Karujet 2009

This weekend Guadeloupe hosts Karujet 2009, the 12th annual world championship jet ski competition. I don't think I've ever been interested in jet skiing, associating it somewhat as Nascar on water, but Karujet is a very big event here. So M. and I decided to go take in the crowds.

The competition takes place over the course of 4 days, with 7 legs to the race.

The first leg begins at the municipal beach of Gosier in Grand Terre, passes Capesterre-Belle-Eau, Trois-Rivières, Vieux-Fort in Basse Terre, turning at the marina at Rivière-Sens, heading out towards Terre-de-Haut of Les Saintes islands, and then back to Gosier.





The second leg begins at the municipal beach of Gosier in Grand Terre, passes Capesterre-Belle-Eau, Trois-Rivières, Vieux-Fort, Vieux Habitants, ending at the beach Plage Caraïbes of Point-Noire in Basse Terre.






The third leg is identical to the second, but run in reverse.









The fourth leg begins at beach of Petit-Bourg, Plage de Viard, on Basse Terre, finishing at the beach at the beach Plage de Raisin Clair in St. François on Grand Terre.







The fifth leg is identical to the fourth, but run in reverse.









The sixth leg takes place in the water in front of the beach of Petit-Bourg, Plage de Viard, on Basse Terre. Riders must complete three laps.






The seventh leg is a circuit in front of the beach of Petit-Bourg, Plage de Viard, on Basse Terre.

In addition to the actual race, there are also freestyle competitions, where riders perform tricks on water. These competitions take place at the harbor basin in Pointe-à-Pitre.

Click on the image for the full schedule.

Originally scheduled for March, organizers were forced to push back the this year's competition due to the strikes. The delay obliged many international riders to pull out of the Karujet competition since there is another competition the following weekend in France.

Video of this year's competition is not yet available, but this video, from what is probably the 2007 competition, shows some great footage. The commentary is in French.


The start of each race brings together all the riders in competition. Riders surge towards their jet skis, and set off, leaving streaks of white waves behind them. The aerial shots of the start, as well as when riders galop across turquoise blue waters is quite impressive.

Karujet is an example of what is possible in Guadeloupe. Karujet is the kind of event with the look and feel that corresponds to its international reach.

Banners line the promenades next to the viewing bleachers. Karujet has major sponsors such as Air Caraïbes, Vito gas stations, Orange.

Karujet village, with vendor stands, and a huge open air children's playfround. The village is empty only because we went on a Friday afternoon.

Marie Denise's Fruits and Vegetables

Marie Denise's fruits and vegetables stand at the market in Basse Terre:

Above, papayas, soursops (guanábana), passion fruits, star fruits, bananas, cucumbers, bell peppers, giraumon, scotch bonnet peppers, piments vegetalien, tomatoes

Above left, bananas, star fruits, passion fruits, soursops, papayas
Above right, watermelons, papayas, zucchinis, chayote, eggplants

Above, pineapples, plantains, yams

Petit Flamboyant

caesalpinia pulcherrima

La Trace Delgrès

Above, the panoramic view from the Beau Soleil picnic area.

Located in the mountains above Saint-Claude, La Trace Delgrès is named after Louis Delgrès, a man famous for having given his life to the cause of liberty in Guadeloupe. Born in Martinique in 1766, Delgrès joined the army at the age of 23. He distinguished himself in various conflicts with the English and rose quickly in rank. In 1802, slavery is reestablished in France by Napoleon Bonaparte. Delgrès leads the armed resistance with a small army of 300 men, composed mostly of former slaves and free colored men. Having had to abandon the fort of Basse Terre, Delgrès and his men are pushed back into the mountains in Saint-Claude. Facing certain defeat, Delgrès and his men commit suicide by setting off their own ammunition store, thereby dying by the revolutionary slogan, "Vivre libre ou mourir."

The hike begins behind the Beau Soleil picnic area on the road leading to the Bains Jaunes, the hot spring baths on La Soufrière. The path immediately narrows as the thick humid forest closes in on both sides.

