One reader remarked: “Mrs Maynard-Watson, I understand what you are doing. Yes! A commercial fruit cake made with Bajan grown fruit would be a game changer.”
As I read the above feedback from a reader of this column, I felt nostalgic because we are into the season of Bajan creativity at its best.
Further, the abundance of healing herbs and silent doctors cultivated in Barbados will assist with the necessary creative shift. I strongly believe that greatness is within all of us. It is for us to awaken that potential.
Foundation
Last week, all of the basic information pertaining to the foundation of a Bajan fruit cake, also known as black cake or great cake, was laid in that article. This week, the foundation will be expanded through the addition of silent doctors guava and mango (see accompanying graphic).
The website https://www. tuasaude.com/en/mangobenefits/ states: “Some studies show that polyphenols like gallic acid, chlorogenic acid, and ferulic acid can stimulate insulin production, lowering blood sugar levels and haemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), which is a measure of glycemic control and can indicate the presence of diabetes.
“Polyphenols may therefore have the potential to play an important supportive role in the management of diabetes.”
In retrospect, the golden apples and five fingers were already diced and placed in the sterilised bottle with the wine.
This week, we will pour that mixture with the wine into a saucepan and add another cup of wine. Wash and cut the chopped mango and guava without the seeds and add them to the mixture in the saucepan.
Simmer
Let the contents in the saucepan simmer over a low heat for about eight minutes. Allow the mixture to cool and add nutmeg and orange rind. The fruit will be poured back into the bottle and recapped.
Finally, the Bajan fruit cake is taking shape. We have many delicious fruits in the bottle and the aroma of the guava is the “hit” in this black cake. Of importance, the measurements in the final article of this series.
Please ensure that you collect all the publications in the series. I can feel your excitement as we move towards our final recipe and the production of the delicious 100 per cent Bajan black cake.
Next week: Lookout for the Bajan fruit cake penultimate article.
Annette Maynard-Watson, a teacher and herbal educator, may be contacted via [email protected] or by telephone 828-1565. DISCLAIMER: It is not our intention to prescribe or make specific claims for any products. Any attempts to diagnose or treat real illness should come under the direction of your health care provider.
