Thursday, November 28, was Thanksgiving Day in the US. It is a national holiday marked by religious observances and a traditional meal. Entertainers were among those who celebrated the occasion, preparing their favourite meals.

Marlon Graham, the Jamaican-born US-based record producer, decorated his sumptuous menu which several friends enjoyed on Thanksgiving Day.

According to Marlon, Principal of MG Promotion LLC, “I learned to bake toto while living with my aunt in Bog Walk, St. Catherine. Her husband would bake this flavoured cake for the entire family.”

“The very day I tasted his toto led me to fall in love with it,” he recalls. “Wow! It tastes good. ‘I love the crunchiness of the coconut,’ I remarked with approval.”

Marlon soon got a recipe for making toto which reads:
1 pound flour, 1 pound sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla, baking powder, and salt.

“Pour grated coconut, water, spices, and flour in a large bowl. Stir and taste to ensure the best flavour. Then, grease the baking tin with butter or coconut oil. This should bake with a temperature of 350 degrees for some 30 to 45 minutes.”

“When cooled, cut it in a rectangle or square shape. Serve it with hot coffee, a glass of milk, wine, or anything of your choice.”

Marlon has been baking toto for the past nine years.

“Last year, some 20 persons were served toto on Thanksgiving Day. This was part of my self-served menu which included escovitch fish, baked chicken, steamed fish, and stew oxtail.”

“Several guests had more than one slice of toto, expressing the well-flavoured taste. Some even took slices home for others to sample.”

For entertainment, Marlon’s choice is reggae, using the pulsating sounds of Shellstreet and Aktive songs, two of several artistes he produces in Jamaica. For the rest of the year, Marlon will be releasing at least two other songs, while Shellstreet and Aktive are booked for a number of shows.

(Photo contributed)