IW010 - Bazodee
Sunny islands, musical rom-com, and Trinidad and Tobago Carnival? It’s Bazodee!
Did it leave us dazed, lightheaded and caught up in a magical moment?
Listen by clicking below.
Photo by esimpraim. License: CC BY-NC-ND 2.0
Island Watch Picnic Picks
for Bazodee
Every episode, we provide you with a specialty picnic hand-tailored for this week’s watch! Picnic while you watch the movie, picnic while you listen to our podcast, picnic because you need a party for your mouth!
We’ll leave the fancy wedding food to the caterers, and stick to the snack side of the islands.
Plantain chips: Could it get any easier? From the store is fine, but you can also make them at home, then take them savoury or sweet depending on your sprinkling habits.
Mango Chow: Another easy recipe, but you may never have had mango quite like this. Green mango (or other fruits - apple works nicely) is seasoned with fresh chili pepper, garlic, and an herb called culantro (known as shadow benny/ shado beni/ chadon beni in Trinidad and Tobago- super popular!), and lime juice. Serve with crackers and attitude.
Doubles! Doubles are a Trinidad & Tobago snack specialty created in the mid 1930s. Yeasted fried doughs (yum!) called bara are topped with curried chickpeas (yumyum!) called channa, then topped with tamarind chutney, green seasoning, and freshly grated cucumber. You can easily find doubles everywhere on the islands, from stands to restaurants. When Covid lockdown hit, people were desperate for their doubles and that’s when this chef shared her recipe for homemade style.
Coo Coo Courting controversy as there are more than a few ways to spell this dish of African origin.
If you are up for the zen of some steady stirring, then join these two women as they kick up a batch of deliciousness with easy-to-follow directions and friendly chat. In the end, you’ll have a satisfying veggie-laden cornmeal squares that you can have for breakfast, snacks, or a full meal deal with callaloo and fried fish.
Photo by Ishan @seefromthesky. Licensed through Unsplash.
Island Hopping
We got curious. Did the actors from Bazodee go on to act in other island shows?
Lee de Leon: Machel Montano appears in the 2019 documentary Charlie’s Records, featuring Rawlson Charles, who spent his career promoting Calypso and Soca music in New York City. That’s enough island content to qualify as an island hop!
Anita Panchouri: Natalie Perera No other island movies or TV as yet.
Ram Panchouri: Kabir Bedi No other island movies or TV since Bazodee, but he has a lengthy filmography to browse for pre-Bazodee possibilities. Bonus! Kabir Bedi speaking about staying positive with Some Good News, European edition.
Photo by Dele Oluwayomi. Licensed through Unsplash.
SOul of CAlypso
Trini Trent animates the importance of Soca music, giving you the 411 on where it came from and how Soca came to drive the world-famous Trinidad and Tobago Carnival
Endless Vibrations was a 1974 crossover hit for Lord Shorty as Soca became a full-on movement.
The evolution of Soca continues! Jump, wave, and wine with Soca superstars Destra and Machel Montano It’s Carnival!
Photo by Alin Meceanu. Licensed through Unsplash.
Ratings
We have ratings for all the shows and movies we watch.
To make sure you can find exactly the island show that's right for you, we answer two questions for each show:
Does this show make me feel like I’m actually on the island? That's our specialized Island Rating. No other show gives you that!
Do we recommend this show? Our Star Rating lets you know if we loved a show or not, regardless of the island.
***
Island Rating
Gemma: Splashing in the Surf (5 out of 5)
Sparkling ocean, sunny music...can’t wait for this to be in real life again!
Dave: Splashing in the Surf (5 out of 5)
We really got to experience the diversity and the atmosphere of the islands
Star Rating:
Gemma: 3 out of 5
Easy watching; no troubles.
Dave: 4 out of 5
Immensely enjoyable. It’s vibrant and joyous.
Photo by Lars Zhang. Licensed through Unsplash.
Find The Island
This week’s puzzle features an island known for its beauty. Maybe too well known.
Photo by Elyse Turton. Licensed through Unsplash.
Our Next Island
Our next island: Stunningly beautiful, the island of Cape Breton is a magnet to ocean-scene seeking tourists. But in the movie New Waterford Girl, teenager Moonie can barely contain her impatience to get away from the place. Youth, wasted on the young?
Photo by Guilherme Stecanella. Licensed through Unsplash.
Messages In A Bottle
The best way to get in touch with us is by email.
Send your questions and comments to us at:
islandwatchpodcast@gmail.com