Food SPICY! DISH OF
THE Caribbean’s lush tropical climate and abundant seas have given this region a rich natural larder from which to pull an enviable array of ingredients.
So it’s not surprising that the islands have built up a reputation for gourmet dining led by fashionable upscale restaurants on St. Barths, St. Martin, Barbados and Anguilla. But Caribbean dining isn’t all about haute cuisine. The local fish-fry and party evenings give visitors a perfect taste of Caribbean life, adding an intoxicating flavour to their stay. Take the weekly fish fry at Oistins, a fishing village in Barbados where locals and tourists mingle for a fun and inexpensive evening out. Then there are the weekly concerts at Shirley Heights on Antigua which serves up stunning views along with an outdoor bbq, washed down by rum punches and the local beer. Visitors to Saint Lucia can enjoy the delicious barbecued chicken and rice at the weekly Jump Up party in Gros Islet or the fish fry evenings at Anse La Raye. Other islands such as Nassau and Tobago hold similar events. When it comes to ingredients, top of the list
is seafood with lobster, crab, grouper, snapper and conch, making up some of the most popular dishes.
Food can be as sophisticated or as simple as you please, ranging from international fare to local dishes such as rice ‘n’ peas, conch fritters, jerk chicken or pork, stews and patties.
Tropical fresh fruits and vegetables are grown in abundance here and used in many local recipes such as callaloo soup. Grenada boasts an aromatic mix of herbs
and spices, while many islands grow bananas, citrus fruits, yams and mangoes. Food can be as sophisticated or as simple as you please, ranging from international fare to local dishes such as rice ‘n’ peas, conch fritters, jerk chicken or pork, stews and patties.
THE DAY
For many travellers food is a major part of the holiday experience and few places can match the Caribbean for a mouth-watering range of dishes, based around the freshest of local ingredients.
While some dishes are common across most of the Caribbean islands, there tend to be many local influences. For instance Bahamian cuisine, perhaps more than any other in the region, has been influenced by the American South; while dishes on Trinidad and Tobago reflect the spicy influences of Trinidad’s significant Indian population. And of course, there’s no denying the Gallic influence on the French Caribbean islands. Another tasty asset is the stunning setting of
some of the local restaurants – from beautiful deserted beaches to mountainous outcrops with stunning views across rainforest and extinct volcanoes.
But wherever you eat, and whatever you choose, be sure to try the Caribbean’s most famous drink – rum. It is delicious when mixed with the local fruits as a traditional rum punch or one of the local, but lethal, cocktails that every island specialises in!
GET YOUR FIVE A DAY THE CARIBBEAN WAY. . .
1. Black Pineapples – Antigua’s Black Pineapples have a reputation for being the sweetest in the world, though pineapples are grown on some other islands too.
2. Bananas – the Caribbean is famous for small, tasty bananas, particularly in Saint Lucia, St. Vincent and Dominica.
3. Mangoes – a wide variety is commonly grown throughout the Caribbean.
4. Guava – grown across most of the islands and also used in jellies and jams.
5. Papaya – also known as paw-paw and used in drinks and food dishes.
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