The trail follows Le Pelletier Canal for approximately 110 yards (100m). A path has been worn alongside the entire length of the canal; take care to follow trail markings. The trail will take a left, leaving the canal behind.












In general, the forest is quite humid. But, after a day of rain the path can be easily confused with a long river of thick mud (1).

Above, the muddy path.

Pay close attention to trail markings. The forest thins, and the trees no longer huddle together tightly. Well-cleared paths depart from the trail, but lead nowhere.

Above, a massive root crossing the path. Note, if you come across this specific spot not far from the canal, you have missed the turn. Turn back.

The trail continues and crosses a ravine.

Above, a large tree has fallen over the ravine, across the path of the trail.

The forest easily seems enchanted. Tangles of roots cross and recross the path of the trail like the living arms of the forest. Small insects dance across puddles, moving so quickly that the mind can imagine fairies. A type of frog or bird chirps in repetitive twos. The tinny noise resembles the clanking of a miniature hammer on an anvil, conjuring dwarves hard at work in their mines.

Above, an electric blue dragon fly.












Above left, a fern unfurling; right, some alien plant.


Above, the hanging roots of Clusia mangle (?), and new growth squirming out like a bright yellow worm.

The trail approaches a river, the delicious sounds of rushing water growing louder and louder. The water level that day was not very high, but there were very small pools, some quite deep, where one could possibly bathe. The water is frigid though, and does not encourage anything more than a quick dip.

Above, the river widens and forms shallow pools perfect for bathing tired limbs.

The trail continues up from the river. It is a steep climb upwards on what seems less like a mountain than an undulating landslide. I have no pictures from this hour of hiking as my hands were otherwise occupied, gripping slim tree trunks and sturdy roots, splayed over wet brown mud.

The dense, wet forest breaks suddenly into a flat and dry plateau. From the plateau, a view of the Monts Caraïbes, Gourbeyre, Basse-Terre, Baillif and if its clear, Les Saintes islands in the distance.

Above, a view of Basse Terre, and Les Saintes in the distance.

The trail slowly descends and as the forest thins, small plots of green onion suddenly appear. Soon, the trail opens out onto a clearing and a beautiful sloping hillside with a view of the Caribbean at the horizon.

Above, rows upon rows of green onion.

The trail finishes along a dirt road worn with truck tracks, and ends on a paved concrete road not far from the Clinique des Eaux Vives de Matouba.




La Trace Delgrès
A one way trail passing through dense humid forest at the foot of La Soufrière volcano. The trail crosses numerous ravines, and one river. The trail ends with a panoramic view of southern Basse-Terre. Picnic tables available at the beginning of the trail.
Location: Trail head is located behind the Beau Soleil picnic area on the Route des Bains Jaunes, north of Saint-Claude, in Basse Terre.
Duration: 4 ½ hours (ONF estimate is 3 hours)
Difficulty: Difficult. During hivernage (wet season) or after rain, the trail becomes incredibly muddy. After the river crossing, the trail climbs steeply over difficult terrain.
Parking: There is no official parking area for the Beau Soleil picnic area; park alongside the road. If a second vehicle is available, you may leave it in the parking lot of Clinique des Eaux Vives in Matouba, at the end of the trail.




(1) It is perhaps pointless to avoid muddying yourself. It is not altogether possible, especially during the ascent after the river crossing.

Plantain Pancakes

Sundays are made for extravagant breakfasts. Having successfully made plantain crepes, I tried making plantain pancakes. I used the Barry Farms recipe I had found while researching plantain flour. I halved the recipe, since I was only making pancakes for two. I also substituted melted butter for the cooking oil, since, I do love the butter.

