On a day that the record temperature of the year, 36 degrees Celsius, was registered, hundreds converged at the scenic Lopinot Heritage Site for another edition of Pot Spoon Throw Down, staged by the Tourism Development Company (TDC), under the aegis of the Ministry of Tourism. Everything was in abundance on Sunday-food, drink, handicraft, live entertainment and hot sun. Among the day's distinguished guests, all welcomed by TDC chairman Rajiv Shandilya, were Tourism Minister Stephen Cadiz; Minister of Arts & Multiculturalism Dr Lincoln Douglas; former Tourism Minister, and new Minister of Science & Technology Dr Rupert Griffith; Venezuela Ambas­s­ador Maria Eugenia Marcano Casado; NFM board member Alimuddin Mohammed; Ministry of Tourism PS Juliana Boodram; Venezuela Colonel Efien Barrios; former Miss Universe Janelle "Penny" Commissiong Chow; retired Commodore Anthony Franklyn; Brian Kuei Tung and historian Michael Anthony.
The day's programme was declared open by Shandilya and Five Rivers/Lopinot councillor Dianne Bishop. For the largest of the Pot Spoon Throw Down expositions staged thus far by the TDC, the entire grounds of the site was dotted with stalls, with cooks offering the indigenous cuisine of this lush community that lies nestled in the Northern Range. Among the day's attractions were a cooking competition among four teams, each being required to use cocoa as an ingredient in their meals, and a number of demo kitchens, with recipes being prepared by members of the champion T&T Culinary Team, led by chef Raymond Edwards. There were also demo kitchens by Lopinot residents Cyril Cooper (Criolle chocolate) and Yvette Garcia (Paimee).
The judging panel for the Community Best Cook Competition, co-ordinated by Michael Abaraham, included caterers Wendy Maynard and Nathalie McLean, and Ellerslie Plaza proprietor Malita Sharma, while the People's Choice panel included Thora Nexar, Deborah Thomas, Cliff Gopaul and T&T Guardian entertainment editor Peter Ray Blood.
Parang was the main ingredient in a lively entertainment package, co-ordinated by Pangroove Productions' Noel La Pierre, and staged the entire afternoon. The Venezuelan ambassador brought along a popular parang group, Trapiche Ensemble, from her homeland, from the town of Barinas. Also featured on the programme were Lopinot Con Amor; Lopinot Canarios; La Familia Gomez y Amigos; Indian dancer Renee Ramsay; Ms La Reine Rive 2011 and cuatrista Miss Lopinot Krystal Calbio; and Sherwood Park/Congo Rhythm Section. Keeping the entertainment going was DJ Phillo. Pot Spoon Throw Down travels to the Mayaro Recreation Grounds next Sunday, when chefs will be required to cook seafood and coconut-infused cuisine. Cadiz expressed his desire to continue on the work previously done by Griffith in building local tourism. He lamented that more nationals do not have an intimate knowledge of T&T, especially its natural wonders, as far as flora, fauna and environmental sites and locales are concerned.
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Pot Spoon Throw
Down Results
Community Best Cook Competition
1. Dulce Cocoa Panyols
2. Roses Castle
3. Caura Women's Group
People's Choice
1. Roses Castle
2. Mozorca
3. (A tie) Dulce Cocoa Panyols and Caura Women's Group