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Chef Simeon Hall Jr’s Summer Series - Advanced grilling techniques

Hey there, grilling enthusiasts! Con gratulations, you’ve made it through each installment of my sizzling summer grilling how-to series. Now, get ready for a treat as we dive into some of my advanced grilling tips, a few of which I reserve exclusively for the seasoned grilling masters.

Smoke is an ingredi ent too

In the world of barbecu ing – or oops, I mean grilling – we often put a lot of focus on seasoning or marinating our grilled entrées and expertly matching them with side dishes. However, it’s crucial to keep in mind that smoke – something that’s often overlooked – also plays a significant role as a key ingredient in the grilling process. It impacts not only the flavour of the grilled food, but also its overall character, including its taste and even its safety.

How often have you found yourself at a grill-out or passing by someone in the midst of grilling, only to witness thick, grayish-black smoke billowing out from every crevice of the BBQ grill? It’s important to recognise that this grayish-black smoke is not only unpleasant but also potentially harmful. In such instances, the grilled food itself absorbs these toxic fumes. This hazardous smoke often results from the griller’s choice of using treated construction wood, such as old pallets, or scrap wood, which can emit harmful substances. Alternatively, the griller might have started the fire using Diesel or gasoline, both of which are highly toxic.

To steer clear of such potential health hazards while grilling, it is recommended to opt for either charcoal or food-safe wood instead.

When using charcoal, I highly recommend using cooking oil or food-safe paper, such as butcher paper or wax paper, to ignite your fire. When selecting food-safe wood for grilling, you have the option of choosing imported woods like oak or applewood, or locally-sourced fruit tree woods like mango, dilly, and coconut. (Chef’s

recommendation: Coconut bark is an ideal wood for grill fires)

If you opt for grilling using locally-sourced fruit tree woods, the crucial point to keep in mind is that it should be completely dried before use. If you try using wood that’s still green or hasn’t had sufficient time to dry properly over 1-2 years, you’ll probably find yourself generating a substantial amount of toxic fumes during your grilling session, and it will also take longer for your grill fire to ignite.

Ditch the foil for crispy- skinned baked potatoes

Just the other day, I went to a local cookout and treated myself to a steak and chicken dinner, complete with the classic ‘steak-out’ fixings : grilled corn, a dinner roll, and the obligatory ‘baked’ potato wrapped in foil. I’ve got to be honest, the meal didn’t exactly hit the mark in terms of deliciousness.

Wrapping baked potatoes in foil is a bit of a culinary misstep. When you wrap a potato in foil, what you end up with is more of a steamed potato rather than the more appetising, crispy-skinned baked potato we all crave. If you’re aiming to achieve a baked potato that can easily rival the ones you’d get at a top-notch steakhouse and put any foil-wrapped potato to shame, just follow my recipe below.

Chef’s tip: Any grilling master worth their salt will tell you to always add a pinch of finishing salt at the end of grilling. A finishing salt is a type of salt that’s added to a hot dish just before it is served to introduce another layer of texture and flavour. Common types of finishing salts include flaky sea salt, fleur de sel, Maldon salt, and various specialty salts infused with herbs, spices, or other natural elements.

‘Better Than Steak-Out’ Baked Potato

Ingredients: Potatoes (desired quantity)

Vegetable oil

Sea salt or kosher salt

Instructions:

1. Wash and dry the potatoes.

2. Roll potatoes in a thin layer of vegetable oil.

3. Sprinkle sea salt or kosher salt generously over the oiled potatoes.

4. Preheat the oven to 385-400°F (196-204°C).

5. Place potatoes on a baking sheet or oven rack.

6. Bake for 50 minutes to an hour, until tender and crispy.

7. Keep the cooked potatoes in a dry warmer until ready to serve.

8. Serve as a delicious and crispy side dish.

Go-to finishing grill salt

Ingredients:

1 cup smoked Maldon salt

1 cup kosher salt

1 cup fried garlic (available at most Asian markets)

1 cup fried shallots (available at most Asian markets)

1/2 cup coarse freshly cracked black pepper

Instructions:

1. In a mixing bowl, combine the smoked Maldon salt and kosher salt. Mix them together thoroughly.

2. Add the fried garlic and fried shallots to the salt mixture. Break up any clumps and ensure an even distribution of the ingredients.

3. Sprinkle in the coarse freshly cracked black pepper. Mix everything together until well incorporated.

4. Transfer the finished finishing salt into an airtight container.

Coconut Water Switcha

Ingredients:

4 cups fresh coconut water

1/2 cup simple syrup (1/2 water and 1/2 white sugar)

Juice from two (2) limes

Ice

Coconut pulp (jelly)

Lime slices

Instructions:

1. In a pitcher, combine 4 cups of fresh coconut water and add 1/2 cup of simple syrup, which is made by mixing equal parts water and sugar.

2. Stir well to dissolve the sugar. Then, squeeze the juice from 2 limes into the mixture, adding a zesty kick of flavour.

3. Fill glasses with ice to keep your Coconut Water Switcha refreshingly cold.

4. Pour the coconut mixture over the ice. For added texture and taste, add coconut pulp, also known as jelly, in each glass. Garnish with slices of lime, if desired.

CHEF SIMEON HALL, Jr (Photo_Melissa Alcena)

New documentary to highlight killer mother-son duo who committed murder in the Bahamas

ANEW TV documentary about “Mommy and Clyde” killers Sante and Kenny Kimes, who lived in Nassau, Bahamas, during the 1990s, will be shown on Discovery Channel on September 4. It is part of the channel’s murder series that began on July 31.

Among the talking heads taking part are Mrs Kimes’ son Kent Walker and The Tribune’s former managing editor John Marquis, who interviewed the killer in her New York prison in 2011.

