to this workshop and learn and taste how to incorporate jerk seasonings in your summer barbecues.

NEW EVENT –  Tentative Date– Fri. June 30  – Book Talk , The Baker’s Son – Author, Lowell Hawthorne, President & CEO OF Golden Krust Caribbean Bakery & Grill  / 6-8PM / Embassy of Jamaica

 

 JUNE 2016  CARIBBEAN FOOD EVENTS

June 2016 – Caribbean-American Heritage Month – Caribbean Cuisine & Restaurant Week, June 19-25.  June 2016 Caribbean Food events include:  

Caribbean Heritage Festival, “Taste of the Caribbean”,  Saturday June 4^th, 12 Noon to 7PM,  Bladensburg Park Water Front, Bladensburg, MD.,  301-322-7497,  Sponsor:  The Caribbean Council of Prince George’s County, http://www.thecaribbeancouncil.org   Event is Free.  Food and other vending charge by vendors.  Enjoy one of the first events in the DMV celebrating Caribbean-American Heritage Month in an unrivaled setting on the banks of the Anacostia River tributary, while listening to Caribbean music, including live performances, dancing, people-watching and enjoying Caribbean foods, sold by vendors.  Past standout foods included shaved ice  with traditional tropical syrups, and foods from the Caribbean diaspora unique to an  Island  such as pholourie balls with tamarind sauce, or new fusion foods such as  jerk wraps, and of course, traditional dishes with each vendor’s added specialty and touches.    Nyam good!

Factory Tour of Chocolate from Cocoa single-sourced in the Caribbean, Weekends – Spagnvola Chocolatier, 360 Main Street,  Gaithersburg, MD,  Free Factory Tour, reservations needed. Contact: http://www.spangnvola.com.  To many who grew up in the Caribbean, there are fond memories as children of opening ripe cocoa pods, eating the light fruit which surrounds the precious beans and roasting  and preparing cocoa tea from scratch, often with freshly grated nutmeg.  Since 2009,  SPAGnVOLA  has been changing the world of chocolate using  only the finest cacao beans harvested from its  farm on the mountain slopes of the eastern part of the Dominican Republic. Spagnvola cultivates and processes its cacao beans the traditional way, hand picking perfectly ripened pods, fermenting, drying and grading the beans to insure the finest make its way to its factory. Upon arrival, the cacao is roasted, winnowed and refined into ultra-premium chocolate, and  handcrafted into premium bars, bonbons, and truffles.  Handcrafting chocolate is not easy and bringing forth exquisite chocolate takes many hours and days. As Spagnvola believes  that quality manufacturing should be shared with their  customers, as such, their Truffle Factory opens its doors every weekend for a factory tour. Take a tour of Spagnvola’s factory and learn about the process of chocolate making.

CAHM – Caribbean Street Foods Lunch Club  Starts  2^nd week  and continues to the end of June ● RIS Restaurant, 2275 L St NW, DC 202-730-2500  www.risdc.com   $28 – three courses

DC Caribbean Film Festival Opening Night – Tasting of Tropical/Caribbean Beverages June 10^th  AFI Silver Theatre and Cultural Center 8633 Colesville Road,  SS, MD.  Opening Night Film QUEEN NANNY: Legendary Maroon Chieftainess (Jamaica) w/filmmaker Q&A 7:30pm, VIGILANTE: THE CROSSING (Barbados) 9:30pm , Tickets available at AFI Caribbean Film Festival,  Sponsors: Caribbean Association of World Bank and IMF Staff, Institute of Caribbean Studies, Caribbean Professionals Network, Africa World Now Project.

Past opening nights have introduced film-goers to tastings of Caribbean street foods with a nod to the country show-cased in the film.   This year’s short break, between films from Jamaica and Barbados, will serve up a tasting of beverages unique to the Caribbean which use tropical fruits such as pineapple, guava, grapefruit, passion fruit, mango, June plum and coconut, and or beverage based on roots or root vegetables such as ginger and carrot.

