WRAP ROTIS OF TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO
THE END
Ingredients
Scott Goodman
BBB 4M1
Mrs. Bottema
- Roti is the type of bread that wraps the meat
- Usually is chicken, but can be beef, or even goat
- Sometimes has beans or curried potatoes
- What you are eating is chicken and curried potatoes wrapped in roti bread
Special Celebrations and Feasts
Roti Shops
Two Truths and a Lie
Trinidad and Tobago
- Carnival is a big celebration, a street party, with lots of loud, traditional Caribbean music playing
- Carnival is very tourist friendly
- It is a great time to meet locals and try food
- Corpus Christi is a feast celebrated by the Roman Catholics
- Tobago Heritage Festival is a Tobago festival where different villages of the island get together, in costumes, and sing and dance, as well as having food samples, also tourist-friendly
- Religious celebrations like Christmas, Diwali, Eid, etc. that happen in North America also happen
- It is sometimes appreciated to leave a small tip at a Trinidad and Tobago restaurant, which is given directly to the waiter in cash
- The napkin is left on the table during the meal so that it can be accessed quickly
- Rotis are quite messy, so roti shops generally have a sink or bathroom to wash up after eating
- Sort of a mix between a convenience store and a fast-food place as we know them
- You can buy other snacks and drinks there, as well as Caribbean souvenirs
- Bathrooms to use to wash up as rotis are quite messy
- Lively atmosphere with loud Caribbean music
Tipping at Restaurants
- Located in the Lesser Antilles of the Caribbean
- Two main islands, Trinidad and Tobago
- Capital is Port-of-Spain, which is on the north side of the Trinidad island
- Population is 1,346,350 people
- In general, Trinidadians do not tip at restaurants
- Small tips are appreciated, however, even though the tip is not expected
- Lots of restaurants include a 10% service charge on the bill, which is usually split equally between waiters
- Tips on top of that are physically given to the waiter in cash, not added on to the bill
Table Manners
Questions for the Class
Other Interesting Information
- Custom is to eat with the fork in the left hand and the knife in the right
- Hands have to be kept in sight, so you would rest your wrists on the edge of the table
- Napkin is placed on the lap
- Similarly to us, when you are finished eating, you place your fork and knife together on the plate
- This indicates to the waiter or the host that you are done
Wrap Rotis
1. Do Trinidadians tip at restaurants in general?
2. What is the custom for having a second helping when eating in someone's home?
3. What is the most popular food dish during the Carnival?
4. What do you do with utensils to indicate that you are done eating?
- Wrap rotis originated in southern Trinidad in the mid 1940s
- Created by Sackina Karamath, who also opened the first roti shop, Hummingbird Roti Shop, in San Fernando, Trinidad
- Rotis are something that can be grabbed as fast food, particularly when you buy from a street vendor
- The roti shop atmosphere is somewhat different from a fast-food place with the loud music playing and liveliness
- A similarity between roti shops and regular fast-food places is the counter service
- Can be found in some restaurants
- Generally served, however, at street vendors or "roti shops" which are shops specializing in wrap rotis throughout the West Indies
- Can be eaten sitting down with utensils, or as a sandwich on the go
MEAL HABITS AND MEAL CUSTOMS
Rotis/ Shops in Canada
WRAP ROTIS
- As is the case in North America, the meal begins with drinks in Trinidad and Tobago
- Appetizers come before the entree, which is the same as North America as well
- Food is eaten as it comes, but as Trinidadian meals are often longer and more conversation-based, there may be a longer wait between courses than in North America
- If you are eating in someone's home, you do not ask for a second helping of food, although it is fine to accept if offered
- At a restaurant, you do not call the waiter's name, you indicate that you need something or that you're finished by making eye contact
A West Indies Delicacy
(TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO)
By Scott Goodman
- Roti shops are also common in cities outside of the Caribbean with a large Caribbean population
- Toronto and Montreal are two examples of Canadian cities with a high Caribbean population
- Roti shops can be found in Toronto and all over the GTA
- We have more than one roti shop in Oakville (Kori's Rotis on Speers and Ranee's Rotis on Kerr)
- Roti shops in general are independently owned, there aren't big chains like McDonalds or Tim Hortons, and the idea is that each is somewhat unique
Common Food Dishes
Food History
- Corn soup is a very popular dish- especially during Carnival, when it is probably the most popular
- Curried chicken is very popular- reflecting the country's Indian heritage
- Split peas are used to prepare "dahl", which is sort of a lentil stew, with rice and vegetables- reflects Indian heritage and is also widely eaten through the Indian Subcontinent
- Rotis are very popular, but so, too, is the roti bread by itself
ETIQUETTE TIPS
- Cursing/foul language is taken much more seriously than here, so at restaurants or anywhere, you have to watch what you say
- Business meals, in particular, are expected to be very conversation-based, and although you will be fed well, you could be there socializing for a few hours
- When meeting locals for dinner, it's proper to dress more on the formal side and arrive 10-15 minutes late for the meal
- When you are inside, you do not sit down right away, as there could be prior seating arrangements made
Significance of Wrap Rotis
- Indian and African food present in Trinidad and Tobago due to the Indian and African heritage
- Examples include meats such as chicken in stews or with curry, or different items like couscous, which is similar to rice but even smaller individual pieces
- Carib-Indian history specifically in Trinidad and Tobago leads to there being Caribbean food and Indian food
- Lots of the food has always been cooked with or served with beans, chick peas, or lentils
- Also some American food (meats such as chicken, comfort food) due to the close proximity to America
- Not a "fancy food" or something in high-class restaurants by any means
- Famous for being a "fast" food, and that's why it isn't often found in restaurants
- Serves a purpose as being something that people can grab quickly and eat when they are in a hurry, or on their way somewhere
- Being a sandwich style food, people can eat it while on the move and do not generally have to sit down
- The issue with that is that it is a messier food, so you have to be careful if you are eating it on the go