Ingredients
1 cup plantain flour
1 ½ tsp baking powder
dash salt
1 ½ tbs sugar
1 egg
1 ½ tbs melted butter
½ cup milk

The batter is ashen in color, somewhat less appetizing than the creamy yellow color of a regular wheat flour batter. The recipe gives an incredibly thick batter. I ended up adding a few tablespoons more of milk just to thin the batter out. The pancakes turn out quite nicely, though, the ashen color turning golden brown in the pan. There is no perceptible difference in cooking time, and the edges crisp nicely in the butter. The texture is smooth, and dense, resembling bread. There are slight differences between the plantain pancakes and wheat flour pancakes, but I think the satisfaction is about the same.

My favorite type of pancakes are those made with buttermilk. I'm thinking about trying the recipe again, but replacing the milk with buttermilk. From the information I've found, plantain flour seems to rise less easily than wheat flour. I think the buttermilk might help to make the pancake fluffier, less bread-like. I just have to figure out how to make buttermilk, a product unknown in France, and certainly unknown in Guadeloupe.

Other Uses for Colombo Powder

When I first decided to make colombo six months ago, I had purchased a 250g bag of colombo powder at the supermarket. Two hundred and fifty grams of colombo powder is actually a lot, and certainly constitutes more dishes of colombo than I am ready to eat. So, what to do with all that powder? I had moment of food inspiration when I realized that I could use the colombo powder in Singapore Noodles.

Singapore Noodles is a fairly popular dish found on menus in almost all Chinese restaurants. It should be noted that the dish isn't actually from Singapore, but is rather an interpretation by (immigrant) Chinese cooks of the spicy noodle dishes common in Singapore. In any case, Singapore Noodles are usually made with vermicelli noodles, dyed a bright yellow by the turmeric in the curry powder, sauteed with peppers. The remaining ingredients - which can include shrimp, roast pork, strips of fried egg - depends largely on the cook. The recipe for BBC Good Food for Singapore noodles includes both a vegetarian and a meat version. Below is my recipe for Singapore Noodles. I change the quantities depending on what is available, whether or not the dish is supposed to be a stand alone dish, whimsy...

Ingredients:
Angel hair pasta
1 medium-sized onion, thinly sliced half moons
1 large bell pepper, julienned
3 - 4 piments vegetaliens (1), de-seeded, julienned
2 eggs, beaten
2 slices of ham, cut into strips
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 tsp grated ginger
3/4 tsp colombo powder
green onion, chopped
soy sauce

1. Boil a pot of water, cook the angel hair pasta according to package directions. Drain and set aside.

2. Heat some oil in a sauté pan. When the pan is hot, pour in the beaten egg.

3. Swish the beaten egg around to ensure an even layer over the bottom of the pan. Cook until the egg is set on the pan side, then flip the egg to cook the other side.

4. Remove the egg from the pan and cut the egg into thin strips.*

5. Heat some oil in a wok or sauté pan. When the oil is hot, throw in the garlic and turn down heat to medium. Cover and allow the garlic to cook for a minute. Then add the ginger.

4. Turn the heat back up to high. Throw in the onion, bell peppers, and piments. Stir the onions, bell peppers, and piments to make sure there is even cooking.

5. Once the onions and bell peppers have slightly softened, add the colombo powder. Stir to mix.

6. Turn the heat down to medium. Throw in ham strips, egg strips, green onion. Stir to mix.

7. Add angel hair pasta. Combine all ingredients. Add soy sauce and combine to coat.

* To save time, you do not have to cook the eggs separately. After sauteeing the onions and peppers, push them to the side, and pour in the beaten eggs. Stir the eggs. Once the eggs are scrambled, combine the egg with the onions and peppers. Add colombo powder and continue with the recipe as detailed above.

I like eating my noodles with Huy Fong sriracha, a veritable luxury given that a regular 17oz bottle costs almost 10€ (2). The noodles pictured above also have roast pork, but that is an additional step that requires a bit of planning. Sliced ham is a good stand in.

