COAL POT

Coal Pot
Acrylic on Canvas
 
The Artist reminisces about the days when his Granny cooked on the Coal Pot without using packaged seasoning, opting instead for fresh vegetables, herbs, and spices from the garden beds built by his grandfather. These meals hold special significance for the Artist, reflecting some of the most delightful culinary experiences in his life. The artwork focuses on the Coal Pot, a common outdoor cooking tool in the Caribbean, typically made from cast iron or clay and roughly a foot in diameter. Its small size made it an economical choice due to its minimal coal requirement.
 
The smoke from the coals imparted a unique, smoky flavor highly appreciated by locals. Thirty years later, the Artist vividly remembers sitting with his Granny in her compact, mud-floor outdoor kitchen, measuring less than 80 square feet, as she prepared dishes featuring green banana, yam, okra, green onions, scotch bonnet peppers, cassava, and fresh fish from a fishing trip. His mouth would water as he patiently waited for her to serve him a plate from her Coal Pot.