The evil pair, who were jailed for 120 years in 2000, drowned a banker in the bath of their Cable Beach home in 1996 before embarking on a con-and-kill spree across America.

The victim, 46-year-old banker Syed Bilal Ahmed, had flown into Nassau from the Cayman Islands to investigate financial irregularities in the accounts of Ms Kimes’ late husband Ken, who died in 1994.

Mrs Kimes had kept her late husband ‘financially alive’ by using his various credit and debit cards.

After the drowning, she and Kenny fled to the States, where they continued their life of crime.

They were caught after murdering New York socialite Irene Silverman in 1998 while trying to “steal” her $10-million Manhattan mansion.

This will be the second major TV documentary about the crime duo, who became known to police as “Mommy and Clyde”.

Mr Marquis, who now lives in the UK, said: ‘The Kimes family seem to be a popular topic for movie and

New movies to stream

By The Associated Press

Gal Gadot gets her “Mission: Impossible”-style action film in the international espionage thriller “Heart of Stone.”

The film, debuting today on Netflix, stars the “Wonder Woman” actor as a superspy for a shadowy global peacekeeping agency called the Charter. “Heart of Stone,” directed by Tom Harper, boasts plenty of stunt sequences and international locales, with Gadot starring alongside Jamie Dornan, Alia Bhatt, Keya Dhawan and Sophie Okonedo.

Harry and Meghan have competition. In “Red, White and Royal Blue,” the royal rom-com adaptation of Casey McQuiston’s bestseller, Nicolas Galitzine (“Cinderella”) stars as British prince Harry and Taylor Zakhar Perez (“The Kissing Booth”) plays the son of the first female US

president (Uma Thurman). They’re initially bitter rivals who cause a media frenzy when they tussle and fall into a cake at a royal wedding. But in the film, directed by playwright Matthew López, a resulting PR campaign brings them closer. “Red, White and Royal Blue” premieres today on Prime Video.

Mario is a-here. Since early August, “The Super Mario Bros. Movie” has been streaming on Peacock, bringing one of the year’s biggest box office hits to the NBCUniversal platform. Back when the film (the second attempt at a big-screen adaptation of the Nintendo videogame) opened in theaters in April, it raced to more than $1.3 billion at the global box office. In my review, I called this “Mario” “okey-dokey,” writing: “As nice as it is

documentary makers, but this (documentary) promises to be one of the best programmes about them.

“Sante Kimes and I talked for three hours at a women’s high security prison in Westchester County, New York. Though she admitted nothing, she was eager to talk because she misguidedly thought I could help get her a new court hearing.”

She died in 2014, in her prison cell at the Bedford Hills Correctional Facility for Women in New York, where she was serving a life sentence plus 125 years. Her son Kenny remains in prison in Los Angeles.

Mr Marquis said: “I asked Kenny, through an intermediary, if I could see him to talk about his crimes, but he refused.”

“My book, ‘Evil and Son’, is one of several written about the pair, but Mrs Kimes claimed to have read none of them. She was in denial right to the end.”

Mr Marquis, a journalist for 50 years, retired from The Tribune in 2009, but continues to write books at his home in Cornwall, England.

to look at ‘The Super Mario Bros. Movie,’ it’s not anywhere near as fun as it would be to play it.”

Writer Jake Coyle

SANTE and Kenneth Kimes Jr. during an interview with “60 Minutes” in 1999. The two were charged with murder in 1998. (Photo_CBS via Associated Press)

AUTHOR and former Tribune Managing Editor John Marquis

Colyn Kristopher

This singer-songwriter believes he has been given a gift and he is determined to share it with the world through praise and worship. He tells Cara Hunt about how his late mother inspired him and how a major setback turned out to be a blessing in disguise.

Colyn Kristopher’s songwriting journey began in 2008 when he turned to his mother and told her he had an interest in writing a song. Her response was simply, “So write it.”

“I did just that and wrote my very first song. From then on, every time I wrote a song, her words have been at the forefront of my mind,” he said.

“My mom passed away in 2012, a week before Mother’s Day, and life has never been the same. But every time I write now, I hear her voice and those words mean more to me now than ever.”

His mother was always been his first and greatest supporter and inspiration.

“My mom was also a singer; she sang classical music, and so from the moment that she knew that I could sing, she had me singing at every wedding and funeral. She had me in every talent show and contest. She truly cultivated my gift.”

As he got older, his mom would ask him to assist her in practicing for her performances.

“I asked her why she wanted me to help, and she told me, ‘You have a gift greater than my own.’ That just blew me away, that she believed so much in me.”

While he loved listening to gospel music greats such as Kirk Franklin and Donnie McClurkin, he drew most of his inspiration from an unexpected place.

“I liked listening to them, but I would really pay attention to their back-up singers. If the back-up singers are on the point, then the artist is on point. They can make or break a song, and so I would always study their dynamics and their crescendos, and then I would try to mimic that,” he explained.

Colyn knew that he wanted to make music ministry his career and so he attended the World Harvest Bible College, now Valor Christian, in Columbus, Ohio. He obtained his Associates in Music Ministry in 2011 and one in Advance Ministry Leadership in 2012. He also got a Bachelor’s degree in Business Management from Ohio Christian University in 2016.

“While getting my education, I developed an even greater passion to lead people into worship. Eventually, I found myself leading worship at five different churches every weekend for the duration of my educational journey. They were all different denominations, so the challenge of adapting to each culture was fun. But even though the cultures were different, the God we serve was and is the same. My approach to worship never had to change, which made my job even easier than it already was, because this is what I love and was born to do.”

Colyn faced a setback in 2019, when he failed a college course which ended his quest to obtain a Master’s degree and forced him to return home.

