FARMINGTON — On Saturday, May 18, Farmington locals and others will have the opportunity to experience the flavors of the Caribbean through Keziah Highsmith and her Trinidadian heritage.
This poster is about Farmington resident Keziah Highsmith’s plan to serve free Caribbean dinners on May 18 and bring more to the community with a food truck. Photo sent
Starting at 2 p.m. and running until supplies last, Highsmith will be giving away free Caribbean dinners from his home at 122 Lake Avenue to the community to share the flavors of his upbringing and get feedback.
“I’d like feedback from everyone,” Highsmith shared. “You know, if they like it, if it’s too spicy, or if it’s something they might want in the future.” Is it something they would like to get every Saturday or at different culinary events or festivals and things like that.
So far, Highsmith said the community response has been “overwhelming, in a good way,” and she’s excited to see the turnout.
Originally born in Trinidad, Highsmith came to the US with her family when she was nine years old. Her family settled in Buffalo, New York, but has lived in the Farmington area for the past nine years.
Growing up, Highsmith said her mother showed her how to cook Caribbean food.
“My mom doesn’t know how to cook American food, which is funny,” Highsmith shares. “She only cooks Caribbean food. So I basically grew up in the kitchen with her, watching her cook different dishes.
Highsmith is not a professional chef. Outside of the kitchen, she works with adults with special needs at Work First Inc. and has a house cleaning business on the side. However, she always dreamed of opening a food truck.
“I’ve never cooked for the community before,” she said, “Or for anyone other than family and friends who came over for dinner.
“So this is a first for me,” she added. “[I’m] I actually put my food out there for others to try.”
When asked to describe Caribbean food, Highsmith called it “different, in a good way.” Her first example is chicken, which she recommends for lovers of spicier food. Highsmith will also serve braised chicken and curry chicken, which will be served with rice and beans.
“It’s very fragrant,” she said. “I really don’t know how to explain it, you just have to try it and see for yourself.”
She will also be giving away free sweets from Meg’s Sweets, a home bakery located at 109 Fairview Avenue in Farmington. According to Highsmith, Meg’s Sweets donated some baked goods to help promote her Caribbean dinners and bring her closer to her dream of owning a food truck.
“I love to cook,” Highsmith said, adding that she toyed with the idea of a food truck for a long time, fearing the big investment and the possibility that it wouldn’t work out. However, the more she thought about it, the more motivated she became in pursuing the dream.
“I figured life’s short, so why not do it,” she said. “The worst that can happen is that it doesn’t work out.”
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