Culture is defined by foods. The Caribbean nation of Trinidad & Tobago is more widely known as a vacation destination than for its cuisine. A British colony from 1779 until 1962, the island saw a redefinition and meshing of cultures as East Indian and Chinese indentured servants came to work in the sugar plantations alongside African slaves. Trinidadian food is marked by the blending of these cultures. As such, curry, Indian breads, callaloo (a soup of West African origin), and fried rice are all among the national dishes. Ramin Ganeshram was born in New York City of a Trinidadian father and Iranian mother. She has been a journalist for 13 years and has written about food for numerous food magazines.