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American Studies class formed to combine American history and literature

February 3, 2012

Nicole Sarquis, Staff Writer

History teachers tend to ramble off unrelatable facts about flappers, bootlegging, and the ease of life in the “Roaring 20s” during a typical U.S. History class, leaving their students with no real understanding of the subject. At the same time, English teachers’ enthusiasm over F. Scott Fitzgerald’s “The Great Gatsby” can only be understood if students reading the literary classic have a solid knowledge base of the time period the novel is set in. In an attempts to bridge the gap between literature and history studies, two teachers––Ms. Megan Kern and Ms. Anne Marie Dominguez––have paired up to teach their newly developed class, American Studies, to juniors, combining the... Continue Reading

Lumpkin’s layup helps boys’ basketball avoid upset

February 3, 2012

Matt Muenzberg, Sports Editor

“Don’t miss.” That was the thought that ran through the head of senior forward Sanjay Lumpkin when he got the ball under the basket unguarded with three seconds left in the game. Lumpkin made the layup, giving the top ranked boys’ basketball team a 67-65 win over number two Spring Lake Park. “We were just trying to get a screen and roll on the top. The ball went into the corner and I just cut back door and no one was guarding me,” said Lumpkin. The Red Knights struggled to contain Spring Lake Park’s Sean Scott, who had a career night with 36 points, 13 rebounds, and six blocks in a packed, pro-Panther gymnasium. Head coach Mr. John Moore admitted that guarding Scott isn’t an exact... Continue Reading

Rising actors partake in Les Miserables performance

Junior Shannon Galvin rehearses for the upcoming Les Miserables performance wither her fellow cast members. (Giulia Imholte)

Rising actors partake in Les Miserables performance

January 27, 2012

Emily Kline, Staff Writer

Blue Water Theatre Company, one of the Twin Cities’ top performing arts groups for youth, is taking on “Les Misérables,” one of musical theatre’s most famous works, for their winter production. Juniors Rachel Hogen and Shannon Galvin, along with sophomore Rachel Wallace, joined the cast in late November and are currently in rehearsals for the... Continue Reading

SOPA bill is ineffective, inefficient, and infringing

February 1, 2012

Nick Hillson, Staff Writer

The Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) is a bill running through Congress in an attempt to curb the illegal uploading and downloading of copyrighted information and programs. Unfortunately, due to extremely vague wording and unclear definitions, the censorship proposed could extend to websites such as Facebook, various e-mails, and any other free forum. Not only is SOPA ineffective for all but the technologically impaired, but it violates our rights and benefits only a small handful of elites. SOPA works by requiring websites and Internet Service Providers (ISPs) to search through sent information and to censor any infringing material. Not only does this ignore the privacy guaranteed in the Constitution... Continue Reading

Mock Trial season testifies the team’s talent

The Mock Trial team had a succesful season at several competitions due to immense practice and help from professional lawyers. (Photo courtesy of Jim Vogl)

Mock Trial season testifies the team’s talent

February 3, 2012

Mallory Hoch, Staff Writer

Beginning in October, the Mock Trial team has practiced every night from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. in room 121 in preparation for upcoming competitions. Coming to a close on January 31st, the season ended on a strong note, making it to subsections before loosing their last competition. The season commenced with general practices to help initiate new members.... Continue Reading

SportDateOpponentResultW/L
Boys BasketballFri, Feb 03 Spring Lake Park67-65 Read StoryW
Girls BasketballTue, Jan 31 Minneapolis Southwest70-38W
Girls HockeySat, Jan 28 Hill-Murray1-3 Read StoryL
Boys BasketballSat, Jan 28 North Branch82-21 Read StoryW
Girls BasketballSat, Jan 28 North Branch66-40 Read StoryW
Dance TeamSat, Jan 28 Catholic JamboreeJ: 2nd/K: 3rd
Girls HockeyFri, Jan 27 St. Francis/North Branch10-0 Read StoryW
Boys HockeyFri, Jan 27 Moorhead2-6 Read StoryL
WrestlingFri, Jan 27 Robbinsdale Cooper47-27W
WrestlingFri, Jan 27 Mahtomedi33-34L
Boys HockeyThu, Jan 26 Irondale6-1 Read StoryW
Girls BasketballThu, Jan 26 Chisago Lakes58 -45 Read StoryW
Click on any sport above to see a full schedule for that sport.
SportDateTimeOpponentLocation
Girls HockeySat, Feb 04 3:00Totino-GraceParade Ice Gardens
Boys HockeySat, Feb 04 7:30Spring Lake ParkBlaine
WrestlingSat, Feb 04 9:00TBAPine Island
Girls BasketballMon, Feb 06 6:00DeLaSalleDeLaSalle
Boys HockeyWed, Feb 08 7:30Shattuck-St. Mary'sShattuck-St. Mary's
Girls BasketballFri, Feb 10 7:15St. Louis ParkSt. Louis Park
WrestlingFri, Feb 10 6:00Chisago LakesHome
Boys HockeySat, Feb 11 2:30Totino-GraceSt. Louis Park
Dance TeamSat, Feb 11 1:00SectionsAustin
Boys HockeyTue, Feb 14 7:00Chisago LakesChisago Lakes
Girls BasketballTue, Feb 14 7:15Columbia HeightsHome
Girls BasketballThu, Feb 16 7:15WaconiaHome
Click on any sport above to see a full schedule for that sport.