Taste of Dominica, Charity Fundraising Event to Support Dominican Children Affected by Tropical Storm Erika,  Sat  June 11th From 3-7pm ● 2120 Industrial Parkway, SS, MD,  2016continueddisasterrelief.crowdsterapp.com   Sponsor:  Rainbow Family Christian Center – $20

Introduction to a Traditional Trinidadian Breakfast & Folklore, Sunday, June 12, 11am-2pm, Crown Bakery, 5409 Georgia Ave NW, DC 202-291-3009   Cost:  $22.95.  Caribbean cultures share some breakfast items and then there are dishes distinctive to each Island.  Crown Bakery which specializes in Trinidadian foods adds bakes, saltfish, callaloo, coo coo, and buss-up shut (roti) to its all-you-can-eat brunch menu.  Past folklore talks have included Trini-Americans sharing the diversity of their respective heritage—and the impact of the many influences, such as those of the Chinese, East Indian and Africans.

Taste of Jamaica, Sunday, June 12th , 12 Noon to 8pm, Veterans Plaza,
Veterans Place, SS, MD.  Fourth annual exhibition of Jamaican Cuisine . Live entertainment. Free Admission.  $15 includes food and beverage.  All proceeds go to the Jamaica Education for the Poor Foundation. tastejamaicamenu.com

Grace Jerk Festival, Sunday, June 19^th, 12PM to 9PM, Pennsylvania Ave between 12^th & 14^th  Streets NW .  Contact:  WWW.dcjerkfestival.com 718-425.1177,  Co-sponsored by the  Mayor’s Advisory Commission on Caribbean Community Affairs. Tickets Cost:  $20 in advance $30 at gate.  Food and other product vending charge by vendors.

Most Americans were introduced to Jerk in the last two decades.  Are you aware that this is a centuries old foodway or that the well-known African-American author, Zora Neale Hurston, participated and wrote about a jerking hunt in Jamaica in 1930’s.  Have you wondered about the origin of the name?  Is it related to jerky?   Grace Products, a leading distributor of Caribbean foods, introduces its signature jerk event to the DMV, having successfully sponsored such events in Miami and NYC. The Festival, will feature a cookoff pavilion, food and other vending, international and local entertainers, entertainment for kids, cultural stage focused on Caribbean culture and that of the wider African diaspora as reflected in music,  dance, drumming and other cultural activities.

 Grilling with Caribbean Spices & Jerk Seasonings, Thursday, June 23^rd , 6-7:00 pm,  Bazaar Spices at Atlantic Plumbing, DC .  Contact:  http://www.bazaarspices.com  Cost:  Free.  Sponsored by the Caribbean Food Alliance.

The Caribbean Islands are known for their precious spices, such as nutmeg, mace and cloves from Grenada (often referred to as the Spice Island), ginger, pimento, sorrel and jerk seasoning from Jamaica, etc. Waves of migration to the Caribbean have also added to this profusion.  Come celebrate Caribbean Heritage Month with Bazaar Spices, learn about the history of jerk at this  exciting event! It will also add to your knowledge and know-how about the contributions to “jerking” by the maroons of Jamaica. (To add to your knowledge of the Maroons, attend opening night film at DC Caribbean Film Festival)    Join Bazaar Spices at its new location at the Atlantic Plumbing complex in welcoming  O’Henry Bryan, producer of an artisanal jerk spice,  as he talks about growing up in Portland, Jamaica, the acknowledged home of the “keepers of the jerk tradition”  as he introduces us to the range of uses of jerk spices to add to your cooking experience.

Caribbean Heritage Month Red Carpet Friday –  Reggae, Soca & Jerk,  Friday,   June 24th, Sandovan Restaurant,  4809 Georgia Avenue  NW,  DC.  202-248-2161

Sandovan’s  name and menu are  not only a fusion of  its Caribbean and American heritage but also reflect the diversity of its  Caribbean heritage.  Sandy (American) and Donovan (East Indian-Jamaican)  and their children have successfully mixed their collective food heritages with traditional Jamaican dishes such as  jerk,  rice & peas made with basmati rice complemented by American dishes such as macaroni and cheese along with spinach.   Add to this menu is Chef Rox’s signature pine ginger and sorrel drink and on Friday, June 24th, a special musical journey throughout the Caribbean. Out of many, one people.

July – August 2016
New Website, Newsletter, Resource Development

September  2016
Seminar/Workshop: Access to crowdfunding small business assistance.  Implementation of new Securities Exchange Commission rules on investing in small businesses through crowdfunding.

