Search Results for: Guyana

Guyana means, “The land of many waters”. It’s an Amerindian word, named by the indigenous people, who lived there, at the time it was discovered by the Spanish, in 1498. Home to the Warrou, Arawaks and Caribs, the land was not easily accessible, as it lies below sea level on the coast. The Dutch arrived in 1580 and began to set up trading posts. They made the land inhabitable using African, slave labor to build a unique system of canals, ditches and high-level waterways. Every square mile of cultivated land has 49 miles of these drainage canals and waterways. Today 90 percent of the population lives on this coastal belt.

Located on the northeastern side of South America, her border to the north is the Atlantic Ocean. Her neighbors are Suriname, to the east, Venezuela, to the northwest and Brazil, to the south and southwest. Guyana achieved independence from the British in 1966, after the British took the region from the Dutch in 1796. The British brought in more African slaves to work the sugar plantations, until slavery was finally abolished in 1834. This created a shortage of workers and resulted in thousands of indentured laborers coming into Guyana from India, Portugal and China. Due to its diverse population, British Guiana (as it was known) was referred to as “The land of six peoples.” Today the population is a majority of Indians and Africans, with the minority being of mixed race and only seven percent, the indigenous Amerindians. The people associate more with the Caribbean lifestyle than to South American. The official language is English and they are the only English speaking nation in South America. Of course, the Guyanese speak English with a bit of a creole flair.

Guyana is home to pristine, Amazonian rainforests, covering 70 percent of the land, providing immense waterfalls and amazing wildlife. One of Guyana’s biggest tourist attractions lies in the interior. Kaieteur Falls, along the Potaro River, is said to be the largest, single drop waterfall in the world. With a massive 741 foot drop (compared to Niagara Falls at 167 feet) and a width of 370 feet (during rainy season), it is one of the most awe inspiring waterfalls in the world. Aside from the size and force of the falls, it is the surrounding, untouched, pristine forest that makes the experience unlike any other on earth. The government is really taking strides to keep their amazing rainforests intact, while enticing tourists to the region with the slogan, “Guyana Undiscovered.”

Georgetown is Guyana’s capital and most populous city. Located at the mouth of the Demerara River, facing the Atlantic Ocean, it was an ideal location for the Europeans to access the Caribbean. The city is described as a fairy tale like setting, with tree-lined streets and quaint, Dutch and Victorian architecture. Although in need of repair, these old, wooden structures, with their large verandas, are a testament to their colonial past. The people of Guyana have a rich heritage and are said to be some of the most hospitable and friendly people in the world. If you take a bus, you will likely find yourself singing along to familiar, American pop songs, as it is a way the Guyanese like to pass their time while traveling.

Another interesting site to behold there is the men carrying bird cages. Inside the cage, is a bird called a towa towa bird, which is trained to whistle on cue. On Sunday mornings, men gather and have a bird whistling contests. The first bird to whistle 50 times, in the proper pitch and speed, wins the wager. These birds go up in value with every game won and can be worth thousands of dollars. They are a most prized possession, which is why you see them being carried all over town by their owners.

Guyana, like most nations after gaining independence, has faced challenges. Ethnic tensions, along with government corruption, have plagued the country. It is ostensibly, a parliamentary-style democracy. However, despite its democratic institutions, independent Guyana has seen several decades of a one-party rule and strongman politics. This is hopefully changing, as a new president, David Granger, was sworn in on May 26th, 2015. With the largest, voter turnout in history, he defeated President Donald Ramotar, who was vying for his sixth consecutive term. This election victory has prompted a multi-ethnic movement in the country and given new hope to the Guyanese people. A recent discovery of oil, just off the coast of Guyana, brings promise to the economy but also revives a century old, border dispute with Venezuela (who just ousted the ambassador of Guyana, over the issue, this past July.) The new President Granger is seeking intervention from the International Court of Justice to resolve the issue.

