One a Penny, Two a Penny, Hot, Hot Hops!

Image Courtesy www.caribbeanpot.com

So we’ve all had them at some point in our lives. ‘Hot hops’ or penny loaves, the history of golden treats are almost entwined with ours. Known for its hard golden crust and soft inside, they have been around for over a century here in Trinidad. Forget your traditional burger bun, your hot dog roll, French Croissants; wholesome bagels or even Panini bread, hops bread was the preferred bread by many as their choice of a basic meal and made a wide array of simple, tasty sandwiches as it was inexpensive. In an article from one of the daily newspapers, penny loaves derive their name from the way in which they were often sold; for a penny back in 1893, with day old bread being sold for half a penny and it was subsistence for the needy. In fact, long before Crix, this breakfast/dinner staple was considered the ‘original vital supply’. Originated from the French Creole, when baking became popular during the tail end of the 1700’s, hops bread, named for the fermenting of the male ‘hops’ flower to give the bread an earthy taste, was still only done by a few specialty bakers on the islands. It became mainstream during the mid-1800’s when bakers passes on the secret to making bread on to locals, who incorporated their unique spin on bread-making, either by substituting local materials into the baking process or producing them in mass quantities using rustic dirt ovens. 
Below are images of a Traditional Mud Oven, Castara, Tobago

Image Courtesy www.trinidadandtobagofilm.com

Image Courtesy Trinidad Express

Traditionally, the dough was often wrapped in Banana leaves, which added a thin, crisp crust as well as giving the bread that unusual ball shape which we have all grown to love. But the old methods are quickly becoming no more. Today you can find hops either sold separately; in various bakeries across the country or as a common roadside treat, laden with an assortment of treats like fried plantains, pudding, cheese, fish, sausages or eggs, I always advise eating hops fresh out of the oven. Nothing beats hot hops with melted cheese and butter for a simple fix to a monstrous craving. So whenever you next sink your teeth into this traditional staple, remember it has been regarded as the authentic ‘Trinbago’ bread and will be around for many, many years to come. 
Here is recipe for making Hops Bread by Chris De La Rosa of Caribbean Pot: