Now this sounds interesting-can you distinguish the lime juice? I love spice cookies.
RL`

Wow! I love it!
Thanks for posting some of the islands' recipes. I don't have many of those and they all sound great. Can't wait to try this one.

It's just an unusual taste. It makes crunchy cookies so if you like soft ones, this isn't it.

Thanks Ginger! I am always looking for new twists on favourites for our Christmas baking. Cutting and pasting to try later!

{{gwi:336191}}

It's good with tea. Don't know if kids would like them.

Is your friend Angela Spenceley (something like that, I think), who wrote a book on Virgin Isles cooking and also one about cooking with rum, Ginger?

Beth

Yes it is, Beth. I've known her for years & we sell a ton of her books.

Wow! I've got the rum book!
Do you run a book shop, Ginger? Which Virgin Isles are you in? Are you making a black cake? I'm about to start chopping! This year's rum is Appleton Estate!

Beth

I'm in St. Thomas. That's one of her earlier books. She has more out now. I've never made a black cake myself but I've tasted them & they're very good & very expensive to make. Here they're usually made for Christmas, weddings, etc.
I don't have a book store but manage 4 stores, one of which was mostly spices & hot sauces. The rest are also geared for tourists & the books are very popular.
Angela also has a postcard, souvenir wholesale business here as well as the books she writes.

Yes, I'm making my black cake for Christmas, too, but you have to start early!

Beth

That's true. Can you get all the ingredients there?

Okay, what's a "black cake"??
RL`

It's like a very dark VERY rich fruitcake. I don't have a recipe. Every family's seems to be different. The one I tasted didn't have big chunks of fruit in it. They're sometimes used for wedding cakes here, too. I ran a fundraiser at an historic house here to benefit the Humane Society & had all old-time local foods & a scratch band. A bakery made up a black cake for me. Was it ever expensive! But it was good. And I don't normally like any kind of fruitcake.

Here's one version. I don't know how similar they are to the British black cakes which probably are where our versions originated.

Here is a link that might be useful: Black Cake

What is the browning sauce mentioned there? Kitchen Bouquet????? maybe?
Lisa

I don't know for sure, Lisa but that's a very small amount so it could be omitted easily probably. I assume it's just in there to make the cake darker. Want me to sing the traditional Christmas carol here? "Good Mahnin', Good Mahnin'! I've come for my Guavaberry." LOL

Guavaberry liqueur is made by lots of people from guavaberries. Very traditional at Christmas. Smells pretty bad but very popular.