Aside from the recent oil discovery, Guyana has mineral wealth, with gold and bauxite leading the way. The Omai goldmine is one of the largest, open pit mines in all of South America. Rice, sugar, shrimp and timber are also very important exports for the country and account for a majority of the jobs in this poor nation. The new president promises growth and more job opportunities for the people of Guyana.

As we look into the cuisine of this nation, it is clearly a fusion of all of her inhabitants, both past and present. Chinese cuisine is loved all over (but with a Guyanese slant) as well as Indian food, with all types of curries and roti, being extremely popular. The national dish is called Pepperpot and made with a condiment called “cassareep.” This is a concoction developed by the indigenous people of Guyana to flavor and preserve food. Cassareep is a thick, black liquid made from the bitter cassava root and flavored with additional spices. You can get some by clicking here Pepperpot, which is made with meats and vegetables, is flavored with cassareep and typically prepared for Christmas. It can sit on the stove through New Year’s Day, to be enjoyed throughout the holiday season, still perfectly preserved. It is also said to be a hangover cure for those who celebrated with a bit too much rum during the festivities. Another extremely popular dish is called Cookup Rice. This is a one pot dish that is a local variation on the Caribbean rice and peas, and is one of the most often cooked dishes in the nation.

Local (ground) provisions are also staples of the diet, including cassava and sweet potatoes. Fresh fruits, vegetables and seafood are abundant along the coast. They like their dishes spicy and use a pepper, called a wiri-wiri pepper, in many of them. The wiri-wiri is different from the well-known African, piri-piri pepper and comes in at 350,000 on the Scoville Scale. It ranks right up there with a habanero or scotch bonnet, either of which can be used as a substitute and both of which, are incredibly spicy.

So let’s eat Guyanese style:

The Menu
Starter
Pholourie (Split Pea Fritter)

Served with Mango Sour (A Mango Chutney)

Main
Chicken Chow Mein

Dessert
Baked Vanilla Custard

Meal Served with
Lime wash (A refreshing lime-ade)

We set the table with all the colors of the Guyana flag; green, red, yellow, black and white, all of which have significant meaning to the Guyanese. The green color signifies the forest and foliage. Yellow depicts their mineral resource and bright future. Red symbolizes the vitality of the people while white depicts the rivers and black the endurance of the Guyanese people.  We also placed a candle with their coat of arms which also harbors many important symbols of the people. A Victoria Amazonica, more commonly known as a water lily, is the national flower. A waterfall fountain, to represent the “Land of many waters”, completed our setting and provided the soothing, sound of trickling water.

We ate continental style; fork in the left hand and knife in the right, as is customary there. Our first course was in honor of the Indian influence. Pholourie, is a delicious spice and curry flavored, split pea, fritter. Light and delicate, it’s an amazing treat, especially when dipped in the spicy mango sour; a big hit! The mango sour is made from green mango and counter balanced with lime, chili peppers, garlic and cilantro. This chutney would be awesome on so many things, provided you like it hot. It actually mellows a bit over time, so it can easily be made in advance. The Pholourie, however, is best right out of the fryer.

For our main course, we served the Guyanese-style, chicken chow mein. This Chinese, influenced, dish was awesome. Lots of wonderful flavors were created with the vegetables, tender chicken, spices and chow mein noodles. This will be a keeper in my repertoire.

We enjoyed our meal with a non-alcoholic, beverage called Lime Wash. Basically, this is a lime-ade, made from lime juice, sugar and a touch of vanilla; a delicious, refreshing drink that would be perfect on any hot summer day.

For our final course, we included a little of the British influence, with a wonderful, light and not so sweet, baked, vanilla egg custard. It was topped with nutmeg and was a lovely ending to our Guyanese meal.

After our delicious meal, we relaxed watching a television program, put out by the BBC, which reflects the biodiversity of Guyana, called, “Lost Land of the Jaguar”. Speaking of the lost land, Tepui, an amazing rock area in Guyana, is believed to be the inspiration for Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s famous work, “The Lost World”.

Until next week,
Warmest regards,
Darlene

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How did Trinidad and Tobago get its name?