Singapore Noodles is something I would have never made before. My parents are from southern China, and this type of oil-heavy, spicy dish is not part of our cuisine. I don't associate it as food I would eat at home; It was always something we ate at canteens in Chinatown. But its been several years since I've moved out of my parents' home, and the food I cook is no longer defined solely by the ethnic background of my parents. Still, cooking Chinese food - and, in particular, Chinese food that I would have eaten at restaurants only - is challenging. I don't mean that technically, of course - any regular home cook with the right ingredients can manage Chinese food. I mean that it requires rearranging fixed ideas about my own abilities, and how I interact with my environment. Like learning to cook Korean food, daring to cook Chinese food is a definite gain.




(1)






(2) I imagine that the price is high because the sauce is twice imported: imported first by Frères Tang in Paris, then on to Guadeloupe by local importers.

Why Do I Blog?

A few days ago, The New York Times published an article about the high failure rate amongst blogs. According to the article most people begin blogging seeking fame and fortune. When those things fail to materialize, the blogger loses interest and the blog dies.

That article encouraged me to write a post about my own motivations for blogging. Why do I blog?

In my very first post, I wrote that I was beginning "with the same good intentions and aspirations of wit as hundreds of other amateur bloggers." It was vague and somewhat dishonest. But, about a month later, I was much more specific, writing:

I started this blog for a few reasons. I feel a blog is a wonderful way of sharing my experiences and my new life with family and friends, all of whom now live several layovers away. However, I blog mainly for myself - a reason, I think, that is fairly common amongst bloggers. I blog to reflect upon my experiences and my life in Guadeloupe, and to do so in an intelligent and thoughtful way. The prospect of having an audience ensures that I take the time to blog, and do so in a somewhat serious manner - both of which gives blogging a great advantage over a personal diary. Finally, I started this blog in hopes that it would help me adapt. I thought it might help me generate the excitement I lacked in making Guadeloupe my new home.

I had originally thought that blogging would be a good way to share my new life with my family and friends back home. I was mistaken about that. As my sister J. told me recently - simply and bluntly - 'I don't read your blog.' Although this is disappointing, it doesn't diminish my desire to blog.

I have no illusions that my blog will gain a large readership. Nor do I have expectations that my blog will lead to lucrative deals offering financial independence. Perhaps if I lived in Paris. Instead, I am the first to admit that Guadeloupe, and my life here, must interest very few people, if any at all. This suits me just fine.

Because I write this blog for myself. I don't think I had thought very hard before writing the post quoted above, but even then I had a very clear idea of why I was blogging.

Not wanting to seem stupid, I often research the topics I write about. Usually, research is just simple searches on the internet, but often it includes extensive reading. I have learned a lot this way. Blogging also encourages me to think thoughtfully about the things I learn, to understand Why Things Are the Way They Are. And somewhat miraculously, it has helped me feel more enthusiastic about living in Guadeloupe, as I had hoped it might. Certainly, blogging does not eliminate the enormous difficulties of making a new life here, but it seems to help.

I have the illusion that this is some grand adventure, and I, the brave explorer. Blogging gives me the impression that I am not alone in this strange new land, that there is at least one person who expects me to live through the day to write about it...

Blogging is a way of saying, I exist!

There is one reason that I did not foresee would become a motivation. I have not been very successful as a freelance translator, and the days and my life idle. Blogging allows me to work, to be productive. It is an outlet for my creative and intellectual energies, which otherwise would surely wither and die inside of me, making me very sick. Sometimes, on days where I have nothing to write, I come simply to look at my blog, fondly, as women past might have looked upon their children and said, "At least I have done this!"

I imagine that when I have made myself a real life in Guadeloupe, this blog will no longer be of use to me and I will allow it to simply die. But, I think those days are farther than I would like, and so, until then, I will continue to write.

Mammee Apple and Almond Tart

Encouraged by a successful pineapple coconut tart, I thought I might try another recipe from Sophie's tarts book (1). With pineapple and coconut as its main ingredients, that recipe was rather tropical to begin with. This time, I thought would use one of Sophie's more traditional recipes, but with local fruit and local flavors.