It was a setback which turned out to be a major blessing.

“I really had no plans to be at home,” he said. “It really felt like being on a sinking ship, because you have to work so hard when you are at home in this industry.

“Coming back home in August 2019 was challenging and I began to lose hope in ever returning to the US. I tried to re-enrol, but things just weren’t working out. But thank God that while I was trying to figure things out, God made a way for me to find steady employment.

“September 1, 2019, Hurricane Dorian hit and that slowed things down a bit. And as if the bad news couldn’t get any worse, when I tried to re-enrol for school, COVID hit. At this point I started to give up. Unable to fulfil my dreams as a worship leader in Nassau as I did in Ohio, I became disappointed.”

Disappointment led to frustration for Colyn.

“I grew angry at God, and before I knew it, I was in a backslidden state. But even in that state, God provided, protected, removed people out of my life and brought people into my life.”

One of those people that came into his life was Sherwin Gardner, an award-winning Caribbean gospel artist.

“He saw something in me that I had forgotten all about. In 2020, he took me under his wing and became a mentor and big brother to me. Within a year my whole life shifted,” he said.

Colyn said it was then that he felt that his gift would provide a path for him in life.

“I started to make a name for myself here in the Bahamas. I feel like once you can make a name at home, where it is often

history

hardest, then you can make it. That is when I knew things would be OK and I would be able to make an impact.”

And Colyn has certainly made an impact. In addition to currently serving as the worship team captain at his home church, Bahamas Harvest Church, he won this year’s Bahamas Gospel Music Award for Traditional Song of the Year with his song “Watch God Move”.

And last month, he was celebrated as an emerging gospel artist at the 50th Anniversary Gospel Honours.

“In 2021, I had my very first live recording, which has always been a dream of mine ever since I began writing my own songs. God changed my life that year…during a pandemic.”

Colyn now has a new song that came out of that live recording called “Fire Gonna Fall”. Some of his other songs include “Follow”, “Holy”, and “I Found a Love”.

However, his favourite of his own song is still the award-winning “Watch God Move”.

“This is a song I first started writing in Bible College back in 2014, but then I put it down and didn’t finish it until I entered the Take Your Place contest (a talent show for emerging artists hosted by American gospel musician and former baseball player Todd Dulaney).”

Colyn beat out hundreds of other contestants to place in the top four.

Looking towards the future, his immediate plans are to tour the Bahamas and then the Caribbean, and then maybe the rest of the world.

“I know that my voice is a gift, and when you have been given something precious like this, you have to take to care of it. I want to continue to use it to bless and give glory to God and to minister to people so that they are impacted positively.”

SINGER’s patent model for his sewing machine

paint (5) 26 The leader, elderly, instructed (4)

27 Spread is less rapid when treated (9)

13 Impinge, 15 Reason, 16 Lonely, 17 Scant, 20 Pen.

Pageant, 11 Fragile,

THE ALPHABEATER

Sudoku is a number-placing puzzle based on a 9x9 grid with several given numbers. The object is to place the numbers 1 to 9 in the empty squares so the each row, each column and each 3x3 box contains the same number only once. The difficulty level of the Sudoku increases from Monday to Sunday

C T C I A R P O A

● The Target uses words in the main body of Chambers 21st Century Dictionary (1999 edition)

HOW many words of four letters or more can you make from the letters shown here?

In making a word, each letter may be used once only. Each must contain the centre letter and there must be at least one nine-letter word. No plurals. Verb forms ending in S permitted’.

TODAY’S TARGET

Good 20; very good 30; excellent 40 (or more). Solution tomorrow

Yesterday’s Sudoku Answer

Call 0907 181 2585 for today’s Target solution

*Calls cost 80p per minute plus your telephone company’s network access charge.

CRYPTIC PUZZLE

Across

1 Dot carried from premises? (5,5)

6 Moves the camera round to take a shot (4)

10 Fresh loans required for a hairdressing business (5)

11 Rebelling against authority gets run in perhaps (9)

12 Does turn dead miserable (8)

13 Colour being inexperienced (5)

15 Sideways? (2-5)

17 It’s more tasteful in North Africa (7)

19 Torture chaps in the wrong (7)

21 Handy place for a painter to mix his colours (7)

22 Hibernian flag on hospital (5)

24 Trust Mao to show greater cleverness (8)

27 A speech deliberately derived (9)

28 Point to weak track of an animal (5)

29 Plants in groups (4)

30 A quality one considers oneself worthy to have (4-6)

Down

1 Advertise a job (4)

2 Peevishness I shall moderate (3,6)

3 Beat and energy expressed in a dance (5)

4 Manila’s new fauna (7)

5 Superlatively relaxed - that is the point in the Orient (7)

7 Egghead in cine-play is a relation (5)

8 Tidy instruction for the anagram solver (3,2,5)

9 The prototype of a girl in love possibly (8)

14 In bar seats perhaps but they won’t be drinking (10)

16 Seen round the trunk of this tree maybe (3,5)

18 Put in for one stripe perhaps (9)

20 Complicated counter beat (7)

21 Doesn’t encourage delays (4,3)

23 Insertion of computer data is not out of place (5)

25 Israeli flight leader (5)

26 Dead spirit to rap (4)

Best described as a number crossword, the task in Kakuro is to fill all of the empty squares, using numbers 1 to 9, so the sum of each horizontal block equals the number to its left, and the sum of each vertical block equals the number on its top. No number may be used in the same block more than once. The difficulty level of the Conceptis Kakuro increases from Monday to Sunday. Across 1 Past times (4,4,2)

Yesterday’s Easy Solution

Across: 1 Clothes, 5 Gross, 8 Poker face, 9 Too, 10 Ruby, 12 Think fit, 14 Borzoi, 15 Ordain, 17 Gridlock, 18 Edit, 21 Eft, 22 Trump card, 24 Large, 25 Tacitly.