Christopher Columbus gets the credit for naming Trinidad, calling it, "La Isla de la Trinidad" ("The Island of the Trinity "). Previously, it was believed to be called “Lere,” meaning, “Land of the Hummingbird” named by the Arawaks, an Amerindian people who inhabited the islands long ago.  They are home to 17 different varieties of hummingbirds.

Tobago, on the other hand, was named after “tobacco” either for its shape or because they grow it there.  

Where are Trinidad and Tobago islands located?

Trinidad is located just 6.8 miles off the northeastern coast of Venezuela and is the largest of the two-island nation.  Tobago lies about 35 miles off the northeast of Trinidad.  They are the furthest, southeastern islands in the Caribbean Sea.  They share maritime borders with Barbados, Grenada, Guyana and Venezuela.

The capital city is Port of Spain, on Trinidad, however, the largest city is San Fernando.

Trinidad has three, large mountain ranges, which is why Columbus most likely named it, “The island of Trinity.”  The islands have several small rivers, streams, waterfalls and beautiful coastlines replete with bays, and beaches.

Trinidad and Tobago are an eco-tourism dream.  On the south of little Tobago there is a popular dive spot called the Kelleston Drain, that houses the largest brain coral colony in the world.

It is also home to the second largest number of leatherback turtles (about 10,000) who arrive each year on Trinidad beaches to lay and hatch their eggs. 

They have the world’s oldest protected rain forest, dating back to 1776.  It is also home to one of the highest densities of bird species in the world, with over 400 varieties.  

They have an unusual, natural deposit of asphalt called the La Brea Pitch Lake that holds and replenishes around ten million tons of the asphalt that paves roads all over the world.

They are also home to a sand bar that is right in the middle of the ocean, where you can literally stand on top of it.  It is called Nylon Pool after Princess Margaret said the water was as clear as her stockings.  It is a popular tourist destination.  

A Brief History of Trinidad and Tobago

The Islands were originally inhabited by the Arawak Indians, who were sadly killed off by early European settlers.  Columbus discovered the islands on his third voyage, in 1498 and they were later colonized by the Spanish in 1592.  This lasted for the next 200 years on the Island of Trinidad, until the British captured it and it was formally ceded to the United Kingdom in 1802.

Tobago, however, changed hands 33 times over that same period, between the Spanish, Dutch, English, French, Jamaicans, Swedes, and Great British.  Ultimately, it was joined with Trinidad in 1889 as one colony.  They gained their full independence in 1962.

The government is run as a parliamentary democracy, modelled after that of the United Kingdom.  The monarch was replaced as head of state by a president, chosen by an electoral college.  The country has remained a member of the commonwealth.  Tobago was given a measure of self-government in 1980. 

Culture of Trinidad and Tobago

The two-island nation has a large, diverse mix of cultures that have influenced its evolution.  They are Indian, African, Portuguese, Amerindian, Spanish, Chinese and others.  The country’s history with the United Kingdom has left a major impact on its culture as well.  English is the official language, although Creole languages are spoken as well.

There is also a distinct difference between the two islands, because of their unique histories.

Africans were brought in to work on the plantation economy, as were Indians, Portuguese and the Chinese, after slavery was abolished.  Today, Africans and East Indians make up the largest ethnic groups on the Islands.  Africans are the largest group on the smaller island of Tobago.

Sugarcane and cacao were the Islands’ main crops.  However, petroleum was discovered in 1857 and eventually became the most important export for the nation’s economy, making it the richest and most developed in the Caribbean.  It also has the third largest GDP in the Americas, after the USA and Canada.

Roman Catholicism, Hinduism, and Islam are their three main religions. 

Festivals are many and celebrated on both islands, with Carnival being the biggest celebration in the nation. They call Carnival the greatest street party in the world.  It originated during slavery when the slaves were banned from attending their masters’ fancy balls and parties.  The slaves would improvise by staging their own costumed event in their quarters.  After emancipation, the slaves challenged the plantation owners to attend their parties.  Carnival is now is week-long event that brings in over one billion dollars in revenue each year.

