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Grenada Spices, Agritourism & the Culinary Travel Scene
by Nicole Crozier
"A lady in a boat with a red petticoat." In Grenada this is how you describe the fruit represented on the national flag because… that is pretty much what fresh nutmeg looks like.
I wasn’t the only one in the group of five travel writers here on the Isle of Spice who had much to learn about the beautiful fruit with its seed covered in a bright red lattice. Nutmeg quickly became our friend and companion at every meal. Grenada has much to offer any food lover with an interest in culinary travel.
A Tour for Foodies
Where to Dine in Grenada
Spices and Culinary Scene
The rich, volcanic soil that makes the Caribbean island of Grenada (pronounced Gre-nay-da) famous for its nutmeg (it’s the second largest producer of nutmegs in the world), mace, bay leaf, cinnamon bark, clove and coca beans is also responsible for the organic food scene that permeates the culture of the island.
Most festivals and special events in Grenada tend to focus on food. For example, every Friday night is Gouyave Fish Fry night. In the small town of Gouyave’s narrow streets fill with vendors, tourists and locals who mingle, eat and dance the night away. And, of course, the specialty is the local catch.
Our group of writers tried dishes such as Yellow Fin Tuna Kabob seasoned with island lime, and Caribbean crab baked in the shell and flavoured with grated nutmeg. A new favourite for me, Lambie Waters - a hot soup made with vegetables and conch.
Grenada Tour for Foodies
Our first stop on this day-long island tour is a pretty, roadside waterfall where we found leafy, green Callaloo plants (outside of the Caribbean it is known as Water Spinach) growing wild.
Nearly every traditional Grenadian meal includes Callaloo in some form. It can be sautéed or creamed into a mousse, pureed to make soup (seasoned with nutmeg) stuffed into fish and meat and added to stews. It has an earthy taste and is rich in nutrients including iron, calcium and vitamin A.
Next stop - the 250 year-old Douglaston Spice Estate. This agritourism experience is a bit like going back in time. Cocoa beans are still dried in wooden beds constructed in an east/west orientation to maximize the sea winds in the drying process.
The owners and workers give the tours and you can purchase fresh, organic spices from them. I smelled and tasted my first, fresh-off-the-tree Bay Leaf, discovered a Tonka Bean (the seeds are excellent vanilla bean substitutes) and saw the "lady in a boat with a red petticoat" up close.
Another agritourism experience is found about an hour’s drive from the hotel zone at The Belmont Estate. This working farm has roots dating back to the 1600s when it was a French-owned, coffee bean plantation.
Today the Grenadian, family-run Estate invites tourists and school groups for tours of their organic farm, goat diary, heritage museum, and cocoa processing facilities.
We enjoyed a traditional lunch in their open-air restaurant above the property. For starters, we sipped on freshly pressed juice made from the Tamarind and Star Fruit trees growing right in front of us.
A buffet featured Callaloo soup, goat cheese and a goat curry from the farm’s goats, freshly harvested mixed vegetables, roasted farm chicken and a mildly spiced, homemade nutmeg ice cream for dessert.
Passing in and out of a food coma on the drive back to the hotel zone, I was able to decipher a water lily from Calaloo and a nutmeg from a mango tree. I dreamed of a lady in a boat with a red petticoat.
Four restaurants serving traditional Grenadian dishes:
At The Aquarium Restaurant local ingredients from the owner’s organic farm are used to create a fusion style menu of West Indian and European dishes.
Callaloo Cannelloni, Shrimps in shredded coconut and ginger glazed lobster are a few items on the menu. Here, you can dress up for dinner or enjoy casual drinks at the beach bar where the weekly Sunday BBQ takes place. The owners also own the boutique, villa rentals Maca Bana.
Inside the stunning and upscale, Spice Island Resort, the seaside rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> Oliver’s Restaurant features local specialties in a fine dining atmosphere. A four course, prix fixe dinner is available and features on-site, garden produce and local spices in Chef’s creations. There is a casually elegant dress code after 7 pm.
With views of yachts anchored in the bay, True Blue Bay’s resort restaurant the Dodgy Dock Restaurant & Lounge is a great place for lunch or a festive evening. Fresh salads, seafood, local specialties and grill items are available all day and theme nights like Thursday’s Curry Night and Wednesday’s BBQ offer live music and a social atmosphere.
Coconut Beach French Creole Restaurant is located on popular Gran Anse Beach and you can walk here from most hotel zone resorts.
You can sit inside the colourful dining room or with your toes in the sand at a wooden table on the beach for lunch or dinner. Fresh seafood dishes like Lambie (Conch) Calypso and Creole Mahi-Mahi combine French Creole with West Indian flavours are on the menu, and live music is presented most nights.
Nicole Crozier is an editorial intern with Travel to Wellness.
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