Best Bets for Food, Wine & … Luck
by Carol BareutherThe Holidays – Christmas and New Year’s – are a peak travel time to the Caribbean. Megayacht owners, their families and friends, flock to savor the sun, sand and sea and crews find this is among their busiest times of the year. The buzz of festivity that fills the air, both over land and sea, comes as much from fine food and beverages as it does the tropical atmosphere. Here’s a sampling of holiday provisioning recommendations from experts throughout the islands.
HOLIDAY FOOD FINDS
In Antigua, says John Grosvalds, yacht-provisioning consultant for Island Provision Ltd. and Best Cellars Wines & Spirits, “Christmas and New Year’s celebrations tend to be quite Anglicized or Americanized. In other words, the traditional turkey and hams are very much the order of the day.”
Marea Donovan, provisioning specialist at Road Town Wholesale, in Tortola, BVI, adds, “We bring in salted hams for the holidays. Also, assorted nuts, Christmas pudding, mince pies, rum cakes, black cakes, spice buns, and coconut and pineapple tarts.”
Beyond the basics and for New Year’s Eve parties, says Raoul Massé, store manager at the Marigourmet Supermarket, Marigot Bay, St. Lucia, says, “Foie Gras is a must…eaten with a bottle of Sauternes. Oysters, shrimp, scallops, caviar, fresh salmon – all kinds of seafood are popular. Sushi and sashimi are very appreciated also. Therefore, we will keep a full line of Asian products such as seaweed, wasabi paste and sushi rice in store.”
Claire Budhall, at Spronk’s Provisioning, in True Blue, St. George’s, Grenada, agrees with the popularity of seafood. “As lobster is in season, we’ll offer live lobsters.”
Beyond seafood, Budhall adds, “yacht chefs go for a bit of everything, including duck breast and beef tenderloin steaks.”
BEST BEVERAGE BETS
The holiday spirit truly does live in spirits!
Island Provision’s Grosvalds says, “There is a huge party held on Christmas Day at the historic Nelson’s Dockyard in English Harbour. This kicks off around midday and goes through the afternoon and into the early evening. There is live music and lots of stalls selling Champagne and Rum. The longer the party goes, the happier everyone seems to get!”
Champagne, says Jane Harrison, of Mega Yacht Services, at the Simpson Bay Yacht Club, St. Maarten, “is always the one for New Year’s Eve.”
Spronk’s Budhall agrees and adds, “Good champagnes – like Dom Perignon.”
Cuthbert Didier, manager at the Rodney Bay Marina, St. Lucia, also adds, “We stock a large selection of Champagnes and French wines.”
Regarding the Champagne, Island Provision’s Grosvalds says, “The emphasis is on vintage Champagne with Louis Roederer Cristal, Billecart-Salmon and Taittanger topping the list of ‘posh bubbles’.”
Marigourmet’s Massé adds, “We’ll stock a wild selection that includes Dom Perignon, Moet & Chandon, Piper Hiedsieck, Veuve Clicquot, Bollinger and more. In addition to champagne, we’ll also stock other popular spirits such as Grey Goose and Absolut Vodka, Tanguerey and Bombay Gin, the most famous whisky. Of course, we’ll also have a large variety of white and red wines. All of these beverages will also be available in the duty-free shop that we opened in November.”
For those looking for a celebration gift, Karylyn Parson, wine director at the West Indies Corp., St. Thomas, US Virgin Islands, suggests, “The Moet Chandon Brut Rose is the most beautiful bottle of wine that I have ever seen. Inside and out.”
For those who’d like to imbibe the island spirit, Road Town Wholesale’s Donovan says, “We stock traditional West Indian Guavaberry Liqueur.”
Needless to say, says Island Provision’s Grosvalds, “New Year’s Day morning tends to be quite a subdued affair with many Bloody Mary’s being consumed in the bars at lunchtime!”
‘LUCKY’ TRADITIONS
Culinary traditions abound over the best way to assure good luck in the New Year.
Road Town Wholesale’s Donovan says, “In the states people eat rice and black-eyed peas made into a dish called Hoppin’ John”.
U.S. Virgin Islander’s swear by a bowl of kallaloo, a spinach-based soupy stew flavored with Christmas’ ham bone.
In the French Islands, says Marigourmet’s Massé, “They cook ‘blaff’ on New Year’s Day. This is fish boiled in water with a lot of seasonings and ground provisions. They also put a lot of salt in it to cure a hangover.”
Meanwhile, on the Spanish-speaking islands, people stand on a chair and eat 12 fresh grapes for good luck as the clock strikes midnight.
Finally, West Indies Corp.’s Parson says, “Can’t start the New Year without a midnight kiss. And, of course, a glass of Champagne.”