Christian, as well as Hindu and Muslim holidays, are all celebrated and are official holidays.  It is special that everyone takes part in each other’s celebrations.  It makes for a harmonious and more understanding society.  It may also be why they have been ranked as the happiest Caribbean nation.

The two-island nation is responsible for many unique and important styles of music.  Afro-Caribbean music spread from the country to other parts of the Caribbean and Venezuela.  Its origins stem from the arrival of the African slaves with the French plantation planters in the 18^thcentury. 

Soca is another style of music that is a blend of Indian music, with the rhythms of calypso.  Parang and Picharkaree are other forms of music that originated on the Islands. 

Steelpans, also referred to as “pans,” are steel drums acoustically tuned, percussion instruments, made from oil drums, lids, frying pans and trash can lids. These instruments were made after percussion music and stick fighting were banned following a riot in the 1880s.  The musicians that play them are called “pannists.”  Steelpans are the national instrument of Trinidad and Tobago.

Trinidadian and Tobagonian Cuisine

It is no surprise that the cuisine of these Caribbean islands is as diverse as its history.  It has many influences, with the most prominent being West African and Indian, with some Caribbean, Chinese, Spanish and Portuguese in the mix.  This creates a wonderful fusion of flavor.

One popular dish is callaloo, which has African roots and is made with dasheen or taro leaves, okra, crab, pumpkin, onions and coconut milk and a green sauce made from culantro, which is locally known chadon beni.  It is typically served with a cornbread called coo coo.  Curried Duck is beloved and made from Muscovy ducks that are bred on the islands.  There are curried duck competitions held throughout the year.

Pelau is another popular dish, that is rice based.  Stewed chicken, macaroni pie, oxtails, and dahl are the more staple dishes.  Typically, the dishes are curried, stewed or barbecued. 

Being an islands’ nation, fish and seafood play an important role in the cuisine.  Flying fish, king fish, red fish, bonito, tilapia, as well as shrimp, lobster, crab and conch, are loved.  There is a delicacy called cascade which is made from a seasonal freshwater fish, which is curried and served with lagoon rice.

Soups and stews, known as blue food, are made from taro roots, sweet potato, cassava and yams. Fish broth made into a bouillabaisse, is also popular.

Trinidad is home to the second hottest pepper on the planet called the Moruna scorpion.  It measures over two million on the Scoville Scale for heat. This along with other peppers and herbs like culantro and lime, are made into pepper sauces that are ubiquitous there. 

Chutneys, made from mango, cucumber, tomato, coconut and tamarind, are a condiment that comes in an array of flavors and seasonings. Green seasoning is the most popular.

Achar is also a popular condiment, which is made from a variety of pickled goods.

There is also a huge array of street foods like doubles, bake and shark, aloo pie, pholourie, roti wraps, kebabs, wontons, and souse, to name a few.

Roast corn and boiled corn on the cob can be found day and night, when in season.

For desserts, they like them sweet and made from coconut, guava, nuts and of course chocolate, as they claim to grow the best cacao on the planet.

So let’s enjoy a Trinidadian and Tobagonian meal:

The Meal

Starter

Doubles (Flat bread with curried chickpeas)

Served with

Chadon Beni Sauce  (Cucumber & Culantro chutney)

Main Course

Macaroni Pie

Dessert

Coconut Roll

We set the scene with the colors of Trinidad and Tobago; red, black and white.  We placed Spanish ships to represent the colonial presence of Spain.  A little, black drummer boy was added, for the creation of the steel pan, plus a photo of the national bird; the stunningly beautiful scarlet Ibis. Finally we added seashells, as it is an Islands’ nation.

For our first course, we devoured the very popular street food called doubles.  They get the name because they are served on two pieces of soft baras (little flat, fried bread.)  These are topped with channa or curried chickpeas and then topped with an amazing cucumber chutney called Chadon Beni Sauce that added spicy heat, coolness and an amazing flavor of culantro to this dish. These are served for breakfast and also as snacks, throughout the day. 

