The queen conch, the “strombus gigas,” is found in the warm waters of the Atlantic and the Caribbean from Florida to Brazil. Their shells are readily identifiable, with a bright colored pink lip. The conch, which grows to adulthood with its shell, uses its strong muscle to propel itself. Conch meat has a mild, sweet flavor, and resembles a scallop in texture. To celebrate the most important food product of the islands, the Turks & Caicos Islands organized the Turks & Caicos Conch Festival, held annually in November in the Blue Hills area of Providenciales. The festival showcases the conch with a “conch-e-tition” where local chefs compete for the honor of…
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When we think of the Caribbean, we think of tall palm trees, slightly curved, at the edge of a white sand beach. When we look a little closer, we realize that the palm family, botanical family Arecaceae or Palmaceae, consists of 2600 different species. Historically, palms have symbolized victory and triumph. The Romans celebrated victory in games and in war with an award of palms. Today, Palm Sunday, is the Christian celebration of the triumphal entry of Jesus Christ into Jerusalem on a path of palm boughs, the week before his death and resurrection. On Palm Sunday, the palms are blessed and distributed to the the faithful, sometimes woven into crosses, who then keep them in their homes…
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Some of my favorite food from the islands comes from a simple device, a grill made from discarded oil drums, cut in half and hinged. This row of beauties was found on the island of Anegada, in the British Virgin Islands. If you’re inspired to cook up some of your own, and are looking for a great grilled chicken recipe, visit our friend Chris’s site, Caribbean Pot. Here’s his recipe for Tamarind Grilled Chicken, just one of his delicious Caribbean and Caribbean-inspired dishes. You can also sign up for his email list and get a regular delivery of great recipes right to your desktop! If you’re not up for cooking,…
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Nevis is a 36 square-mile island at the center of which is Nevis Peak, which rises 3,232 feet. Nevis was discovered by Christopher Columbus in 1493, and was called “Nuestra Senora de Las Nieves” which means “Our Lady of the Snows,” a description of the small cloud which is nearly always present around the peak, resembling snow. The island is home to approximately 10,000 residents, and lies just two miles off the coast of St. Kitts, its sister island. The island is home to lush rainforest, gorgeous beaches, and some of the best in hospitality we have seen in the islands. Page through our seven-part trip report, where we soak up…
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The green vervet monkey is native to Africa. It was brought to the Caribbean, specifically Barbados, St. Kitts, and Nevis along with slaves by the Europeans. One person’s pet is another person’s pest. The monkeys have been known to raid crops, and can be wasteful creatures. While on a hike on Nevis, our guide showed us a lime with just one bite out of it, the discarded remains of a monkey’s lunch. Despite this, the monkeys are loved by tourists. The monkeys pictured above are from a group of 47 (by our last count) spotted on the golf course at the Four Seasons Nevis. The trick is to go to…
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Lobsters in the Caribbean are quite different than their cousins found in the waters along the northeast coast of the United States. The first distinguishing feature is that the spiny lobsters of the Caribbean lack the pincher claws of the cold water lobsters, using their spiny exterior as their defense mechanism. The taste of the lobster meat is different too. The meat of a cold water lobster is a bit firmer and sweeter than its warm water counterpart, but they are both quite delicious. This beauty was my lunch at Pusser’s Marina Cay in the British Virgin Islands. For more about our visit to Marina Cay, read our trip report…
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Time to daydream a bit. When work gets a bit dull, it’s easy to glide over to Facebook or Twitter, and think about what you would rather be doing right now. If you really had to narrow it down to a list, and put them in order of priority, what makes your top ten? Here’s our list: #10 Cocktails and tapas at SandBar, Sandy Ground, Anguilla. The perfect combination of delicious food and great views. #9 Sip lemon grass water in a lounge chair at the Four Seasons Nevis. The flavored water of the day at the Four Seasons Nevis changes daily, but the lemon grass is the best.…
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Johnnycakes are common throughout the Caribbean, although there are quite a few variations. Typically, it is a fried or baked biscuit, traditionally served with breakfast. I’ve tasted many variations, but my favorites come from Rodney Elliott’s restaurant on Nevis, Rodney’s Cuisine. Her johnnycakes are fluffy like a biscuit inside with a crisp exterior. We were lucky enough to visit at a time when there were few other customers, and we had a chance to chat with Rodney. She comes from a large family, and was instrumental in raising many of her siblings. She clearly has a way with children, because she managed to convince our son, “the kid who won’t…