Down: 1 Caper, 2 Oak, 3 Hard, 4 Swathe, 5 Greenery, 6 Out of hand, 7 Shorten, 11 Barrister, 13 Roulette, 14 Big deal, 16 Acquit, 19 Today, 20 Epic, 23 Art.

Yesterday’s Cryptic Solution

Across: 1 Fragile, 5 Slump, 8 Billowing, 9 Peg, 10 Ella, 12 Impaired, 14 Immure, 15 Always, 17 Cul-de-sac, 18 Term, 21 Nag, 22 In the swim, 24 Extol, 25 Nomadic.

Down: 1 Fibre, 2 Awl, 3 Iron, 4 Enigma, 5 Signally, 6 Upper case, 7 Pagodas, 11 Limelight, 13 Free will, 14 Incense, 16 Wanton, 19 Mimic, 20 Team, 23 Wed.

EASY PUZZLE

Down

FIND where the fleet of ships shown is hidden in the grid. The numbers to the right of and below the grid indicate how many of the squares in that row are filled in with ships or parts of ships. The ships do not touch each other, even diagonally. Some squares have been filled in to start you off. Solution

6 Question persistently (4)

10 Pale purple (5)

1 Rounded vault as roof (4)

2 No matter what (3,4,2)

3 Imposing (5)

4 Provide spoken commentary for (7)

5 Legacy (7)

7 Workers’ association (5)

8 For choice (10)

9 Divert attention of (4,2,4)

14 Lively dynamic person (4,2,4)

16 Ready to do a service (8)

18 Grief (9)

20 Outburst of anger (7)

21 Steadfastly loyal (7)

23 Prefix meaning between (5)

25 Tedious task (5)

30 As it turns out (2,3,5)

26 Be visibly worried (4)

TARGET THE ALPHAPUZZL

CAN you crack the Alphabeater? Each grid number represents a letter – or black square. As in Alphapuzzle, every letter of the alphabet is used. But you have to complete the grid too! Use the given letters and black squares below the grid to start. The grid is ‘rotationally symmetrical’ – in other words, it looks the same if you turn the page upside down.

INTERFACE afire after cafe craft face facer facet fact faience fain faint fainter fair fancier farce fare fart fate fear feat feint fence fencer fern feta fete fiat fierce fine fire franc frantic free frenetic fret frit infect infer infra

Across: Toga, Terraced, Motel, Quell, Postal, Jackal, Snores, Inhuman, Bullying,

Down: Tranquil, Mindful, Gimlet, Assign, Romps, Limit, Doll, Platinum.

Yesterday’s Kakuro Answer

● Alternatively, for six Extra Letter clues to your mobile, text DXBEAT to 64343. Texts cost £1 plus your usual operator

New Summer anthem gets professional video treatment

By JEFFARAH GIBSON | Tribune Features Writer | jgibson@tribunemedia.net

An artistic Caribbean duo is helping singer-songwriter Mélanique make her comeback with an infectious tropical Summer anthem called “Runnn Wit It”.

The music video, shot in the Bahamas, was made by the HannaRozae duo, who are currently based in Los Angeles, California.

The new single is expected to drop this month and Mélanique said the song perfectly illustrates how she has evolved as an artist.

“ ‘Runnin’ With It (All Mine)’ is the epitome of island vibes. The rhythm, the catchy Caribbean sound, and of course the visuals, are super sexy and will definitely lure you in,” she told Tribune Weekend.

Mélanique had taken some time off from music but now she is back and ready to entertain.

“I have spent the last year nonstop writing songs, recording new music and really putting myself back in my complete musical mind space. I’ve been travelling a lot in North America, South America and Europe, recording in different studios, working with different producers, writers and studio engineers. It has been great rediscovering my love for music and who I am as an artist.”

To make the music video, Bahamian photographer Shawn Hanna and Travis Rozae were initially enlisted to play the role of creative director and wardrobe stylist, respectively.

However, in an effort to grow their HannaRozae production company, the duo decided to take on additional roles, including producing, photography, team assembly and location scouting, all done by virtual means.

“The visuals are everything. The visuals truly represent Caribbean culture, and it’s something that we can all relate to, no matter what part of the Caribbean you’re from, and I really love that,” said Mélanique.

“For me, it was super important to embrace the islands and the culture in the visuals, because an island girl is who I am at heart. I knew I wanted it to be shot in the Bahamas because it’s amazing here and I want people who’ve never been here to also be able to see how amazing it is in this paradise. I wanted everything to be bright, bold, colourful and happy, like my personality, and of course HannaRozae delivered.”

As for their part in the project, Shawn Hanna said they had full creative control.

“The song is a tropical summer anthem that talks about a blooming

relationship. We wanted to take the song to new heights by adding depth and presenting more cinematic and story-based visuals. Without revealing too much, in this visual you will

see a love story that takes an unexpected turn. The story is somewhat of a juxtaposition to what you will hear when you listen to the words of the song,” he said.

“We oversaw hair, makeup, wardrobe, location and movement. We directed the entire visual virtually from Los Angeles with the help of an amazing on-ground Bahamian team.”

That team included artist Melanique Babb, cinematographer Sherard Campbell, assistant cameraman Nathan Richards, gaffer Cam Thompson, assistant director and producer Navado Dawkins, makeup artist Clyde Roman, hairstylist Kendeisha of Salon IV, nail technician Mel-Lisha Babb, assistant Travis Basitan and behindthe-scenes photography by CSM Photography.

With both Shawn and Travie hailing from the Caribbean, they understood exactly how to bring Melanique’s vision to life.

