Shades Readers, have you ever wanted to try different cuisines but you’re just not sure where to start and it all seems so intimidating?  Well we have a solution for you!  Many cultures have street food – this is food that is typically sold on the streets or in the markets of different cities or countries and the options are usually cheap (which helps if you are dining on a budget) and delicious.  Street foods allows you to eat like the locals and the ingredients and modes of preparation can often give you more information or context of a particular culture.  Street food usually uses ingredients which are easy to find in that country or region and is often a sandwich of some sort, though that is not always the case. 

To get us started, let’s speak of the oh so tasty Trinbagonian street food, doubles.  Doubles are comprised of two ‘baras’ which are pieces of fried dough and the filling is made from curried chickpeas.  Over the years, condiments like sliced pickled cucumbers, pepper sauce and chutneys have been added to make the dish spicy and even more flavourful and while there are many doubles vendors all over Trinidad, everyone has a favourite and are strongly loyal to them.  One of the enduring traditions when you arrive in Trinidad for a visit is that you have to get doubles by the airport.  It is a rite of passage. 

From gyros in Greece, aloo tikka in India, tortillas in Mexico and kebabs in Iran, street food is one of the ways you can introduce yourself to the foods and cultures of different places. 

Get out there and start enjoying!

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