Hi Everyone,
This week begins a 4-part series of a gathering of Tastes Like Home friends that was held in July of this year. The meet-up was coined the Fort Lauderdale Soirée by Al Fernandes (not his real name).
To maintain the privacy and identity of those at the soirée, only their online handles will be used.
We’ve all been gyaffing for a while now, not only through this column but many of us have been chatting in person and online, particularly, CAG, Al Fernandes and Observer. Each week, without failure, they turn up online at the Tastes Like Home page to playfully rant, rave, and tease, all the while educating. On many occasions I do not even have to be a part of the conversation, so comfortable are they with each other that I often sit back, content to be entertained by the banter and barbs as they go back and forth.
Sometime in 2012, I made a suggestion that we all meet-up. Through their comments, I knew that CAG and Al have been living outside of Guyana for a long time and I got the impression that Observer moved frequently between the United States and Guyana. What prompted me to suggest the meeting was the depth of knowledge of people, places and things in Guyana that they referenced in each of their weekly comments. I wanted them to take me on a tour of Guyana. Al put a damper on things (for me) when he stated that he could not travel anywhere until 2014 (I was hoping that we would have met up in 2013). For me 2014 seemed far away and I temporarily shelved the idea. As 2013 drew to a close, I realised that 2014 was just a few weeks away and so I again brought up the idea of us meeting up.
After many emails, juggling of schedules and dates, and a threat of with or without you issued to Observer, the Food-Ins of Guyana (FIG) finally settled on the weekend of July 24 – 27. CAG gets credit for naming the group and ahem, he is also the self-appointed President of the group. Given that they all were based in the United States, and certain logistics, we decided that we’d meet up in Fort Lauderdale. As the time drew near we were all filled with nervous excitement. We were strangers who were going to meet and see each other for the first time. Impressions and expectations loomed large. In many ways it seemed crazy. Who leaves their home in this day and age to travel long distances to meet up with a set of strangers whom you’ve only known through the Internet? Apparently we do.
Al and his wife Mar offered to be our on-the-ground hosts. I arrived and was warmly greeted by Al and Observer with his camera in hand; his intention was to capture the weekend on film. I joined Observer’s wife in the back seat of the car and we sped away from the airport. We all fell into an easy and comfortable chatter; it was as if we were old friends. With such comfortable familiarity I soon found myself with no one to talk to – they were all busy with their cellphones! One talking with his earpiece, another texting and the other one checking mail. I couldn’t help remarking, “Huh, and they say that it is the young people who are always on the cell phone and have no time for face to face conversations.” You see, all the Food-Ins are retirees hence my young people comment.
We arrived at Al & Mar’s and were greeted with a sign on the door – Welcome to Paradise – FIG Soirée. Mar’s cheerful smile and warm embrace made us all feel at home and before you knew it, she was sending us out on errands to pick up treats she had ordered for the pre-dinner munching. So off Al, Observer, Pat and I went while Mar continued to busy herself in the kitchen preparing the welcome dinner.
Now I need to explain here that Mar is Jamaican.
We drove around, picked up Jamaican Beef Patties, Hard-dough bread and Sweet Potato Pie/Pudding. On our way back we wondered if CAG and his wife (Desi) had arrived.
Upon return to Al & Mar’s, Al noted an unfamiliar car parked. Could it be that the President had arrived? Al reached the top of the stairs, opened the door and I watched as a broad smile spread across his face. He turned to us who were still making our way up
the stairs and declared with pure unadulterated joy, “He’s here!” The President (CAG) and his charming wife, Desi had indeed arrived. The soirée began! We all hugged, kissed and hugged again. Soon the house was filled with laughter and merry chatter. Amidst chips and salsa, Jamaican patties, Solomon Gundy and crackers, fruits, iced tea and other drinks, we laughed and talked our way to the dinner table.
Dinner was a feast, Jamaican style (yes, for a gathering of Guyanese!). On the menu was Jerk Pork, Barbecue chicken, Escoveitch King fish, Rice and Peas (pigeon/gungo), stir-fry cabbage and garden salad. Dessert was Sweet Potato Pudding. Accompanying the meal were Pinot Grigio and a fruity Vintners Red from San Sebastian Winery in Florida. We sat long at the table marvelling that we had actually gotten together. The most surprising thing was that food had brought us together. While I have a little understanding of the power of food, I felt absolutely humbled that this column – Tastes Like Home – had made such a meeting happen.
Al said of the weekend: “What I found amazing was the way we ‘immediately’ connected and the bonding that took place. Coming from different journeys and experiences of life, we met and accepted each other without reservation. To me the humour, laughter, fun, interaction, openness and candidness was something I had never experienced before with people I had never met previously. It is an experience that I will always cherish. I will do it again.”
CAG wrote to say, “It was indeed a very happy Happening which is forever etched in our (his and Desi’s) memories and would be cherished until our last day on planet earth.”
Observer has expressed time again the same sentiments as Al and CAG.
As the true Food-Ins we are, no sooner had we completed dinner, dishes cleared, and drinks in hand that the conversation turned to brunch the following day. While Mar was the chef for dinner, Al was going to be the brunch chef, making us his signature bakes!
Apron donned, powerful hands kneading dough, Al had on his game face! De man serious about his bakes, but I can’t tell you more, at least not now. Come back next week for Part 2, featuring Al’s bakes.
Cynthia
