A regional specialty, the “bake” is a fluffy fried bread and the “shark” is a hefty 

portion of fried shark. But this is a different type of fried from the Midwest version 
of deep-fried. Here, the shark is cooked in an uber-hot, fresh oil that forms a light, 
crispy coating over the delicate flaky fish, but leaves no oily taste. Most places that 
serve the sandwich also have a buffet table of toppings: the usual lettuce, tomatoes, 
cucumbers and mayo, but also sauces that Trinidadians consider essential: garlic, 
coriander, cilantro, tamarind and mango chutney.

Competing open-air pavilions and stands line the road across the beach. Loyalty is 

hard-won here, but we’re told that Richard’s Bake & Shark is a sure bet. The next day I will 
hear differently, from loyalists to other stands. But I think it is difficult to find a bad bake 
and shark when it is fresh from the beach.

We make our purchase, and I find myself pausing to inhale the sandwich’s freshness 

and the sauces which make all the difference. I do not ever remember eating shark, but 
this is the best fish sandwich I’ve ever tasted.

SCENE FOUR: THE HERB BASKET

We are now driving up a mountain road, past terraced plots covered in French and 

Spanish thyme, peppermint, chadon beni (similar to cilantro, but stronger), chives and 
other vegetables. There are staked tomatoes that look like they will simply disappear 
down the steep mountainside if they were to fall off their vines.

Our destination is Paramin, a town perched on one of the highest points of the 

island’s northern mountain range and known as Trinidad’s “herb basket.” Paramin is 
Catholic and rural, and its residents speak a French dialect that originated in the late 
1700s. They are also known for parang, Christmas folk-music traditions. To get to this 
remote location, we have switched to a 1982 Range Rover that plugs up the steep roads. 
Kyle, our new guide, assures us that the vehicle is in great shape, and that he just put 
in new brakes yesterday. He smiles reassuringly in the rear-view mirror. We smile back, 
bracing ourselves against the improvised slab seats that face each other, as our heads butt 
against the roof. By this time, the mountain roads have become tight little switchbacks at 
45-degree angles with zero margin for error between the surface and sheer drops. My ears 
pop three times in 15 minutes.

We park in a small turn-around at the top. The vistas are stunning—the Caribbean 

Sea in the distance, the intense green of the forest, the terraced gardens with what look 
like dollhouses spread out below. 

From a tree, we pick a fruit that I’ve never seen. 
“Eat the skin,” Kyle says. “Just eat it all.” 
We do until the juice runs down our faces. 

SCENE FIVE: THE RETURN

Someday, Trinidad, someday soon.

HISTORY

Originally, Trinidad was 
inhabited by indigenous 
peoples who were nearly 
exterminated by European 
colonizers. The Spanish, 
French and British each 
fought over the region and 
left behind settlements 
and progeny. Groups 
from Portugal, Italy, China 
and the Middle East also 
arrived and merged into the 
population. But the majority 
of Trinidadians descend from 
African slaves and from 
Indian indentured servants.

The island’s religions reflect 
the ethnic diversity. Here, 
there are communities of 
Catholic, Protestant, Hindu, 
Muslim, Spiritual Baptist 
and Orisha. 

Trinidad was a British 
colony governed alongside 
Tobago, a smaller and less 
populated island to the 
north. The islands operated 
under various degrees of 
autonomy until they received 
full independence—as one 
government—in 1976. 

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