Recipes Local to the Virgin Islands

Go to Amazon.com & pick up a copy of any of Angela Spenceley's books, especially "A Taste of the Caribbean."

Here are some at VI Traders:

http://www.vitraders.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=CTGY&Store_Code=V&Category_Code=ckb

And when you get here, go to Dockside Book Shop. There are several cookbooks of local cuisine there. The strangest "new" items are in produce: local sweet potato, tannia, green banana, plantain (lots of starchy ground provisions), meats: oxtail, souse, mutton and fish: whole potfish, saltfish.

breadfruit

wow! thanks for the suggestions and food items. i will have a look and see about getting a book or two. i was also wondering what kind of fish people eat. when there, i didn't see a lot of shellfish, so thanks for those as well!

this is my favorite forum because of all the friendly people!
:o)

I was curious if there is anywhere to get some good authentic Jamaican food on the USVI. I spent 20 days in Jamaica last year and loved the cuisine. I would want some good jerk chicken of course and some Jack Fruit. Does Jackfruit grow in the USVI also?
I am dying to try some of the other foods of the islands. I guess I am a sucker for something different.

See you all in Nov 08.

CIAO!

Please try our food. Go back to Jamaica for theirs. They are pretty much a variation of the same. Our one Jamaican restaurant did not make it.

RL

Sounds like a plan! You put it in front of me and i will be for sure to try it ONCE, but most of what I try I like. No worries on the Jamaican cuisine. How about the Jackfruit though does that grow on the island as a regular? I am sure it is something that can be planted there and make it.

So what is something that is a local treat down there entree wise that you would say is a must have? And also for a desert?

After I get that figured out I will need to find out the best place to try it then. Minus good ole down home coookin from a local. =0) (sorry have a lil bit of country in me ha!)

There are several caribbean restaurants in Philly that you may want to check out to see what type they're serving.

Not for main course but you'll have to try genips if they're in season when you're here.

Simkiss,

OK, I'm going to butcher the spelling of these but ganips are my favorite local fruit followed by the carambola fruit. Don't for get sea grapes!

I'm sure someone will correct me if I'm wrong but as far as I know the only local shellfish that is eaten in any quantity is the lobster. Everything else is mostly shipped in.

People will eat any kind of fish they can catch here or order. Its mostly mahi on the menu when you go out to eat though.

jkleman,

The local food is very similar/same as puerto rican food. If you're eaten there and enjoyed it, its very similar. I love beans & rice, funji, plantains, stuffing (not like stateside), johnny cake, etc, basically I love all the sides. If you come to stx try Harveys, Kims or Villa Morales.

I absolutely loved the flying fish on Barbados!! Is that a fish found there, too?

Tamara

genips

and I used to LOVE the stuffing here. It's not stuffing of bread/celery, but what I thought was sweet potato and raisins. Turns out it's white potato and ketchup!!! Kind of ruined it for me.

That said, if not for my thighs I would eat Johnny Cakes and Vienna Cake all day long.

Flying fish sandwiches are available at some restaurants. Conch is popular here too.

fantastic stuff. thanks so much to all. please keep 'em comin' if you think of more!

I've tried a few new things since I've been here tania, breadfruit, sea moss, sugar apples, boiled bananas....good stuff.

Oh and dashin.

i can't seem to find "dashin" on the internet. what is it?

Try dasheen. It's a root veg. similar to taro, yucca, etc. Down island they are all grouped together and called "provisions". It's served with all meals like we serve potatoes or rice. Personally, I'm not a fan.

The pumpkin is really good - not like the orange jack-o-lantern type. Makes a really good soup.