You are sitting on a beach restaurant with your toes in the sand, calypso is playing in the background, and you’re just beginning to get a little peckish. You now wonder what you should order, what are the dishes you must try to fully experience the best of Caribbean cuisine? What foods will tickle your senses. Will it be sweet, savory or spicy? Or will it be blood sausage and a punchy spirit ?
Most of the islands have their own signature dish, so there is certainly a bounty of specialties to discover – and with a bareboat charter the distinct perk is that you get to explore plenty of islands, each with their own unique features;something that lounging in a resort for 10 days won’t give you.
British Virgin Islands (BVI)
Fungi istraditionallya staple of the Virgin Islands communities. Made with cornmeal that boiled into thick soup along with okra, not unlike an Italian Polenta.You can enjoy fungi with freshly caught, boiled fish, and a Bush tea, aherbal lemongrass tea.
Grenadines (St Vincent and Grenada)
Roasted breadfruit with fried jackfish is a must-try on these islands. Add an arrowroot cake to the mix and you will be more than satisfied, then wash it down with the beer Hairoun or with some Sunset Rum, both locally produced.
Antigua
As with BVI, Fungiis a staple. But you can also find a wide variety of cuisine as influences from all over the world are apparent here. Try the Jamaican-inspired jerk chicken for example. Drink a Mauby pop for a new experience for your senses. This drink is made from tree bark and fruits of a small tree (Colubrina) locally grown in the Caribbean.
Bahamas
Conch, a large sea snail, is the national dish of these islands. It can be enjoyed in any number of ways including raw with lime (in a ceviche), fried (conch fritters) or in a delicious soup (conch chowder). Accompany the seafood with a rum punch, or simply some deliciously fresh coconut water.
Martinique
Snack on delicious Accras de morue which are fritters made of batter and fish. Or try a lamb curry made with a special spice blend,Colombo, another specialty of Martinique. If you are on the adventurous side, a Boudin Creole, a type of blood sausage (not a million miles away from black pudding), can be enjoyed. Sip on a Ti Punch, white rum and cane sugar syrup, as an apéritif – just take care not to over do it – Ti Punch packs a clue in the name.
There are, of course, plenty of other dishes to try while travelling the Caribbean, but if you follow this list you’ll know you haven’t missed out on the essentials. So cast off, fill your sails, and explore the rich and exciting cuisine of this island paradise!