For the main course, we loved the macaroni pie.  It is basically a firm mac and cheese, mixed with creole flavors that is baked in a casserole dish and served with  ketchup. 

Dessert was a delicious coconut roll, made with fresh grated coconut, brown sugar with a hint of nutmeg, rolled up in a buttery crust.  It was divine!

After dinner we decided to put on a little Calypso music and try the limbo.  Did I mention the limbo dance was created in Trinidad and Tobago?  You know the dance, it is where the stick keeps getting lowered as you pass under it leaning backwards, without touching it.  How low can you go?

As we say goodbye to these intriguing islands, I leave you with a few popular sayings:

“Better belly buss than good food waste” - which means, it is better to eat and stuff yourself than to let good food go to waste.

“Every bread has a cheese” - Everyone, even someone unattractive, is bound to find a soul mate.

“Any time is Trinidad time”- a common saying, used as an excuse for being late.

Until Next time,

Warmest regards,

Darlene

Darlene

The Saints

St. Kitts and Nevis, St Lucia, and St. Vincent and the Grenadines

How did the Saints get their names?

It was Christopher Columbus who discovered the islands of St. Kitts and Nevis.  He named one after his patron Saint, St. Christopher.  Later it was shortened to his nickname, St. Kitts.  It was considered to be the mother colony of the West Indies.  People who live on St. Kitts are known as Kittitians and people that live on Nevis are called Nevisians.  The name Nevis is derived from the Spanish “Nuestra Senora de las Nieves” which means “Our Lady of the Snows.” This was in reference to its cloud cover, which resembled snow.  Originally, Nevis was called “Oualie” or “Land of Beautiful Waters” by the early inhabitants, the Caribs.  It was also for a time called “Dulcina” or “Sweet One” by early British settlers.

St. Lucia is one of the only countries in the world that was named after a woman.  It was the French who named it, after St. Lucy of Syracuse, because they were shipwrecked on the island December 13^th, 1502.  It was previously called “Iounaloa” by the native Amerindians and “Hewanorra” by the Caribs.  The names are purported to mean the “Land where Iguana is Found.”  St. Lucia is sometimes referred to as “Helen of the West Indies” because it was traded between colonies 14 times.

St. Vincent and the Grenadines were also named by Christopher Columbus.  St. Vincent was sighted by him on January 22, the feast day of the patron Saint of Lisbon and Valencia, Vincent of Saragossa.  Prior to that, then island was called “Hairouna” by the Caribs.  The Grenadines were named due to the proximity of the larger island to the country of Grenada.

Where are the Saints located?

All three countries are Caribbean islands located in the Lesser Antilles.  Saint Kitts and Nevis are made up of two main islands. They are separated by a shallow channel called “the Narrows.”  The capital of Basseterre is located on the larger island of St. Kitts.

St. Lucia is one large island about 238 square miles.  The capital is Castries.  St. Lucia is famous for its two giant volcanic spires called “the Pitons,” a world heritage site.

St. Vincent and the Grenadines are made up of 32 islands, however, only nine are inhabited.  The largest is St. Vincent, which is considered the mainland and the other eight are all part of the Grenadines.  Kingston is the capital which has a nickname of “City of Arches.”  It is known as the City of Arches due to its preservation of colonial era architecture.  It is filled with cobbled stone streets, arches and historic stone buildings and churches.

A Brief History of the Saints

St. Kitts and Nevis were first inhabited by the Ciboney who were followed by the Arawak and the Tainos, who were then overrun by the warlike Caribs.  The English were the first to settle the islands in 1623 and St. Kitts was the first English colony in the Caribbean.  Over the next several years the French and English fought over the islands.  England eventually took over full control.  These two islands are the Caribbean’s oldest colonized territories.  They were once known as the “Gibraltar of the West Indies” due to its volcanic advantage point offering sight to nearby islands.  Despite the two islands being only two miles apart they were historically thought of as two separate entities.  They were forcibly united in the late 19^th century.

