MARCIA MIRANDA is often referred to as the parang soca queen but now she also wants to be known as the queen of ponche de crème.
Miranda, like many creatives, when the covid19 pandemic hit, found new creative outlets and ways to generate additional income. Hers was found in making ponche de crème.
Her brand is called Marcia Miranda De Parang Soca Queen Punch de Crème Liqueur. She has three flavours: caramel espresso, sorrel rose and original.
Like most Trinis, Miranda has been making ponche de crème all of her life having seen her parents and grandparents making it.
Over the years, she would make the seasonal, Christmas drink for friends and family. But when the pandemic hit, she felt that TT was going to be in lockdown for a long time and she was uncertain as to what would happen to the entertainment industry.
“So I knew I had to do something for two reasons: to bring in an income and to stay busy. I would have gone crazy if I had just sat there and did nothing. So that idea came to me and I thought I will venture in to it.”
By July, Miranda began testing flavours and coming up with recipes that she liked.
For her, ponche de crème is a “love drink” that Trinidadians share with each other.
[caption id="attachment_924724" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Parang Soca Queen Marcia Miranda has launched a new line of Ponche de Creme Liqueurs called Marcia Miranda De Parang Soca Queen Punch de Creme Liqueur. It is available in three flavours Caramel Espresso, Sorrel Rose and Original. -[/caption]
“That is a tradition we hold dear to our hearts,” she said.
She wanted to try different flavours and so came up with the caramel espresso and the sorrel rose. The sorrel rose is currently sold out.
She says if she has the time she will make another batch but it is very demanding and with gigs happening again, it might be difficult for her to get it done.
Her friends tried to convince her to do a pumpkin flavour as it was becoming very popular in TT but she was not convinced.
While she said the sorrel was difficult to create it was something she wanted to do.
“I had to do my sorrels very quickly because the shelf life is very short. You have to consume that very quickly because sorrel is very acidic and you’re mixing acid with milk.”
Miranda is also trying to stay away from preservatives and keep her products as natural as possible. It took her a while to make the sorrel and a lot of wasted products before she could find a way to get it to last and not curdle.
She said that is the reason she is not doing anymore until about Christmas week if she has to do so.
Her friends were her tasters as well as those who are currently helping her produce the drink.
She has been selling her products at local up-markets, farmer’s markets and through orders. She began selling it at Namdevco’s Farmers’ Market at the Queen’s Park Savannah on Saturdays. She began doing the markets about one month ago.
“I may