“We are extremely influenced by vibrant colours, nature and island culture. This visual was a perfect way for us to infuse our past with everything we have learned being abroad. We drew much of our inspiration for this visual from movies and retro music videos with the goal of bringing an international feel whilst showcasing island life,” said Shawn.

“We really wanted to prove to ourselves that we are capable of being in two places at one once and did just that. Being able to produce a visual of this quality whilst being miles away speaks volumes to our talent and capacity in the creative arena. We are now in the process of expanding our services at HannaRozae in hopes of doing the same for several other Caribbean artists. Ultimately, our goal is to level the playing field for creatives in the Caribbean who may feel they don’t have a fair shot.”

MÉLANIQUE during the shoot for her “Runnn Wit It” music video.

The mighty avocado

Good day, gardeners. I see lots of avocados being harvested, and what a treat they can be!

A good avocado is creamy and delicious, and full of fibre, beneficial fats and nutrition.

According to a Harvard University study: “Their nutrition profile makes them a staple in various healthful meal plans. Avocados are a good source of fiber, and contain more fat (the good kind) than carbohydrate, so are popular on lower-carbohydrate diets such as with diabetes. Their heart-friendly fats do not increase blood cholesterol, which can provide satisfaction on a traditional cholesterol-lowering diet that is often low in fat and cholesterol. It is one the highest-fat plant foods, making it a popular inclusion in vegan and vegetarian diets. The slightly earthy but neutral flavour of avocados works well in sauces, salad dressings, sandwiches, baked goods, salads, and grain dishes to add richness.”

Furthermore, the nutrition profile is the envy of many fruits: a whole medium avocado contains about 240 calories, 13 grammes carbohydrate, 3 grammes protein, 22 grammes fat (15 grammes monounsaturated, 4 grammes polyunsaturated, 3 grammes saturated), 10 grammes fibre, and 11 milligrammes sodium. Along with their low sodium levels, avocados contain no cholesterol.

Avocado trees produce flowers that are complete, meaning that there are both male and female parts. This makes avocado trees self-pollinating, but bees and other pollinators increase pollination and eventual fruit yield. The fruit of the avocado does not ripen on the tree. The ripening process doesn’t begin until it has been picked or it drops off. It’s is a bit of a debate as to when an avocado is ready to be picked off of the tree, and once picked, it goes through a rapid ripening process that can take anywhere from a couple of days to a week.

The ripening process is referred to as the softening process in avocados. Some say the stem will turn brown when it’s time to harvest. Well, the fact is that the tree is the best place

to store the fruit, until one is ready to have it ripen. I tend to pick one or two each day for my own consumption, and allow them to soften for eating. By picking only a couple at a time, I ensure that there are avocados to eat for several weeks, if not months! Yes, months. The fruit can be stored on the tree until one is ready to pick for consumption, for months at a time.

I’ve heard that some commercial growers leave fruit on the tree for up to eight months until they are ready to send them to market. Remember, they do not ripen until picked. They will not go bad on the tree, and can be left right there until one is ready to use them. Provided of course that

the rats or raccoons don’t get them first.

Now, on to the growing of the avocado. Many will wish to experiment with growing from seed. This is fine, but the quality of the fruit is a crapshoot and it’s impossible to know what the quality will be once it eventually fruits, which can take up to a decade from seed.

So, the best fruit ever, when the seed is planted, will typically not produce the same quality fruit as consumed. I’ve had some pretty terrible avocados from folks who were proud of their seed grown tree. They can get mealy and grainy, or think fleshed and not flavorful. To grow the best selections of avocado

available in the world, select a grafted tree from a nursery to be guaranteed the best fruit one can grow or buy.

Trust, there a huge difference between an amazing avocado and an average avocado. The few dollars spent on a grafted tree will bring smiles to faces for generations to come, eating the best fruit in the world. Or, shabby fruit from a seed grown tree that can be not much more than a nuisance tree with poor quality fruit. The choice is yours! For some of the best selection of avocado available anywhere, Fox Hill Nursery has them. By purchasing a grafted tree, the fruit quality is guaranteed and it’s worth every penny. As always, I wish you happy gardening. -

Former gang member turned musician releases ‘Stop the Violence’ single

By JEFFARAH GIBSON | Tribune Features Writer | jgibson@tribunemedia.net

If anyone knows first-hand how profoundly violence can affect families and communities, it would be Bahamian artist Monty Sweat, who opted out of gang life to pick up a microphone and pursue a career in music.

So it comes as no surprise that his newest single, which was produced in collaboration with Jamaican recording artist Munga Honorable, is encouraging people all over the region to stop the violence.

Monty was inspired to release the “Stop the Violence - Remix” after hearing reggae icon Bounty Killer’s song “Firm N Strong”.

The song – which is tied to the anti-crime campaign by Bahamian gospel artist Mr J that will be soon be hitting Nassau – debuted last week and is available on all digital platforms. It is currently making rounds on radio stations all over the region.

“The song has great content about anti-crime and we feel that it would assist this new generation to not resort to vio- lence, but live in love and unity in

can play peacefully and their parents don’t have to worry if their child gets hit by a rock, bullet, etcetera,” said Monty.

The track came into being when Monty’s producer, Kezroy Rammalow Parks in Jamaica, was playing his song while Munga was in the studio to record.

Munga heard the song – which is an original track featuring Divaya Rahming for Bahamian artist Mr J’s upcoming compilation album – the “Hombre Dead Riddim Compilation”. The project features various artists from the UK, Jamaica, Barba dos, Africa and the Bahamas.

Munga fell in love with the song at first listen, and inquired about the possibility of doing a remix of the track featuring himself and Monty Sweat. Monty’s management team was contacted and the deal was done.

