I’m halfway through the A countries on this Global Table Adventure! Can I get an A-men? (Sorry – I couldn’t resist) Today it is freezing and rainy in Dallas, and I am making recipes from Antigua and Barbuda (islands in the Caribbean) … I would say the timing couldn’t be worse, but it actually couldn’t be better because Adam and I are getting ready to leave for a vacation in the Virgin Islands this weekend! Woot woot!! A blog post will surely come on that later, but for now, let’s focus on Antigua and Barbuda. A & B is a twin-island nation that lies between the Caribbean and Atlantic oceans. The islands are separated by a few nautical miles and situated in the middle of the Leeward Islands, part of the Lesser Antilles.
I’ve never been to A & B, but these people seem pretty excited about it:
This week I decided to make Spicy Mango & Avocado Salad and Sparkling Grapefruit Breeze cocktails. I also purchased a lemon herb rotisserie chicken from Whole Foods to serve with the Mango & Avocado Salad. The recipe mentions that Jamaican Ting (a carbonated grapefruit soda) is available at Whole Foods, but the one closest to my house didn’t carry it. The guy in the wine department advised me to try Central Market, but it was nearing rush hour and my rotisserie chicken was sitting in the car, so I decided against making the trip.
When I got home, I did some googling and couldn’t find a clear answer about where to buy Jamaican Ting, just a bunch of sites that were selling it in large quantities. I also asked my Facebook friends, and everyone suggested I substitute the Ting for Squirt or Fresca, which is what I decided to do. I’m sure there is a specialty store somewhere in Dallas that carries it, but I just want my Sparkling Grapefruit Breeze cocktail and I want it NOW, Ting or no Ting 
The following ingredients are needed for these recipes:
Sparkling Grapefruit Breeze
1 cup grapefruit juice
1 cup pineapple juice
1 cup coconut rum
1/4 cup grenadine
1/3 cup lime juice
3 cups Jamaican Ting
Spicy Mango and Avocado Salad
2 large mango, cubed
2 large avocado, cubed
2 limes, juiced
1/4 cup thinly sliced red onion
1-2 Tbsp minced jalapeño (mild-hot)
salt and pepper
Trouble in Paradise
The Spicy Mango & Avocado Salad turned out delightful. I was surprised by how well the mango mixed with the avocado and will definitely make this dish again. Unfortunately my recipe did not include red onion because the red onion I purchased at Tom Thumb (the day before) turned out to be rotten! I couldn’t believe it. I had literally JUST bought it… [sigh]. So not only did I go without Ting, I also went without onion. I also should mention that instead of buying limes, consider buying bottled lime juice for the Grapefruit Breeze (squeezing more than two limes is no fun). As uncomplicated as these recipes seem, they sure caused a lot of stress.
Notes to reader: 1) Ting is hard to find; 2) Whole Foods doesn’t sell hard alcohol or grenadine; 3) Take a good look at your red onions before purchasing!
✔ Antigua and Barbuda
Capital: St. John’s
Boundaries: Caribbean Sea & Atlantic Ocean
