Beef Patties

Today Natalie and I went to the Broad Street Market (http://www.broadstreetmarket.org/) because I needed some basil (you'll see why in my next post). We found the basil and I grabbed some tangeloes because they looked good - and I was right because I just ate one: not too sweet, with a slight sour bite.

So we decided to continue walking to the Stone Market Building and on our way we ran into Kalin and Luke (maybe you two could comment and tell us about your experience at the market today?!!).

We weren't planning on buying lunch but when we walked by the Carib Soul vendor and I saw a nice tray of beef patties, I had to get one (Natalie held strong)!

Natalie says they look the meat pies made from humans in Sweeney Todd but don't let that gross image keep you from trying one. They are YUMMMMMMMY!

In 2004, I went on a service trip to Lucea, Jamaica with some Hollins students and along with ackee, breadfruit and freshly butchered chicken and goat, patties were a staple of our diet for the 7 days we were there. The flakey, sometimes greasy, crust and the almost pureed spicy beef filling is really addicting! Carib's had mild and hot patties and I got the mild, which still had a nice amount of spice to it. These tasted exactly like the kind I would buy from street vendors in Lucea! Patties are the same as empanadas, which is what they are called in Mexico and South America. Caribbean empanadas sometimes have a softer shell. I don't know exactly what's in the filling, but it's more fun not knowing.

Rebecca - do you have the recipe for empanadas you used to make in high school?

Carib Soul has lots of Caribean dishes which is nice for those who just got back from a vacation but don't want to stop with the island cuisine. The have jerk chicken and goat, rice and beans and fried plantains, just to names some. I will definitely be trying some more things here.