Enjoying the Taste of Grenada
The diversity of native cuisine on the Caribbean island of Grenada is every gourmand’s dream. After all, there is a reason they call it the Isle of Spice. Almost everything grows in the island’s fertile soil or can be caught in its waters. This diversity of available ingredients, in conjunction with the island’s diverse culture and history, makes for a very eclectic food culture.
From the restaurants, to the Grenada hotels, to the market places, to street food, there’s something for everyone’s taste buds and cravings. Roti is available anywhere, and buying roti from a street vendor is practically a must-do for all travellers. Try their national dish, oildown – a breadfruit-based throw-everything-in-the-pot stew utilising a bouillon mixture of coconut milk, saffron, water, and seasonings. Grenada hotels and restaurants always offer interesting soups on their menus, such as callaloo and pumpkin. Fruits abound, including spiky soursop and star-shaped carambola. Due to the size of the island, beef is scarce and pork is served only during special occasions, so be prepared for more exotic meats such as goat or even iguana. Don’t worry, fish are plentiful, as is chicken. Jerk chicken, salted cod, and conch steak are popular entrees, and you’ll find that mace, cinnamon, turmeric, and clove are used liberally in local dishes. Wash it all down with various fruit juices, coconut milk, cocoa tea made from local beans and spices, or with rum punch served with nutmeg. For dessert, check out a variety of fresh fruits, their sweet potato pudding, or, truly a local delicacy, nutmeg ice cream. Truly, this island is a foodie delight.
Listed below are some food-related attractions and experiences in the Isle of Spice that food lovers simply cannot miss. Whether available widely across the island, including in many Grenada hotels, or found exclusively in specialty shops, the foodstuff of the island is truly unique and unforgettable.
River Antoine Rum Distillery
A visit to Rivers Rum will amaze you as you watch the production of rum as it has been made for centuries. This privately owned distillery is the oldest functioning water-propelled distillery not only on the island, but also throughout the Caribbean. Rivers Rum is arguably the strongest and finest white rum you will find anywhere in the Caribbean, as well as being the most famous. Visitors should be sure to purchase a few bottles to take home or to enjoy in the Grenada hotels.
Gouyave Nutmeg Processing Plant
The Gouyave Nutmeg Processing Plant is one of the largest nutmeg processing factories on the island. During the tour, you can watch the workers choose, grade, and package the nutmeg. At the end of your tour, check out the ‘Nutmeg World’ shop for spices, clothing, and other locally made items to remember your tour – including a local jute bag customised with any words of your choice!
The Chocolate Company
The Grenada Chocolate Company is a must for every chocolate lover. First, tour an actual cocoa plantation and see the plants that bear the bean of the gods. Become familiar with the process of making the Caribbean’s finest chocolates, from the fermenting and drying of freshly harvested organically grown cocoa beans, down to the creation of the cocoa powder and cocoa bars. Chocolates are produced in small batches, focusing on quality over quantity. Visitors are sure to be in for a treat as these chocolates won the Academy of Chocolate Awards 2008 and 2011 Silver Medal in the Best Dark Chocolate Bar category. This delicious sweet treat has been declared by the London Guardian as – ‘probably the best chocolate in the world’.