A Taste of Trinidad on Nicollet Avenue

Kathleen Ambre
May 8, 2009
Filed under Restaurant Reviews

Wafts of warm masala spices—smokey black peppercorn, sweet ginger, and spicy habanero chile—cloud the entrance of Harry Singh’s Caribbean Restaurant. Scattered tables and chairs, alongside swoops of decorative clutter suspended from the ceiling, conjure up a quirky yet casual atmosphere. Multi-tongued murmurs soften blasts of West Indian Soca melodies and happy customers cluster outside the kitchen to wish Harry luck. “People in Twin Cities are very nice, very polite, very kind,” said restaurant owner Harry Singh in his amiable Trinidad accent, “And people around here in this neighborhood they are very, very nice.”

First established in July of 1983, this exotic restaurant has integrated with its surroundings flawlessly over the years. Sitting between two shops on Nicollet Avenue South, it’s far from the relatively elegant dining on “Eat Street, ” but Singh’s Caribbean maintains a gratifying style of its very own. Complete with a photo mural of Singh’s hometown Trinidad beach and an aged framed photograph of his grandma rolling out balls of roti dough, the restaurant eminates a casual and personable vibe. Harry Singh peppers his visitors with the colorful events of his past and offers a dining experience like no other.

Family-owned today by Harry and his two sons and sustained by steadfast customers, business has been consistent over the past decade and a half: “We have many loyal customers, oh yes. Twenty years still running,” said Singh. The regulars rave about the Roti Dahl Pourie, a traditional Trinidad specialty. The big, round flat bread toasted on a special griddle called a tawa is made to envelop a generous ladle-full of curried stew or chicken jerky. Designed with layers of ground dahl between blankets of dough and customized by Harry’s dough-tattered “Buss Up Shut” style, the time invested in this dish is worth waiting for.

Alongside Singh’s rotis, Creole dishes from the curries of his East Indian heritage and the Caribbean jerk pay homage to the abounding culture of Trinidad Island. These curry dishes are served with fresh vegetables and a lingering fragrance of Basmati rice. Although the heat from the curry surpasses the hottest sauces, comparable to other restaurants, any fiery pangs are alleviated by a rich variety of flavors. The milder spices of Pelau, one of Trinidad’s national dishes, is served over rice with browned-down chicken or beef. Browned in caramelized sugar and slow cooked with seasoned pigeon-peas, vegetables and rice, it welcomes those with sensitive palates.

Thankfully, the blaze of Singh’s original Caribbean fire pepper sauce—made up of imported Congo peppers—is doused by multiple pitchers of water placed at every table and tropical fruit juices listed on the backside of the menu. Familiar flavors, such as mango and punch, offer an expected tangy zest but the more authentic soursop, mauby and ting submit more exotic flavors. The Soursop can be compared to a lemonade-apple juice combination, while the Mauby is a concoction brewed with sugar and spices from the bark of small Caribbean tree similar to root beer but with a bitter aftertaste. Ting, on the other hand, resembles a grapefruit soda popular in Jamaica and cherished by Caribbean immigrants.

Working everyday, every shift, and every table, one might think that a man like Harry Singh might grow tired of simmering, steaming and sizzling these exotic meals for the past 20+ years, but his passion beneath a quiet personality and sheepish charisma burns as strong as his Fire Pepper Sauce. Humbled winks and crooked smiles supplementary to outrageous flavors results in a one-of-a-kind dining experience.

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