Trinidad & Tobago Food & Travel Guide

TRINIDAD &TOBAGO T H E

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if you go down to the woods today A land built on coffee and cake, fruit brandies and hearty sp채tzle, the Black Forest is also a mecca for haute cuisine. Sue Style tucks into a fairy-tale feast amid the castles, rivers and sky-piercing firs

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RESTAURANTS TOP HOTELS BEST BEACHES PHOTOGRAPHY BY MOWIE KAY 64

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Trinadad Trinadad A land built on coffee and cake, fruit brandies and hearty sp채tzle, the Black Forest is also a mecca for haute cuisine. Sue Style tucks into a fairy-tale feast amid the castles, rivers and sky-piercing firs

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Left to right: fine dining at Hakka; chef at Jaffa; native produce; beaches at dusk

Editor Mark Sansom Creative director Angela Dukes Feature writer Judy Bastyra Editorial assistant Blossom Green Chief sub-editor James Williams Sub-editor Nick Mee Publisher Gregor Rankin Account director Ross Lipsett Subscriptions 01737 457 155 Switchboard 020 7501 0511 Email info@foodandtravel.com Website www.foodandtravel.com Food and Travel magazine is published by Green Pea Publishing Ltd, The Business Centre, Suite 51, Ingate Place, London SW8 3NS (020 7501 0511). Colour repro­ duction by F1 Colour (020 7620 0644).

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TRINIDAD &TOBAGO Welcome

You will know the islands of Trinidad and Tobago from sundrenched weddings, the scene of up-all-night carnival parties and perma-smile locals serving up street food on the beach.

Sure, this all is true, but there’s much more to the islands.

Outside of the US and Canada, it’s the richest nation in North America, with one of the most diverse bird populations in the world. Stunning Pigeon Point beach was the inspiration for Daniel Defoe’s Robinson Crusoe, while they also have huge cultural heritage. Since being discovered by Christopher Columbus in 1498, they’ve been colonised by the French, Spanish, British, Portuguese and Dutch. All tribes left an indelible mark on island life and you can see idiosyncratic elements of each at play in the culture today.

We sent regional expert Judy Bastyra to both islands to uncover the very best aspects of food and travel and she did not disappoint. From ‘liming’ with the locals, to discovering nature reserves, finding 300kg turtles nesting on the beach and researching the very best hotels and restaurants for you to try, she’s got it all covered. For your next holiday, try something a little different. This 16-page guide to the best of the Caribbean has something in it for everyone.

Mark Sansom Editor

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Island life The not-to-be-missed highlights from both Trinidad and Tobago

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6 stops We explore the islands’ capital Port of Spain with its six best venues, events and parties

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Trinidad The larger of the two islands has the best of the Caribbean. Take steel pan music and delicious rotis by day and feast on local rum as you ‘lime’ long into the night

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Tobago What Tobago lacks in size, it makes up for in personality. Try fantastic diving, beautiful hotels and beach life with relaxed fine dining

Left to right: guava-barbecued grouper with calalloo fondue at Chaud; regional classics at Jaffa; casual dining in Trinidad

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ISLAND

life

These are the not-to-be-missed venues and events on Trinidad and Tobago. Buckle up for the best beaches, wildlife, and lashings of rum, all to the soundtrack of steel pan drums

Pecking ORDER

You don’t have to be a dedicated twitcher to enjoy a visit to Asa Wright Nature Centre, but with over 170 species, you may well turn into one. Set in the verdant northern range, it runs daily guided tours where you can not only spot birds, but also learn how to survive in a rainforest by eating termites (they taste remarkably like carrots) and drinking from plants. If you are lucky, you may get to witness the shy, delicate agouti and lumbering matte lizard. asawright.org

BAKE ON THE BEACH

On a Sunday, Maracas beach is teeming with families and partygoers getting ready for Carnival. Vendors line the beach selling bake and shark – a dish endorsed by Anthony Bourdain, as the best fish sandwich in the world. Locals argue over which is the best but the queue outside Richard’s is the longest. Once the fried shark has been put into the split bake, you add a selection of salad and sauces: tamarind, chadon beni, garlic and hot pepper.

PORT OF SPAIN

in 6 stops

Trinidad’s capital is the place to go for the very best of both islands For a great breakfast experience, head to San Antonio Green Market. Each weekend from 6.30am to 2pm, farmers and producers from across the country gather to sell their fresh and home-cooked food which you can eat at the market or take away. The choice is amazing: cocoa tea, coconut bake with buljol and avocado, black pudding and barbecued pig’s tails, chutney and freshly made local juice.

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Maracas beach is not only a great destination for sun-worshipers and for bake and shark sandwiches (see above), but the drive is an experience in itself.

Following winding roads and fertile hills literally dripping with bamboo, you can stop off on the way to see the Look Out Point and try some unusual snacks: peppery and sweet tamarind balls, spicy pineapple chow and mouth-puckering salt prunes.

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Travelling from the centre, take a walk on the wild side with a trip to Chaguaramas. Here you can stroll along the newly built boardwalk, or take an exhilarating zip line tour where you can observe the lush flora from dizzy heights of up to 30m. Check out Edith Falls, a short walk from the golf course, or hike in the rainforest and listen for the call of the Red Howler monkeys.

Photos by Sarah Coghill; Tobago Division of Tourism

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Grande TURTLES

Seeing leatherback turtles lay their eggs on Grande Riviere beach is a truly awesome experience. Weighing around 300kg, the effort that it takes the turtles to heave themselves up the beach is immense. They spend most of the year in cool waters but during the laying season (March to September), the females make the journey home to the beach of their own birth. This area becomes a protected area during this time, and you will need a permit to enter after dark.