From Marie Denise's stand at the market in Basse Terre, I purchased a large abricot pays, or mammee apple (2). Abricot pays translates simply as 'local apricot.' It is almost always comic when comparing the 'original' fruit and its local namesake since there never seems to be much in common - one characteristic at most. The mammee apple is round and somewhat larger than a grapefruit. The skin is tan to dark brown in color, dry and hard. It peels off easily with a knife to reveal a beautiful deep orange flesh.

The color is similar to an abricot...or to a mango, or to acorn squash. The flesh must be cut away from the large round pit, a wet and messy procedure that recalls emptying a pumpkin of its seeds. The pit fits nicely in the palm of the hand like a ball of thin string pressed tightly together with great force. Cut into small pieces, the glistening fruit resembles some unknown precious stone.


The fruit smells curiously like royal jelly. It has no particular taste. But it slides slippery soft and sweet down the throat.

I decided to use Sophie's recipe for pear and almond tart (tarte aux poires et aux amandes). Two mammee apples and rum replace the can of pears in syrup and the pear liqueur.

Ingredients:
1 shortcrust pastry
2 mammee apples
100g crushed almonds
100g softened salted butter, cut into small cubes
1 egg
20g slivered almonds
2cl rum

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C. Roll out the shortcrust pastry over the tart pan. Gently press the pastry into the bottom and sides of the tart pan. Set aside in the refrigerator.

2. Peel the mammee apples. Cut the flesh away from the pit. Cut the flesh into thin slices.

3. In a medium-sized bowl, mix the sugar, butter cubes, crushed almonds, egg and rum.

4. Spread the crushed almond mixture in the bottom of the tart. Lay the mammee apples slices over the mixture. Sprinkle the top with the slivered almonds

5. Bake for 30 minutes.

I hadn't realized how large the pit was, and had only purchased one mammee apple. So my tart was a bit lacking in fruit. The tart was still edible of course, but the small flavor of the fruit was a bit overwhelmed by the quantity of tart. I am certain that bigger taste could be achieved with more fruit.

When cooked, the fruit wrinkles a bit like a raisin. I didn't find the wrinkles incredibly attractive, and so I would recommend mixing the mammee apples into the almond paste before pouring the entire mixture into the tart pan. I don't believe there is a technical reason behind laying the pear slices on top of the almond paste. And since the deep orange color is quite strong, it would still show up nicely underneath the paste.



(1)
Dudemaine, Sophie. Tartes et Salades de Sophie. Geneva: Éditions Minerva, 2004.



(2) Mammee Apple

La Mer

When I first arrived in Guadeloupe, I noticed almost immediately that many Guadeloupeans could not swim. At the beach, adults would wade into the water waist deep, but would go no further. Adolescents would squawk and screech if they strayed too far and found themselves unable to touch the bottom while children remained firmly planted on the shore, just where the waves would wash up on the sand.

It seems ludicrous that any Guadeloupean should not know how to swim - this is an island, after all. Shouldn't everybody know how to swim? But history has played a significant role in forming the modern day Guadeloupean and until the 1960's, Guadeloupe could be defined, by and large, as an agricultural society. The plantation or farm was the center of existence. Still, the explanation may go deeper than a traditional lifestyle tied to the land. Patrick Chamoiseau, a Martinican writer, says:

The sea in creole culture, its very particular. You must not forget that at the core, in the Antillais imagination, there is the slave trade. Therefore, I think that the sea represented for many generations the place of initial suffering. It had also been the place of imprisonment because the slaves who wanted to escape the slave plantations, they came up against the sea. So the sea was also the jailer. So that in a general manner, the Antillais did not look towards the sea until much later, moreover through the influence of tourism (1).

To be surrounded by miles and miles of sea, a source of regret, fear and hopelessness...such a terrible burden on the psyche of the Antillais.



(1) "La mer dans la culture créole, c’est très particulier. Il ne faut pas oublier qu’à la base, dans l'imaginaire antillais, il y a la traite des esclaves. Donc, je pense que la mer a représenté pour beaucoup de générations le lieu de la souffrance initiale. Ça a été aussi le lieu de l’enfermement parce que les esclaves qui voulaient fuir les habitations esclavagistes, ils butaient contre la mer. Donc la mer, c’était aussi la geôlière. Ce qui fait que d’une manière générale, les Antillais ne se sont tournés vers la mer que très tardivement, d’ailleurs sous l’influence du tourisme."
This quote was taken from the program Thalassa, France 3, shown on December 12, 2008.

