By Maya Mohammed
The Story
Fry bake is a traditionally Caribbean dish originating from Trinidad and Tobago, served in many different ways. This particular recipe comes from my grandmother on my father's side, and is one that she has perfected over the years.
I remember being a young kid visiting my grandparents in Collingwood and waking up to the tantalizing aroma of cooking fry bake. As my brother and I grew older, we started helping with the baking process, at first just by rolling the dough into balls and eventually by flattening out and cutting the pieces before placing them in the boiling oil. We would eat it with brown sugar and lemon juice, making what we called ‘breakfast beavertails’, or with salmon, which my grandma cooked as well.
These moments are some that I will cherish for the rest of my life; laughter and delicious food in the early mornings of summer vacation. I can feel the warmth and love from those times, which I recall fondly every time I have fry bake. I recently had the privilege of learning the steps from my grandmother over a Google Meet. The recipe isn’t complex, but it is full of meaning and familiarity. It was a lovely experience, baking this traditional food under her watchful eye and careful tutelage. For a minute, it felt as if she was standing there in the kitchen with me, closing the gap between us caused by the pandemic. I’m extremely grateful to have these connections with my family and my culture.
I remember being a young kid visiting my grandparents in Collingwood and waking up to the tantalizing aroma of cooking fry bake. As my brother and I grew older, we started helping with the baking process, at first just by rolling the dough into balls and eventually by flattening out and cutting the pieces before placing them in the boiling oil. We would eat it with brown sugar and lemon juice, making what we called ‘breakfast beavertails’, or with salmon, which my grandma cooked as well.
These moments are some that I will cherish for the rest of my life; laughter and delicious food in the early mornings of summer vacation. I can feel the warmth and love from those times, which I recall fondly every time I have fry bake. I recently had the privilege of learning the steps from my grandmother over a Google Meet. The recipe isn’t complex, but it is full of meaning and familiarity. It was a lovely experience, baking this traditional food under her watchful eye and careful tutelage. For a minute, it felt as if she was standing there in the kitchen with me, closing the gap between us caused by the pandemic. I’m extremely grateful to have these connections with my family and my culture.
The RecipeIngredients:
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