"Sweet like a Toolum"

Or a sugar plum, plum, plum!"A good friend at work, Mrs. Ghiden, recently met another Trini and asked me to prepared a treat for her.
A Trini treat is either a Curried Chicken Roti or a set of Sweeties!
I have been back home twice in the last nine months and other than the variety of rums I tasted, the "Sweeties" were the thing I indulged in most.
Sweeties were the thing you took to school to eat as a snack at recess. Sweeties were the one thing you went by Tante Maude and Granny Hinds for. Sweeties were the thing that ruined many a "Caribbean Mon's" teeth.
The main ingredient was sugar. Then you looked around and coconuts, papaya, tamarind, and oranges were easily found. Add a little ginger and spice, and you can dazzle any love one. You can sing, "gal, like yuh sweet like ah sugar and plum nah." Yes, it takes you back home.
I have saved a BWIA 1976 Caribbean Tempo explained the major Sweeties: Paw Paw Balls, Sugar Cakes, Tamarind Balls, Coconut Brittle and Toolum Balls.

                              Toolum Balls

2 1/2 cups brown sugar
3 cups grated coconut
1/2 cup molasses
2 Tablespoons coconut sugar
2 Tablespoons orange peel
1 Tablespoon grated ginger

Heat brown sugar until it liquefies. Add molasses, coconut sugar and coconut, stir until well-blended.
Add orange peel and ginger and stir till the mixture leaves the side of the pot.
remove from heat and drop by tablespoonful onto a slightly oiled, enamel plate.
Allow to cool and harden. Store in an air-tight container.