Island Origins, 2

Above, left to right, Lilian Thuram, Teddy Riner and Gaël Monfils - just another high-level Antillais sports player.

One more player for Team Guadeloupe.

Gaël Monfils is a highly-ranked men's tennis player. He beat Andy Roddick, the favorite, this past Monday at Roland Garros 2009 (Monfils b. Roddick 6-4 6-2 6-3), but lost to Roger Federer before reaching the finals (Federer b. Monfils 7-6 6-2 6-4).

Unlike Thuram and Riner, Monfils was not born in the Antilles, but in Paris. However, because his father is from Guadeloupe and his mother is from Martinique, he is often referred to in French media as Antillais. Monfils began his tennis career at the age of 16, ending that year ranked 44th junior in the world. He had great success in the juniors and was considered one of the most promising young men's player from France. He has had difficulty in carrying over his initial successes - he has yet to win any major titles - but continues to perform well.

Brune,

In many ways, Guadeloupe presents an opportunity to perceive the world differently. I've noticed that there is a greater selection of Black women's magazines available in newsstands. Never having bought a Black women's magazine before, I now find myself drawn to them. Why exactly, I am not quite sure. There is the novelty, of course. But, when I flip through Elle, Vogue, Marie Claire,... it simply doesn't seem very interesting.

I came across Brune, magazine in December. I suppose you might call Brune, a women's 'lifestyle' magazine, focusing on fashion, beauty, health and entertainment. The French-language magazine is internationally distributed, and countries listed on the cover for pricing include France, Morrocco, Tunisa, Africa (no specific countries listed), Belgium, Switzerland, Canada, and the USA.

Some things that I like about Brune,:

- A gorgeous spread in the January/February '09 issue.


















Above, designs by José Esam, photographed by Ernest Collins, styled by Pascal Patrice.

- Introductions to African designers:

Above, catwalk photos from the 2009 Vlisco Fashion Show. From left to right, designs from Paul-Hervé Élizabeth, Karim Issaka, Thula Sindi, Eloi Sessou, Karim Issaka, Pepita D (Jan/Feb 2009).

- Beautiful black models

Above, Marion, photographed by Mario Epanya, styled by Patience Ohéma, make-up by Mario Epanya (May/June 2009).


















Above left, Didier, photographed by Ernest Collins, styled by Pascal Patrice, make-up by Mashu.
Above, right, photographed by Norman Pogson (Jan/Feb 2009).

Some of the articles are pretty interesting too. Numerous profiles on successful Black women. An interview with Lucette Michaux-Chevry, a long-time politician from Guadeloupe. Beauty tips adapted to heat and humidity.

I suppose it might seem strange for an Asian woman to be picking up a copy of Brune,. Surely, I am not what the editors had in mind as a reader. But it isn't any more strange than for me to be reading any of the magazines listed above. Those certainly weren't made with me in mind as a reader, n'est-ce pas?

Plantain Flour

Recently, I discovered plantain flour in the supermarket. I wasn't looking for it, but the colorful label caught my eye. Even though plantains are a staple in Antillais cuisine, plantain flour doesn't seem to be. After turning it over a few times I added it to my grocery cart.

Mostly, I was thinking about my mother. After a lifetime of eating wheat and wheat products, my mother discovered that she was allergic to wheat about a year ago. Its not a serious allergy, she can allow herself to eat wheat occasionally, but its preferable for her to avoid it. Giving up pasta and bread was not easy, but it was certainly easier thanks to a wide range of rice- or soy-based products found in Asian food stores.

Could plantain flour provide another wheat flour alternative?

