A Bourdain tale set in Caribbean
Remembrances abound in the wake of Anthony Bourdain’s shocking suicide last week. But one is a short story about the beloved celebrity and the fame he brought to Hilma’s Windsor Castle, a tiny restaurant on the Dutch side of St. Martin island in the Caribbean.
My tale is so, so Bourdain! In a 2004 food article he wrote for The New York Times, the chef-turned travel journalist gave deserving respectful admiration to the fine cuisine all across “St. Maarten-St. Martin, the half-Dutch, half-French island in the West Indies,” but said the small roadside Hilma’s Windsor Castle eatery was “my favorite place.”
“Windsor Castle” was in a small trailer parked on a long, narrow strip of land in Dutch St. Maarten with a slew of small businesses as neigh- bors. The likable proprietor, Hilma Harris, sold johnnycakes (traditional flat-fried or griddled cornmeal creations), patties stuffed with fish, chicken or beef, and other treats and drinks. Her breakfast and lunch clientele were island locals and tourists who came by word of mouth. But over the years, thousands more visitors, sparked by Bourdain’s favorable 2004 review, came to Hilma’s seeking the casual atmosphere, good food and great conversation he experienced with Harris — and they were not disappointed. Bourdain loved Harris and her eatery and she, and her customers, had praise for “Tony.”
Unfortunately, added to the scores of excellent online reviews for Hilma’s Windsor Castle is a February posting about the establishment’s destruction in last year’s Category 5 Hurricane Irma.
Across the city and country, the celebration of National Caribbean American Heritage Month is on — and you can see it, honor it and taste it!
Once again, LinkNYC and the city Information Technology & Telecommunications Department are working with the Brooklyn-based CaribBeing cultural organization to bring Caribbean celebrities to high-tech LinkNYC kiosks’ 55-inch digital displays in the city. The regionally mimicking Caribbean comedian Majah Hype, singers Amara La Negra and Jamaica’s Spice, and Afro-Dominican author Elizabeth Acevedo are among the featured personalities this year.
"We are thrilled to again partner with LinkNYC to raise awareness of the many contributions of Caribbean-Americans," said CaribBeing founder Shelley Worrell. “This exposure will put the spotlight on some truly inspiring artists, thinkers, writers, performers, and visionaries of Caribbean heritage.” City Controller Scott Stringer is marking the celebration by holding a Caribbean American Heritage Month event on Tuesday at Tropical Paradise, 1367 Utica Ave. in Brooklyn. To RSVP, send email to eventsrsvp@comptroller.nyc.gov or call (212) 669-4466. For language translation services or other special accommodations, call (212) 669-4315.
The News Americas Now website is onboard with the celebration, too — posting “Caribbean Immigrants in U.S. History” segments. Visit www.newsamericasnow.com.
Are you ready for a scrumptious special occasion? Spice Isle, the upscale Caribbean fusion cuisine restaurant at 41 Mountain Blvd. in Warren, N.J., will host the “The Bahamas Food Exploration,” a cultural dinner focused on the Bahamas on Thursday in honor of Caribbean American Heritage Month and the opening of Its tasty Caribbean Food Exploration Meetup series. Visit bit.ly/spiceisle_bahamas or call the restaurant directly at (908) 834-8864.
The New York launch of “The Adventures of Wyetta,” by Saint Lucian children’s author Claudette Charles, takes place Sunday at St. Lucia House, 438 E. 49th St. in Brooklyn, at 3 p.m. There will books for sale.
St. Lucia’s Children of Culture and violinist Grace Ramjeawan will perform. Call the St. Lucia Consulate at (212) 697-9360, ext. 203, or email at sluconsulateny@govt.lc.