And the collaboration has proven to be a hit, Monty said.

“It brought a different light to the song by show ing how two artists can come together under one umbrella to accomplish one goal of unity. The song is dealing with a common vexing prob lem of crime that the Bahamas, Jamaica

are facing,” he told Tribune Weekend.

Monty is currently in the studio working on his album. He is scheduled to perform in Atlanta, Georgia, this October before preparing for his annual birthday bash, which COVID-19 impeded for the past two years.

His hope is to create more music that inspires listeners.

Having been a gang member for approximately three years and seeing how that lifestyle led to some of his friends being killed and others being

means of giving hope, especially to the youth.

After graduating from D W Davis High School in 1997, he joined a group called Good Fellaz of Christ. It was at this point Monty decided to take his music career seriously. He believed in himself and continued to pursue his passion for music even after the group separated.

His focus is gospel music, whether contemporary, reggae or rap-influenced.

Monty firmly believes that giving his life to Jesus Christ was the best decision he has ever made.

His first album, “Love and Unity”, was released in June 2006.

He performed in the United States, Jamaica and other islands of the Bahamas. He is now a professional musician and executive producer.

Monty never thought he would make it this far in life and believes he is a true example that change is possible.

His dream is to use his music and

MUNGA Honorable

literary lives

“The script sits in front of you. The writer’s translated into ink what is in his spirit. I come along. I pick it up, and the ink goes into my eyes, into my mind, into my body, flows around, and that part starts to inhabit me. And I know a good part when I see one.”

Peter O’Toole was a brilliant intuitive actor, but had a reputation of being a “hellraiser” off the stage. He enjoyed drinking and it eventually affected his health.

He played Henry II again in The Lion in Winter opposite Katharine Hepburn and was nominated for a second Oscar. It was a successful film, but Great Catherine (1968) opposite Jeanne Moreau, produced with Jules Buck, was less successful.

In 1969, he starred in Goodbye, Mr Chips opposite Petula Clark, and was nominated for yet another Oscar. He didn’t win but achieved a lifetime ambition the next year by performing in Waiting for Godot with Donald McCann at Dublin’s Abbey Theatre.

O’Toole was much in demand despite his raucous off-stage drinking habit.

He played a man in love with his sister in Country Dance, and starred opposite his wife Sian Phillips in Murphy’s War. He acted with Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor in the film Under Milk Wood by Dylan Thomas, produced by Jules Buck and himself – a disappointing failure.

However, The Ruling Class (1972), The Stunt Man (1980), and My Favourite Year (1982) were much more successful.

He received Oscar nominations for The Ruling Class (produced by his own company) and for The Stunt Man and My Favourite Year. But Man Friday, another disappointment, was the last film produced with Jules Buck.

O’Toole’s drinking and wild life off stage and when he was acting in films continued. He was very popular. His wife Sian Phillips, with whom he had two daughters, left him for mental cruelty fuelled by drinking, and later extreme jealousy when

Inside Peter O’Toole –Part II The glory days of a hellraiser

she found a young lover. He and his girlfriend, model Karen Brown, had a son, Lorcan O’Toole, in 1983 when O’Toole was 50 years old.

“If you can’t do something willingly and joyfully, then don’t do so. If you give up drinking, don’t go moaning about it …”

– Peter O’Toole

Doctors forced him to give up drinking – which he did. Illness almost ended his life when doctors misdiagnosed his stomach cancer because of his alcoholic excess. He underwent surgery to have his pancreas and a large part of his stomach removed. But he bounced back and returned to work.

In 1989, he played another alcoholic Jeffrey Bernard is Unwell on

– Peter O’Toole

the London stage, in which he played the part he was born to play. He won the Laurence Olivier Award for his performance.

“I have no intention of uttering my last words on the stage … Room service and a couple of depraved young women will do me quite nicely.”

– Peter O’Toole

He continued to work and did Uncle Silas for television in 1989. In the 1990s his performances included Wings of Fame (1990); The Rainbow Thief (1990) with Omar Sharif; King Ralph (1990); Isabelle Eberhardt (1992); Rebecca’s Daughter (1992); Civvies (1920) on British TV; The Seventh Coin (1993); Heaven & Hell (1994) for American TV; and

Gulliver’s Travels (1996) playing the Emperor of Lilliput. He also produced and starred in a TV adaptation of Jeffrey Bernard is Unwell in 1999. But he was pushing himself. Somehow, he had incredible stamina. He worked well into the 2000s, doing Global Heresy (2002); The Final Curtain (2003); Bright Young Things (2003); Hitler: The Rise of Evil (2003) for TV; and Imperium: Augustus (2004). He even played the 18th century Italian adventurer Casanova in the 2004 BBC drama.

O’Toole was nominated again for the Best Actor Academy Award for his portrayal of Maurice in the 2006 film Venus. It was his eighth nomination – the most by any nominee without winning. He did however receive an Academy Honorary

Award for his entire body of work. He initially refused it saying that he was “still in the game and would like more time to win the lovely bugger outright.”

Hollywood gave him the award anyway. It was presented to him by Meryl Streep.

O’Toole retired from acting in July 2012 owing to a recurrence of stomach cancer. He died on December 14, 2013 at Wellington Hospital in St John’s Wood, London. His funeral was held at Golders Green Crematorium in London where his body was cremated in a wicker coffin. As he requested, his ashes were taken to the West of Ireland.

“There’s a remedy for everything except death.”

– Peter O’Toole

He always liked to have the last word.