Somewhat surprisingly, I wasn't able to find much information online. With the seemingly exponential increase of wheat and gluten allergies, I simply assumed that plantain flour would be one of many proposed alternatives, along with chickpea flour, soybean flour, fava bean flour, etc. Still, I was able to find some interesting tidbits:

*****

The Post-Harvest Compendium, an initiative of the UN Food and Agriculture Organization, has an interesting page on post-harvest operations for the plantain, including the production of plantain flour. Here is a description of how plantain flour is made:

Unripe plantain is traditionally processed into flour in Nigeria and in other west and central African countries. This traditional technology is equally present in Amazonian Bolivia. The preparation method consists of peeling of the fruits with the hands, then cutting the pulp into small pieces, and air drying them for few days. The dried pulp is then ground in a wooden mortar or a corn grinder. The flour produced is mixed with boiling water to prepare an elastic pastry (alama in Nigeria and foufou or fufu in Cameroon) which is eaten with various sauces. The colour of the flour obtained is more or less dark due to the action of browning enzymes. Some improvement of this traditional method, by blanching the plantain pulp at 80°C for 5 minutes and cutting them into round pieces, [...] followed by draining and drying in a drying oven at 65°C for 48 hours or in the sun for some days resulted in the production of a more or less whitish flour. Plantain flour containing 10 percentage of residual humidity and hermetically packed in plastic sachets can be kept for many months without deterioration of its qualities.

The passage goes on to describe various end products, such as fritters and cakes.

Plantains may be staples in many African countries, transformation of plantains into other products seems relatively new. In an issue of African Journal of Biotechnology (1), Nigerian researchers report on the use of wheat and soybean/plantain composite flours. The purpose of the study is to find an alternative to wheat flour bread, whose consumption is steadily rising in the country. As an imported product, wheat is expensive, and so efforts are being made to find alternatives that utilize locally grown produce. The researchers found that plantain supplemented breads had "comparable sensory and nutritional qualities," but required a high proportion of wheat flour to be able to rise.

Another Nigerian study sheds light on the reasons why the use of plantain flour is not widespread (2). They conclude that plantain flour would have to sell for almost twice the price of imported wheat flour in order to be profitable. This clearly illustrates the challenges of introducing a product that competes with wheat. Because there would be both economic and social benefits to weaning Nigeria off imported wheat, the authors of the study recommend government subsidies to encourage the production of plantain flour and plantain four products.

*****

Anyway, I thought I would start with something simple: crêpes. I used my sister Js recipe for crêpes, which calls for regular wheat flour. I substituted the wheat flour with plantain flour 1 for 1.

3 tablespoons plantain flour
3 teaspoons sugar
1/3 cup milk
1 egg
pinch of salt

The flour is somewhat ashen when compared to regular wheat flour. The seeds in the plantain are not removed and so add black specks to the flour. Plantain flour also has a different odor; it smells slightly sweet, oddly sour. Otherwise, it seems to look and feel quite the same.

The crepes turned out well. Crepes lend well to the substitution because there is no rising action required. There was no particular banana taste.

I'd like to try some other recipes, but I'm a bit reticent to find myself with some soggy, mushy mess. The packaging includes a recipe for a cake, but calls for a mixture of plantain and wheat flour. I also found a recipe for plantain flour pancakes on the website for Barry Farm, a producer in Ohio that carries a wide selection of wheat flour alternatives. Its been a long time since I had pancakes, my last box of pancake mix finished months ago. I think I'll give the plantain pancakes a go*. Its got a nice ring to it, doesn't it?

* I made plaintain pancakes two weeks later.


(1) Olaoye O. A., A. A. Onilude, O. A. Idowu. "Quality characteristics of bread produced from composite flours of wheat, plantain and soybeans."African Journal of Biotechnology Vol. 5, No. 11, 2 June 2006, pp. 1102-1106 (here)

(2) Ogazi, P.O. and K.G. Vaidya. "The Place of Plaintain in Bakery Products Production - Economic Aspects." ISHS Acta Horticulturae 123: VI African Symposium on Horticultural Crops. (here)