Alexander Hamiliton, the first United State Secretary of the Treasury was born on Nevis.  Both islands have suffered from natural disasters; mainly devastating hurricanes and earthquakes.  The islands’ earliest cash crops were tobacco, ginger and indigo dye.  These crops were later replaced with sugarcane.  Nevis became the richest British colony in the western hemisphere by 1652.  By 1776 St. Kitts was the richest per capita.  Initially indentured servants were used to work the plantations but fewer than half survived, which is when African slaves were brought to the islands.  In 1778, the Bath Hotel was built over the site of a hot springs on the island of Nevis making it the first place in the Americas to officially practice tourism.  This became a trendy destination for the elite in Britain.

The African slave trade was terminated within the British Empire in 1807, and outlawed in 1834.  Between the two islands, 28,500 slaves were freed.  St. Kitts and Nevis became fully independent from England on September 19, 1983 and is the smallest sovereign state in the Western Hemisphere in both area and population.  The sugarcane industry was closed in 2005 after 365 years in the business.  Today tourism has been the main focus of the economy.

St. Lucia has a similar history. Arawaks were the first inhabitants followed by the Caribs.  The first attempt at colonization occurred in 1605 when an unfortunate group of English colonists, headed to Guyana and were blown off course.  Sixty-seven colonists waded ashore where they purchased huts from the resident Caribs.  After a month the party had been reduced to just nineteen who soon fled in a canoe.  A few decades later a second English party failed in a settlement attempt.

By the mid 17^th century, it was the French who arrived and purchased the island to be part of the French West India Company.  The English were not happy with this idea, which began a bitter rivalry lasting for a century and a half.  The islands first settlements were all French and a large number of sugarcane plantations had been established.  By 1814  after a prolonged series of destructive battles, the island was finally in the hands of the English.  The country remained under the British Crown until it became independent on February 22, 1979.  Its sugarcane production was replaced with bananas, which today remains an important export for St. Lucia, alongside their tourism and small manufacturing.

St. Vincent and the Grenadines share a similar history with the other Saints.  It was the same Amerindian groups that inhabited the islands originally; the Ciboney, Arawaks and the Caribs.  The Caribs aggressively prevented European settlement on St. Vincent until the 18^th Century.  It was a safe haven for African slaves, whether escapees or shipwrecked from St. Lucia and Grenada.  Many intermarried with the Caribs and became known as “Black Caribs”.  Today they are known as Garifuna.

They also shared the same struggle between the French and British colonists with the British ultimately winning the battle.  The French were the original colonists to settle the Islands and cultivated coffee, tobacco, indigo, corn and sugarcane on plantations worked by African slaves.  After emancipation by Britain, the economy went into decline.  Many land owners left their plantations, which resulted in a labor shortage.  This attracted Portuguese and East Indian immigrants to the islands.  St. Vincent and the Grenadines gained full Independence on October 27. 1979.

Today the economy remains highly dependent on agriculture.  Bananas account for sixty percent of the workforce and fifty percent of their exports.  They are the largest producers in the world of arrowroot.  Tourism is also very important to their GDP and employs most of the rest of workforce that is not involved in agriculture.

The Saints’ Culture

English is the official language of all three countries.  They also speak a creole language and French Patois as well.   All three countries have a majority of Christians as the primary religion, whether it be Anglican or Roman Catholic.  The ethnic makeup is largely African and the rest are a mixed descent.

All three Saints have important festivals that they celebrate around Carnival and music festivals are also extremely popular, year round.  The music ranges from traditional storytelling  to reggae, calypso, soca, big drum as well as other specialties like quadrille, steelpan and bele’ music.  Dance is also prominent in all three countries; each with their own style and traditional dress.

Another interesting fact all three countries share is marriage, later in life.  Typically done long after living together and having children.  Children are adored and often raised by everyone in the family.  It is not uncommon to see multi-generational households.  All three Saints have a relaxed vibe where people simply enjoy the slow pace of island time.

