Chow, a Trinbagonian Delight

Chow is an undeniable part of our country's culinary culture. Whether it is mango, pineapple, sour cherries, cucumber or any other fruit, if it can be cut up and seasoned with the necessary ingredients it can be made into chow.

Eden’s Sweet and Sour Hot Spot has been selling chow and other goodies for over eight years at the popular lookout on the North Coast Road in Trinidad. According to them a good chow is seasoned with salt, black pepper, garlic and chadon beni which, they stress, is the most important ingredient. Pepper is optional and you can use half ripe or even green fruit. There are many people who are self-proclaimed expert chow makers and they may include other ingredients in their chow making but I think they will all agree that chadon beni is a must!

We left Eden’s with four types of chow so we could have an informal survey of which one was the best, back at the MEP/Discover T&T office. Our survey showed a landslide victor after our colleagues tried the mango, pineapple, sour cherry and pommecythere (from the French pommes-de-terre) chow. Mango, the most common fruit to be made in to chow, was the clear winner. They said it had the best texture and the right balance between sweet, spicy and sour.

Everyone has a favourite type of chow and luckily you can enjoy chow year round as a quick snack or even decide to serve it as a treat at your next party.

Fast Facts

• Sour cherry and mango chow - $5 per bag
• Pommecythere chow - $3 each
• Pineapple chow - $9 for 3 slices
• Eden’s Sweet and Sour Hot Spot is open six days a week, Wednesday to Monday

Aisha and Ariann are ready to reacquaint themselves with and in some cases ‘meet’ Trinidad and Tobago. Follow as these two travel to different places and interact with a multitude of faces while ‘Discovering T&T’.