Christmas At Ohana Villa Tobago

When visiting the island of Tobago at Christmas time, you are in for a treat or two! To begin with for the whole of december the radio plays Christmas songs and carols – both old and modern. Now listening to ’sleigh bells ring’ & ‘chestnuts roasting on an open fire’ in the sun at first seems a bit absurd – however somehow it works on your subconscious – like a sort of drip-feed – getting you gently more and more in the mood for Christmas. At night the island also begins to look enchanted, as the stores and houses both big and small, all start to put up loads and loads of cheery Christmas lights – even the palm trees at the airport as you arrive are bedecked with pretty lights!

Behind the scenes in local houses the tradition is to paint the house, make and put up new curtains, clean the house from top to bottom – and that is just for starters. The local traditions for Christmas where food and drink are concerned are HUGE!

Special home made drinks are made – Sorrel which is a red drink made from the sorrel pods – (you can try this also as a shandy mixed with Carib beer) – fresh ginger beer is made – as is our own take on eggnog – which is called ponche creme – and this is delicious. Home made sweets are also made – check out the ladies at the airport who sell fresh sesame balls – and nut brittles and coconut sugarcakes.

Now the baking – most homes will bake their own bread and cakes and there is one cake that every home will definitely bake and that is a ‘black cake’. The name does not sound especially beguiling, but oh the taste! Most cooks will have been soaking fruit like raisins, currants, prunes, and other bits in a huge bottle full of local rum. The fruit gets positively drunk by the time it is ready to be added to the other cake ingredients and this is what makes it so special. So special in fact that it even gets it’s own special mention in the international US Gourmet Magazine.

By Diana Burrell, Globe Correspondent | December 13, 2006
The late Laurie Colwin, novelist and beloved food writer for “Gourmet” magazine, left her legions of fans with a cake recipe so intriguing, it inspires discussion whenever her name is mentioned. In the last essay of “Home Cooking: A Writer in the Kitchen,” Colwin wrote, “Black Cake, like truffles and vintage Burgundy, is deep, complicated and intense. It has taste and aftertaste. It demands to be eaten in a slow, meditative way.”

How true! And we can give you a family secret to enhance the flavour even more – pour a little 1919 rum into the pretty little blue and gold Ohana glasses and serve up with each piece of cake – delicious! Rena usually has her bottle of rum and fruit somewhere hidden on the premises – so don’t worry she will have some of this delicious cake for you.

But to be honest – ever since we have been going to France for Christmas, and not using the house for ourselves, there have been ‘bunfights’ for the Christmas booking! We had the Christmas booking for 2008 made and confirmed in July of 2007. And so far we have had to disappoint many enquiring about 2008.

We have also been getting many bookings where the first week, was spent at another villa as we have been full – and whilst we are happy that both returning and new guests love Ohana as much as we do, we are always sad when guests are unable to book their particular dates. So we do advise that you contact us early on to avoid any disappointment. As well the flights at Christmas can get a bit scarce due to both nationals and island guests coming down for the holidays – so again, early booking of flights is advisable.

And as the Christmas booking usually runs on to the New Years – well here is what happens on the island. First of all New Year’s Eve is called ‘Old Years Night’ and it is party night with fireworks every where! And as all local festivals seem to be food related ‘Old Year’s Night’ always means black eye peas & rice – a delicious mix beans and rice and meats and herbs, using the baked ham bone for extra flavour – (at Ohana we always have a baked ham at Christmas). This is usually served with Rena’s stewed chicken with plenty of delicious gravy.

And at the stroke of 12 – Midnight – make sure you are in the gazebo – chilled champagne at the ready to welcome in the New year – and to see the beautiful fireworks starting from the Blue Haven right next door, right down the bay to the Hilton Hotel. Us girlies always run down to the beach for a paddle, lifting our long dresses up – the water is so warm at night! The men never join us for some reason – they just stand and stare down at us!

And the party goes on – with the help of the Ohana sound system, and not an ‘Old Year’s Night’ goes by without a bit of help from the Barry White CD – which reminds me – note to self – that particular CD is getting a bit worn out now from so many fun nights at Ohana and definitely needs replacing . . .

If you are interested in Christmas at Ohana please contact us through the main Ohana Website.

~ by ohanavilla on January 28, 2008.