All of the Saints have established ports that are common cruise ship stops, especially during the winter months.  This has been a big boost for tourism and a great opportunity for locals to sell their handicrafts to the tourists that come to shore.  Painted masks, handcrafted pottery, wood carvings,  honey, cocoa sticks, conch shells, hot sauce, batik and of course rum, are a few of the favorite souvenirs.

The Saints’ Cuisine

It is no surprise that all three of these countries have similarities in their cuisine; they are islands in the Caribbean after all.  Clearly they all have influences from their history with England and France.  However, it is the sea and what is grown locally that has the most influence along with their large African populations.

Spiny lobsters, crabs, conch, shrimp and snapper are common delicacies especially when paired with West Indian curry.  Other popular dishes are roast suckling pig and salt fish.   In St. Kitts and Nevis, goat water is considered to be the national dish.   This is a goat stew with breadfruit and root vegetables and dumplings they call “droppings.”   St. Lucia’s national dish is salt fish with green figs, aka green bananas and St. Vincent’s national dish is roasted breadfruit with fried jackfish.

All three have good volcanic soil for growing things. however due to limited land, all the countries import food as well.  Being tourist locations, you can find everything from local street food to fine dining.

Rum is by the far the most popular alcohol, with each of the islands making their own brew. Beer is also common.  Fruit juices are abundant, as all three countries grow an array of fruit.

So let’s enjoy a Caribbean meal:

The Menu

Appetizer

Octopus Carpaccio with Mango Salsa

Salad Course

Green Fig & Salt Fish Salad

Main Course

Grilled Lobster with Melted Butter

Served with

Tania Fritters (Malanga Fritters)

Dessert

Caribbean Black Cake

We set the scene with palm fronds and shells, bananas and sugarcane, along with a rose (the national flower of St. Lucia) and a parrot (the national bird of St. Lucia & St. Vincent.) We added a brown pelican (the national bird of St. Kitts.)  We put on calypso music to get us in the Caribbean spirit and began with a rum punch to kick off the meal.  Rum punch is made with grenadine syrup, pineapple juice, orange juice, lime juice and of course a combination of rums.

Our first course was an octopus carpaccio.  Octopus is found in the warm ocean waters of the Caribbean Sea and this is a lovely way to enjoy it.  Cooked and sliced pieces of octopus were arranged in circles and topped with a light and refreshing mango salsa with a little kick from a scotch bonnet pepper. The combination of flavors was perfect.

Our next course was a green fig salad.  Green bananas are called green figs on all these Caribbean islands and this salad also had salted cod, a staple in these parts, simply known as salt fish.  The salad had lots of root vegetables and reminded me of a potato salad but with a twist by adding the salt fish.  It is hearty and could easily be made as a lovely light lunch on its own.

For the main course we served sweet, succulent, grilled, spiny lobster tails.  They were accompanied with melted butter and old bay seasoning.  Honestly, if you ever have the opportunity to try the spiny lobster, I highly recommend it.  It is so much sweeter than an ordinary lobster.

They spiny lobsters were served with  chip like tania fritters.  Tania in the Caribbean is malanga and goes by many different names.  It is somewhat like arrowroot, dasheen or eddoes.  The Latin name is xanthosoma.  It has a natural stickiness to it when grated, so you really can just grate them and cook them in oil for a wonderful treat, without adding a binder.  We used chives and salt and pepper for added flavor.  Trust me, you will eat more than one or two.  They are scrumptious, with a bit of a nutty flavor.

For dessert, we indulged in the very moist, dense, boozy Caribbean, black cake.  This cake is loaded with dried fruits that have been soaked in rum for quite some time.  It is often served at Christmas time or on special occasions.  We enjoyed it with a cup of coffee to end our three Saints’ meal.

As we say goodbye to these three Caribbean countries, I leave dreaming of these nations; each with their pristine black and white sand beaches, old colonial architecture and lush green mountains, filled with exotic birds and waterfalls.  But ultimately, it is the people and their warm hearts and hospitality, and the slow island vibe that are most irresistible.

Until next time,

Darlene