Crops of the Americas flourish on new stamps...

Crops of the Americas flourish on new stamps *

Five new "Crops of the Americas" postage stamps depicting corn, chili peppers, beans, squashes and sunflowers, were unveiled yesterday.

"We understand the influence American plants have on cuisines around the world," said Charles E. Bravo, an executive with the U.S. Postal Service. "These stamps are a beautiful tribute to those plants and a great way to celebrate the rich history of our nation."

Artist Steve Buchanan created the stamp designs, using slide photographs made by his wife, Rita Buchanan, who conducted research in the late 1970s on indigenous agricultural methods in the southwestern United States.

*UCTP Taino News Moderator's note: Bo'matum (Thank you) to Danny Nieves for sharing this news.

Arawak BBQ Sauce

submitted by “Caribbean Maiden”

This is a West Indian marinade used for generations. It's best suited for fish and game. I like it on chicken and pork. Allow meat to marinate for at least an hour before cooking. Make sure you adjust the amount of Chile peppers to your taste.

Also, I sometimes replace the orange juice with marmalade for a sweeter marinade.

This recipe has been scaled to make two servings

Ingredients:
6 green onions, chopped
3 tablespoons minced shallots
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 tablespoon ground allspice
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 scotch bonnet Chile peppers,
chopped
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1/2 cup fresh orange juice
1/2 cup cider vinegar
1/4 cup red wine
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 tablespoon molasses

Directions:
In a medium, nonporous bowl, combine the green onions, shallots, garlic, ginger, allspice, ground
black pepper, chile peppers, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, brown sugar, orange juice, vinegar, wine, soy sauce, oil and molasses.

Mix well, cover and allow to sit for one hour. Mix well again before adding to fish or meat.

Discard any remaining sauce.