O’Toole played 18th century Italian adventurer Casanova in the 2004 BBC drama alongside David Tennant

O’Toole and Katharine Hepburn in _The Lion in Winter_ (1968)

O’Toole accepts his honorary Oscar from Meryl Streep in 2003

O’Toole in ‘Goodbye, Mr Chips’ (1969)

Towards a Democratic Franchise: The Company Vote – Part II

By Stephen B Aranha

Bay Street had a history of drafting election laws to perpetuate its control of the House of Assembly that offset democratic reforms forced upon it by the Colonial Office with other, less democratic measures hidden in the same law. Bay Street introduced a company vote in the Bahamas mere months after companies were enfranchised in Northern Ireland. It is likely that they had been inspired by this example. There were similarities between the situation of the Bay Street Boys, also referred to as the “Bay Street Gang,” in the Bahamas and the Ulster Unionists in Northern Ireland, who had also been given a derogatory nickname based on a street by their opponents: the “Glengall Street Junta.”

The Northern Irish opposition characterised the Elections and Franchise (Northern Ireland) Act of 1946 as “a deliberate attempt to perpetuate an ascendancy here which has been rightly referred to as a shrinking, retreating, dying ascendancy, which is a foreign garrison of a foreign country.” This could explain why after years of deliberate delays, Bay Street suddenly agreed to the introduction of the secret ballot, as it is unlikely that they were aware of the Colonial Office taking concrete steps to turn the Bahamas into a Crown Colony to break the stranglehold of the oligarchy.

The company vote gave those most likely to support the beleaguered ruling party disproportionately more votes. However, because the 1946 Act mandated that old voter registers be destroyed five years after a new register had been prepared, it is impossible to determine the exact number of company votes, or their potential impact on the results in the various electoral districts.

The sources begin to mention the company vote in the context of the 1956 election . The first reference is found in an exchange between the Governor and the Colonial Office about the expected conduct of the

election. The Colonial Office voiced concerns about corruption. The Governor committed to promoting several electoral reform measures in his speech opening the new House of Assembly, i. e., after the election. One of the proposed measures was the abolition of the company vote. According to him there were “strong signs that this privilege is going to be seriously abused in the coming elections.” In the House of Assembly, Gerald Cash warned that the company vote presented the “possibility of a man voting – not once – but 500 times … a ridiculous situation!” The Tribune also criticised the company vote, suggesting that it enabled “a man to cast as many votes as he cares to form companies.”

The warnings leading up to the 1956 election describe the severity of the issue in theory only but offer no real-life examples. In 1958, the issue resurfaced. The Tribune explained how Stafford Sands, Sr. – father of the infamous Stafford Sands, Jr.

– was registered three times for the City District. One vote was as a freeholder in a property on Shirley Street; a second vote was a Company Vote for the City Meat Market at Bay and East Streets; a third vote was a Company Vote for the Nassau Food Store on Bay Street. “This was the first attempt to establish the Company Vote as a plural vehicle in elections in the colony. Immediately Mr. Stafford Sands, Jr. appealed the registration in a test case before the Chief Justice … and on January 21, 1956 the Chief Justice handed down

a decision which resulted in establishing the plural company vote.”

In the above scenario, Stafford Sands, Sr. registered as a voter for two businesses that occupied physical premises in the centre of town and were known to most Nassauvians. One argument in favour of the company vote was that such businesses had a legitimate interest in the affairs of their constituencies, and that this was akin to the business vote that still existed for local government elections throughout the United Kingdom. Since the Bahamas had no local government, this feature could only be included at the level of general elections.

The allegations against the company vote suggest that the system gave representation not only to the visible brick-and-mortar businesses throughout the colony, but also allowed voters to register bogus or shell companies serving no other purpose than to obtain additional votes. The rapid increase in voter registration numbers suggests that the latter may have been the case. A journalist working for the United Kingdom’s Daily Express claims that he met a man who cast six company votes in an Abaco bye-election, but did not even know the name of one of the companies when asked. It is difficult to imagine this scenario, if the companies in question were occupying visible spaces and had people working in these spaces, and if consequently their directors took an active interest in them, i. e., if they were more than mere shell companies.

Perhaps, though, Bay Street did not even need to create shell companies for that purpose, at least not in New Providence, and particularly not in its City District. During the interwar years, the Bahamas had begun a development turning the colony into a tax haven. This development was further accelerated in the decades after World War II. Thousands of shell companies, whose beneficiary owners were not disclosed, were registered in the Bahamas. It was the lawyers of Bay Street who, on paper, served as their directors, and it was their offices that provided these shell company physical addresses, even if these amounted to little more than a sign on the door.

SIR GERALD CASH, who became the second Governor-General of the Bahamas, warned against the dangers of the company vote

DR STEPHEN B ARANHA

Animal matters

Kim Aranha

A glimmer of hope R

ecently, I had a week away from my island home and swapped our coconut trees and white sandy beaches for the narrow country lanes and rolling fields of Hampshire and Oxfordshire in England.

My spaghetti strap dress intended for the garden party I was attending remained at the bottom of my suitcase, as shoes that could get wet and layers of light-weight clothing took its place. I could finally use my rain cape for the purpose it was intended.

Ah, the green hills of England; the beauty of it all. Whenever I drive around the spectacular rural areas of England, William Blake’s “Jerusalem” comes to mind: “And did those feet in ancient time walk upon Englands mountains green.”

Certainly, on this trip there was very green everywhere as rain was most prolific.

I was entertained by family members who I had not seen since COVID and it was a very special week indeed. Special, too, was how wonderful it was to be in a land that loves its pets. At every pub we went to there were lots of family pets happily lying under the tables with a water bowl at their paws.

In the streets of the towns I visited, lots of leashed dogs strutted their stuff as their owners window-shopped. Not a sickly, hungry, neglected animal to be seen during our entire seven days in England.

