Martinique is an island
in the eastern Caribbean Sea, an overseas region of France. It was discovered by Christopher Columbus. He sighted the island in 1493 and finally
landed on 15 June 1502.
Martinique's cuisine reflects its many
cultures. Creole and French cuisine dominate Martinique's
culinary landscape (the island had been under French possession
since 1635). Other influences are from African,
East Indian and Southeast Asian cookery.
Many dishes rely on seafood (after all,
Martinique is an island): fresh seafood, smoked fish, shellfish, stuffed crabs,
salted cod, conch, octopus, blaff (boiled
fish with chives). The national dish is court-bouillon (fish
in a spicy tomato sauce)
There is a great variety
of locally grown fruits (bananas, coconuts, guava, love apples, passion fruit,
pineapples, mangoes) and vegetables (breadfruit, gumbo, manioc, chinese
cabbage, yams, yellow squash).
The most important local drink is rum
which often precede a meal.You can drink rum in different combinations: 'Ti punch (white rum with a twist of lemon sweetened with
cane sugar), planteur (fruit juice and rum) or shrubb
(rum with marinated orange
or tangerine rinds). Other drinks are French wines and beer.
Here
are some local dishes my friend, Oana Maria, choose during her summer holiday
in Martinique:
Assiette du Cocotier -raw fish with coconut
milk and onions, shrimp croquettes, banana puree and grilled salads:
\
Assiette
Langustine - grilled lobster, stuffed crabs (crabmeat mixed together
with herbs and spices, stuffed within the shell of a crab), clams, shrimp, rice and salad:
Grilled Dorada, chief tells shrimp, salad, fried
vegetables;
Grilled tuna, mashed sweet fried vegetables and then
sauce:
Shrimp with creole sauce, rice and vegetables:
The lobster from
Ti Sable restaurant:
As for dessert:
Caramelized bananas with rum
and brown sugar:
Flan Coco - creme brûlée
with coconut milk:
And for drink, sometimes beer with lime:
Bon appetit!
Food in Daily Lif