October  2016
Seminar/Workshop on specialty food product development and access to food product incubator kitchen and mass marketers

November /December
Caribbean Foodways Black Cake Tasting and Promotions

 

June 2010 – Caribbean-American Heritage Month.  Launch of Caribbean-American Cuisine & Restaurant Week and launch of NCAFFA in collaboration with the Caribbean-American Chamber of Commerce & Industry – Greater Washington Area Network (CACCI-GWAN).  Event recognized  Caribbean-American food pioneers in the DMV  and served as an exposition by Caribbean specialty food producers.

June 2013 – Caribbean-American Heritage Month – Caribbean Cuisine & Restaurant Week – June 24-30, 2013

JUNE 2013 EVENTS

Grilling with Caribbean Spices, Wednesday, June 12 – 6-7:00 pm, Bazaar Spices at Union Market,  1309 5th St NE, Washington DC, http://www.bazaarspices.com.  The Islands of the Caribbean are known for their precious spices, such as nutmeg, mace and cloves from Grenada (often referred to as the Spice Island), ginger, pimento and sorrel from Jamaica, etc. Waves of migration to the Caribbean have also added to this profusion. Join Bazaar Spices at Union Market in welcoming Doreen Thompson, Founder of the Caribbean Food Alliance as she introduces us to the spices most often used in Caribbean cooking, particularly spices used to enhance your summer grilling experience. Come celebrate Caribbean Heritage Month with Bazaar Spices and check out this exciting event!

History of Jerk, Thursday, June 20, 7-9 pm, Sweet Mango Café, known for their “world famous jerk chicken”, 3701 New Hampshire Ave NW, Washington DC, 202-726-2646. Most Americans were introduced to Jerk in the last two decades.  Are you aware that this is a centuries old foodway or that the well-known African-American author, Zora Neale Hurston, participated and wrote about a jerking hunt on the islands in 1930’s.  Have you wondered about the origin of the name?  Is it related to jerky?  What is the history behind this method of preparing meats?  Come out to this lively discussion and leave with added knowledge and know-how about the contributions to “jerking” by two significant  groups to the Caribbean.. Participants:  Reginald James, Co-Founder/Owner, Sweet Mango Cafe (known for their “world famous jerk chicken”), and  Doreen Thompson, Founder, Caribbean Food Alliance (NCAFFA), Member, Culinary Historians of Washington (CHOW)

Introduction to Ital Cooking (Rastafarian Vegetarian), Friday, June 21,  7-9 pm, Sweet Mango Café, 3701 New Hampshire Ave NW, Washington DC, 202-726-2646 The history of Caribbean Foods often leaves out the contributions of the Rastafarians, who have been a cultural force in the Caribbean for decades. Most of us recognize their influences –dread locks, the signature red, gold and green berets and of course music and Bob Marley’s contributions.  However, they have had a significant impact on Caribbean foods through their emphasis on vegetarian cooking. Participants:  Misty Brown, Poet, Creole-Vegetarian Caterer,   Reginald James, Rastafarian, & co-founder/owner, Sweet Mango

History of Caribbean Foods with cookbook authors: Dorel Callender, A Caribbean Mom’s Table Traditional Recipes for the 21st Century & Beyond (Jamaica & Grenada), Marie-Louise Jean and Barbara Christophe, The Art & Soul of Haitian Cooking, Saturday, June 22 at 2:30 – 4 30pm,  Sankofa Video & Books, 2714 Georgia Ave NW, Washington DC,  202-234-4755

Introduction to Traditional Trinidadian Breakfast & Folklore – Sunday, June 23, 11 am-4 pm  (Performance 1-2 pm), Crown Bakery 5409 Georgia Ave NW, Washington DC, 202-291-3009

Celebration of Caribbean-American Culture & Foods, Friday, June 28th,  4-8 pm, Petworth Community Market,  Georgia Avenue – Taylor & Upshur Like us on Facebook.

June 2014 – Caribbean-American Heritage Month – Caribbean Cuisine & Restaurant Week – June   

June 2015 – Caribbean-American Heritage Month – Caribbean Cuisine & Restaurant Week June 21-27, 2015