The ladies behind Easy Cooking in the Caribbean: Judi Krogh, centre, her sister Margaret, left, and daughters Gylla and Dallison.

By Sonja Sinaswee

When Judi Krogh was a child, she was fascinated by the food her family’s cook Maude Cyrus prepared every day. From an early age, she started making notes and jotting down the ingredients for her favourite dishes, and by the time she was 18, when she first began cooking herself, she had compiled quite a collection.

Today, more than 45 years later, those traditional recipes can be found in the pages of a new cookbook, Easy Cooking in the Caribbean.

“I wanted to produce a book containing recipes that were authentic and truly reflective of my upbringing,” Krogh said during our interview at her Maraval home. “Food today isn’t like it used to be when I was growing up. I didn’t want it to be lost forever.”

Easy Cooking features recipes for traditional, regional dishes and international recipes with a Caribbean flavour and flair. It includes ten sections of recipes for everything from classic marinades like green seasoning to favourites like stewed chicken and pepperpot. Cyrus’ sweet hand is also felt in recipes like Maude’s Fish Pie.

But the story of Easy Cooking isn’t just an ordinary story about a woman paying homage to the childhood influence who inspired her own passion for cooking. This truly extraordinary tale is one of a family’s triumph over one of life’s most testing circumstances. It is the story of how Krogh’s family came together despite overwhelming odds to help her realise a lifelong dream.

“I’m so mad I can’t stand up and cook,” Krogh exclaimed from the adjustable electric bed in her bedroom. Krogh has been bedridden for more than a year. She was diagnosed with renal cell carcinoma (kidney cancer) in August 2006, a few months after she first started compiling recipes for the book.

Judi Krogh reviews a recipe in her book Easy Cooking in the Caribbean with sister Margaret Rodriguez.

“I couldn’t wait to get out of the nursing home to write.”

When Krogh left the hospital early last year, she returned home to find that her daughters, Dallison and Gylla, not only prepared for the task of caring for her, but also motivated her more than ever to help her finish her cookbook.

“It became this dream we had to help her fulfil,” said Dallison, who, along with Gylla joined in on the interview.

Also present was the fourth member of the Easy Cooking team, Judi’s sister Margaret Rodriguez. Dallison, Gylla and Margaret rallied behind Judi to get the cookbook completed, each doing multiple duties like recipe testing, refining, typing, editing, designing and marketing.

Members of Krogh’s extended family also played important roles, like providing photos and sourcing some of the family’s long-lost family recipes.

“It got to the point where my husband said, ‘No more sweet recipes. We’re putting on too much weight,’” Margaret remembered laughing.

But producing the cookbook wasn’t all good times. Judi’s treatment came with expected side effects, some of which had unexpected consequences. There were times when she had impaired senses, especially taste. This made trying dishes virtually impossible. There was also a period when she could barely speak. Last July, during the home stretch of production, Judi developed an eye allergy, which made it difficult for her to open her eyes, far less proofread recipes.

“I remember closing my eyes and calling out recipes,” Krogh said.

“I really believe we caused her allergy,” Gylla said. “We just pushed her so hard.”

“Yes, but I enjoyed it. It was a wonderful exercise for me because it gave me something to look forward to every day. I needed it,” her mother replied lovingly.

With a goal to publishing by Christmas 2007, these four women did in six months the work professional publishing firms sometimes take years to do. To an outsider, it may seem that they were avoiding the physical and emotional demands of Krogh’s condition, but the truth is much more inspirational.

“We just wanted to get it done for her. That was our focus,” Gylla said.

Part of the reason is that Judi’s cookbook has been a long time in the making.

“In my search for recipes, I found this letter that said, ‘Judi, here is the recipe you asked for. I can’t wait for the book to come out.’ When I looked at the date, it was 1984,” recalled Gylla.

“I remember my late husband used to tease me: ‘Judi, you will publish that cookbook when cock have teeth.’”

The Easy Cooking team achieved its goal. The cookbook made it to select shops by Christmas and is today available in bookstores around the country. It is also working its way up the islands; next stop Barbados.

“From the experience of cooking all these years, I wanted to make a book that was practical for the kitchen.”

As such, Easy Cooking is designed using a ring binder so that it remains open easily and stands up well. Each section has colour-coded tabs for easy recipe access; and it has glossy pages to help minimise stains. Once the cookbook was published, Krogh began her physiotherapy, which she’s been doing for the past six months.

“We didn’t want it to get in the way of our work!” Gylla said laughing.

Judi now has limited mobility thanks to a wheelchair. At that point, Dallison produced a folded paper with a recipe for breadfruit pie.

“You know how long I’ve been looking for that!” Krogh exclaimed.

Without hesitating, she looked over at Margaret: “I’ll tell you what to do. Make it and bring piece for me to taste. Also type it up and send it to Gylla to edit.”

Could this be the start of cookbook number two?