Althea Neal
Born in: Stann Creek Town/Dangriga, Belize
Lives in: North Miami Beach
Life’s Passion: Caterer Althea says “baking remains a passion of mine – one that I inherited from a long line of ancestral bakers.” Her favorite Belizean treats to make “are Belizean milk cake, coconut and lemon tarts, potato pound (pone) bread pudding, and Belizean black and white fruit cake.”
Most cherished memory of home: Childhood family gatherings on Easter weekend back in Belize never fails to warm her heart, says Althea. “It all begins with the baking of Easter bun and other treats.” The holiday, says Althea, also felt like a break for the whole county. “All over businesses closed their doors at midday on Holy Thursday, and city dwellers flocked to the coastal towns and small islands offshore to relax for the longest weekend of the year.”
What makes her a proud Belizean-American: “Living and growing up in a third world country has taught me values that serve me very well in America,” says Althea. “And, as a proud Belizean-American, I am able to enjoy the blending of these cultures in a way that only an immigrant can.” Althea is also grateful for being “able to teach my daughter, who was born here, about the values of both.”