Meanwhile back in paradise: we have an overwhelming amount of skinny, injured, neglected (and abused) dogs. They are posted all over social media; people looking for assistance in rescuing them but who do not have the wherewithal to offer proper homes to these wretched animals.

As I sat on the plane on the flight back, I got to thinking about the startling contrast between the two countries. Being me, I was particularly focused on the animal and environmental attitudes of the population. The consciousness of everyone about the

PET OF THE WEEK

Jovial Jazzy

By The Bahamas Humane Society

Potcake mix Jazzy loves going for the dog walks. In fact, she brings a great deal of enthusiasm towards anything she does; be it greeting humans, walking on a lead, or making friends with other dogs at the Bahamas Humane Society.

She’s hoping to fnd an adopter who will appreciate her ‘jazzy’ personality.

If that’s you, please

come to the BHS to meet Jazzy, or call 323-5138 for more information. Jazzy looks forward to greeting you enthusiastically!

If you can’t adopt, foster.

If you can’t foster, volunteer.

If you can’t volunteer, donate.

If you can’t donate, educate!

Help make a difference!

importance of recycling; special trash containers everywhere clearly marked with what type of trash should go into which bin…and people abide by it!

The green glass really does go in the container marked “Green Glass”, and furthermore, what struck me was that if a Bahamian was living there, they too would conform to the environmental standards and put the green glass in the correct bin.

As this is my column, let’s take a look at the animal situation. The UK has a bunch of laws reflecting the need to treat animals humanely and to grant them the right to the five freedoms. In 2021, they passed a law, the Animal Welfare (Sentience) Bill, a huge step forward, recognising animals as sen-

tient beings.

At first, I was thinking that we in the Bahamas are in the midst of an epidemic of neglect and abuse of animals. Every day there are multiple posts on Facebook and other social media platforms asking for help. The BHS is inundated with requests to check up on animals in distress. We are struggling to keep up.

Then I suddenly realised that this is not an epidemic; it has ever been such. What has changed is the amount of people who care, really care, sufficiently to put it out there and request help; help for a creature who cannot ask for help or defend itself.

These wonderful people asking for assistance are the voice for the

neglected and abused animals; the starving dog with an embedded piece of rope deep around their neck.

We have moved forward and there are many more compassionate and empathetic people out there noticing, caring and contacting various organisations to assist. What was once being taken for granted is pulling at far more heartstrings. People are not just walking past suffering without a word; they are reaching out. This is a wonderful and positive step forward.

We still need to deal with the perpetrators of this unhappiness. Why would you want to own a pet in order to starve it?

We at times have picked up dogs reported to us that are tied to a tree and not fed. Every bone on them is visible. Why in the name of God would you do that? At least let it go to forage or beg. The people who treat animals like that should be charged to the fullest extent of the law. They need to be fined and jailed. They know it’s wrong and they need to pay for it.

Until this country, its judges, the police force, government officials, and civilians take the Animal Protection and Control Act seriously, we will ever have to deal with this inhumane and disgraceful behaviour.

But the glimmer of hope is that there are more and more bystanders who do care, and they will report. Hopefully, some of these caring and empathetic individuals will make their way into prominent positions and actually do something about it rather than leave it all to the NGOs of the nation.

(

PHOTO/JUDY YOUNG )

The Red Lion Hunningham in Warwickshire is one of the many dogfriendly pubs in the UK

Crocheting cuteness

By ALESHA CADET | Tribune Features Writer |

Alot of people who take up crocheting go down the route of making blankets and baby clothing. Not so Cortina Cooper. She decided she wanted to make crocheted plush toys for her Collina’s Creations brand.

The talented Freeport native, who sings, acts and models, has been crocheting for eight years now.

“My grandmother was my inspiration for not only starting a business, but for my talent itself. My grandmother was also very creative. She crocheted, did straw work, and also sewed clothing. I would watch her as she worked and also helped when I could. It was very enjoyable for me,” she said.

Cortina said art has always been a hobby of hers, and it was in the third grade when her parents first discovered her interest in this area.

“As I got older, my interest grew with me. I started to invest my time in learning more about the different fields of art, such as the performing arts and creative arts. I started getting involved with pageants at the age of eight at the church I attended, Mount Calvary Baptist,” she said.

“From then on, I sang and acted a lot in talent shows at my church. After graduating high school, I moved to Turks and Caicos where I fell in love with modelling. I was featured in the Times of Island Magazine and was the cover of The Discover magazine as well. While all of this was going on, I was still working on developing my artistic skills in crocheting and dabbling in other art projects.”

And she also continued dreaming of one day opening her own 100 percent handmade art gallery. So, over the years she taught herself how to draw, paint, sew and crochet.

While her brand also offers items like crochet crop tops, beach jewellry, soap dishes, ashtrays, spoon rests and keychains, as well as hand-sewn bags, hair accessories, customisable stainless-steel tumblers and customisable T-shirts, the crochet plushies are the star of the show at Collina’s Creations.

Cortina said she loves her cute creations so much; she almost wants to keep them for herself.

“It really is a bittersweet moment for me when I sell a plush toy,” she said.

“My most popular and most requested pieces are my crochet jellyfish, mermaid and stingray plush toys.”

So far, she has sold them at The Current at Baha Mar, at Tasty Teas, and at other crafts shows around Nassau.

And while the plushies are hand-made, Cortina said they very practical.

“All plush toys are machine washable and can be dried on low in a dryer,” she said.

“Watching kids be so happy when they walk out with a plush toy is always a memorable moment for me. I truly love to see the look of excitement on the kids’ and parents’ faces. It really gives me the motivation to keep pressing on.”

For the remainder of 2023, Cortina wants to keep on working to expand her home-based business; come up with new ideas, add new products to lineup, and just enjoy the experience of being a small business owner.