by Sail Kestrel

Grenada: Little Bits of This and That

The Merry Bakery is just outside of Port Louis Marina and only a three minute walk from the boat. We are addicted to just about everything Neisha makes: white bread, braided cheese bread, bread studded with olives, cinnamon rolls, ham and cheese rolls, pepper steak pies, and our ultimate favorite, her rotis. Roti is a popular street food in the West Indies; a rich curry that is wrapped in a thin flatbread, it is sort of like a giant curry burrito, full of complex flavors. It has become our go-to lunch on days that they are available.
Reminders of Grenada’s past as a British colony are still evident in unexpected places.
The Caribbean islands are much more environmentally-minded than many larger nations. With the Non-Biodegradable Waste Control Act in 2018, Grenada banned single-use plastic items such as bags, cups, straws, plates, cutlery, and anything made of styrofoam. Take out containers and straws are now made of paper, cutlery is made of wood, and “plastic” bags are actually made of plant cellulose. Everyone carries their own fabric or heavy plastic bags to carry groceries and other goods.
Cooking with local ingredients is always an adventure. The local green beans are as long as my forearm, but they taste and cook up just like any other green bean I’ve ever had. The local sweet potatoes are white-fleshed and, taste-wise, somewhere between a Russet potato and the orange sweet potatoes I’m used to in the US. I haven’t tackled the more esoteric local staples like breadfruit, but I’m working up to it.
Painted truck tires mark the centers of smaller roundabouts. Roundabouts are the dominant traffic control device here, and given the verve with which many people drive, they can be an exciting experience. This picture is a little blurry because we’re screaming by in a bus.
This is Latta from Latta and Frank’s Hot and Tasty Doubles. Twice a week they park at a local shopping mall and serve up authentic Trinidadian doubles out of their car; they are so popular that long lines form along the road. Latta was born in Trinidad and has been making doubles since she was nine years old. Doubles are traditionally a breakfast food but can be eaten anytime. Two soft bara breads are laid overlapping, and a flavorful chickpea curry is ladled on top. Then a quick roll and twist, and your double is securely wrapped in paper. Frank sells homemade juices that are wonderfully crisp and refreshing, and the two tastes together are amazing.
It’s not all about food all the time; sometimes we drink, too! We went to the West Indies Beer Company for a tour and ended up enjoying flights of beer (foreground) and cider (background).