West Indian Sweet potato pone

A pone is a traditional bread made by American Indians from flat cakes of cornmeal baked in ashes. The pone has evolved not only is it from the traditional cornmeal, it is also made from cassava, and sweet potato. It is popular in almost all of the Caribbean islands with each island having their special way of making it. The sweet potato pone is a favorite in the islands of Grenada and Trinidad and Tobago. It can be served as a dessert or a snack. It is made from our local sweet potatoes, coconut, sugar, spices and raisins.

Our sweet potatoes come with red or a pale cream skin. The flesh is white or pale yellow or sometimes orange. These are not like the North American sweet potatoes, these are more starchy.
To make it you will need 1 grated the coconut, I did mine in the blender with about 1-2 cups of water however you will have to cut the coconut in small pieces for the blender, 1 large sweet potato grated, 1-2 cups of sugar, zest of lime, pinch of cinnamon or nutmeg, dash of angostura bitters.

Here I have cut up the peeled sweet potato to use in the food processor.

The sweet potato should look like this after grating or mincing in the food processor. It will turn a bit discoloured but that is not a problem.
You should have about 2 cups of water added to the grated coconut making a milky mixture, if the blender cannot hold it all the water, you can add it after it has been removed from the blender.

grated coconut and water mixture

Mix the some of coconut milk with potato mixture in a large bowl, add about 1-2 cups of sugar or sweeten to your desire, stir until sugar is dissolved. Stir in a generous pinch of cinnamon or nutmeg, some lime zest and a couple dashes of Angostura bitters. Add about a 1/2 cup of raisins and mix thoroughly. The mixture should look like a fairly thick porridge and pourable. If the mixture is too stiff add some more of the grated coconut milk mixture little at a time. If all the coconut has been used you can add some plain water, a little at a time until the right consistency is reached.

Pour into a 2 1/2 to 3 inch deep greased pie dish and bake at 350 degrees for about 1 hour to 1 1/2 hours until it is golden brown or when there is no more liquid on the top and brown at the sides. For variations, you can add some grated cassava, pumpkin or tania eddoes. Remember the drier the mixture the crustier it will become. I prefer it both with a crust and without. If you use foil tins remember these will cook faster than glass or stoneware. Remove from oven and cool to room temperature. Cut into slices or cubes and serve warm or chilled with some rum sauce and whipped cream. Refrigerate after cooling. I prefer eating it the next day after it has been thoroughly chilled. Delicioso!

Tutti frutti and veggie planters

Fresh fruit from my garden, pommerac aka Malay apple (syzygium malaccense), carambola and mangoes.

Mango season is coming to an end and what a relief! I ate mangoes for breakfast lunch and dinner. I have even been slapped in the face by them when mowing the grass.

Orchids in bloom with some new arrivals.

Latest addition to my plant collection aglaonemas.

The aglaeonemas were expensive plants but I made a deal with the nursery owner. They are originally from China and they come in many colours. They make excellent house plants since they like full to partial shade.

These bird's nest anthuriums were given to me by my mother a few days ago.

These containers were from the junk yard and I decided to use them for my vegetables. They were discards from a miniature golf establishment. I drilled several holes for drainage and filled them with soil from my compost heap and covered with black plastic for several weeks to kill off the weeds.

I tried sowing onions but they didn't make it so I decided to grow lettuce and squash in them.

The lettuce and squash are doing fine and I have already harvested some lettuce. I have placed some black plastic on the ground to kill off the weeds and grass.
Fresh salad anyone?

Garden Bloggers Bloom Day July 2010

Pentas and Martinique cuphea vying for attention.

Gingers enjoying the abundant rainy season.

White gingers just flourishing in this area under the shade of the bearded fig tree

Bilbergias giving stiff competition to the nearby gingers.

Flamboyant or Royal Poinciana  lighting up the skies with a burst of flames.

Heliconia rostrata, Boston ferns and gloriosa lily make fine companions.

Night blooming cereus or epiphyllum oxypetalum filling the night air with its sensous perfume. The blooms only last a night and  to keep the bloom a longer time, just cut it while it is open (around midnight) and place it in the refrigerator in a plastic bag.

Hello and welcome to Garden Bloggers Bloom Day  where gardeners all around the globe show what is blooming in their gardens. My garden is awash with blooms and greenery. The rainy season has begun with frequent showers occurring during the day and night. It is hot and humid and my plants are loving it more than I am.

My Jamaican rain tree (brya ebenus)fell AGAIN and we discovered after digging around the roots that it was dying, so it was removed. Probably a victim of the great flood I had in April. I have several smaller ones in pots so all is not lost. To see what is blooming in other gardens around the globe please visit  Carol on Friday at May dreams gardens.  Happy gardening my friends!