POINT OF IT ALL

Pigeon Point with its iconic jetty, swaying coconut trees and turquoise ocean is the picture-perfect beach to head to for a day of relaxation. If sunbathing and swimming doesn’t float your boat, there’s a selection of watersports: board surfing, kite surfing and the latest fitness trend, paddle boarding. The entrance fee of £2 covers the cost of maintaining the grounds, gazebos, lifeguards and changing facilities.

TO THE BEAT OF THE

BITTERS SWEET

Rum is the nectar of the Caribbean and a tour of the Angostura rum factory is a must when visiting Trinidad. The recipe

GET YOUR GOAT Join the fun for goat racing at Buccoo stadium. The whole thing is hilarious, with jockeys running behind the goats. Not known to be the most co-operative of beasts, the goats run across the track tripping the other goats and jockeys. General hilarity ensues.

Easter Tuesday is ‘officially’ Goat Races Day in Tobago, while the activity now occurs more regularly through Easter, summer and Christmas.

DRUM

still remains such a secret that not even the staff know the exact ingredients.

Try it on vanilla ice cream, with soda, in cocktails, and use it to flavour stews. angostura.com

Panyards are unique to Trinidad and Tobago. It is said that the steel pan is the only acoustic instrument to be invented in the 20th century. During the lead up to Carnival, from late September, these areas ring with musical merriment. People flock to hear the rehearsals and each panyard has a bar, so you can ‘lime’ the night away.

Make a tour of the islands, taking in the markets, lush vegetation, local dishes, take-away snacks, rum factories, street food, and drinks to party with

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The Savannah will give you a glimpse of Trinidad’s architectural heritage with its cluster of imposing homes called the Magnificent Seven. Look up higher on the hill and you may be able to take a sneak peak at former cricketer Brian Lara’s house. Then make your way to the National Museum where you can see some of the work of Michel-Jean Cazabon, Trinidad’s most renowned artist.

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Go for dinner at Chaud, chef Khalid Mohammed’s excellent fine dining restaurant. His dishes embody the flavours of Trinidad’s produce at its best. A couple of examples of what you might expect are barbecued grouper with roasted garlic whipped yams, callaloo fondue, coconutpumpkin broth, tamarind-glazed pork chop with cassava hash or applewood bacon Brussels sprouts. chaudkm.com

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The perfect way to end your day is with a rum nightcap. Try an aged sipping rum, or one of the many cocktails at Drink Lounge & Bistro, a watering hole and liming spot in Port of Spain. The venue is a magnet for musicians, creatives and local Tripsters (Trinidad hipsters). Inside there’s always a lively vibe, or sit outside and watch the world go by. 63 Warren Street, 00 1 868 223 7243.

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The MELTING pot

Clockwise from top left: Rampanalgas Bay; a turtle in the Grand Riviere sanctuary; Sans Souci; the palm tree-lined coastline; Maracas Beach

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GOURMET TRAVELLER

TRINIDAD

A Trinidadian relaxes by the Caribbean Sea on a rocky stretch of coast

Few food cultures have a mix of influences as diverse as Trinidad’s. Take the best of the Subcontinent, some Latin American flair, add some European refinement and you have a cuisine just waiting to be discovered and enjoyed the world over PHOTOGRAPHY BY SARAH COGHILL. WORDS BY JUDY BASTYRA

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rinidad is a place where the flowers bloom at night, the birds speak French and the oysters grow on trees. Although its natural splendour may take you by surprise, it is familiar to many as the quintessential honeymoon island, where ‘liming’ – just hanging out and socialising into the night – is a way of being.

The street food only adds to the romance: sample ‘doubles’ (curried chickpeas in roti) for breakfast, and stunning lunches of bake and shark on Maracas Beach. Once the sun sets, the focus switches to the pure energy of the St James district. Evenings mean more roti and a cascade of rum. Friends old and new join together in spirit against a backdrop of calypso and the rhythmic beat of the soca drum.

The word ‘liming’ evolved from ‘limey’ – slang for British sailors who came ashore to make merry, and took back limes to stave off scurvy during the long voyage home. The indigenous people of the island were various tribes of Amerindians who moved between the mainland (Latin America) and the islands by canoe.

Christopher Columbus arrived in 1498. Because of its geopolitical positioning, Trinidad was claimed by one European country after

another: the French, the Spanish, the British, the Portuguese and the Dutch. All the colonists left their mark, ethnically, culturally and gastronomically. These cultures are today represented in a population of more than one million, and the culinary impact of this ethnic confluence is reflected in every restaurant and every household.

Hot peppers, okra, pigeon peas and African pelau form the basis of Trinidad’s creole cuisine, alongside ground provisions such as dasheen, sweet potato, yam and other tubers. Many of the East Indian foods in Trinidad can be traced back to small villages in Andhra Pradesh, India. Mixed and mingled with local ingredients, these dishes have morphed into a potpourri of spice and sauce.

Stop off at the roadside and grab some doubles, which consist of spicy curried chickpeas sandwiched between two bara (floppy fried pancakes). Lines of schoolchildren, construction workers, businessmen and office workers queue each morning to buy doubles for breakfast.

Goat, chicken, beef or prawn curry wrapped in a dhal puri (roti filled with yellow split peas) is another of the most popular

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GOURMET TRAVELLER XXXXXX

Clockwise from top left: restaurants draw on colourful street food; the mangroves of Caroni Swamp; a jackfruit; saltfish and soursop icecream show the spectrum of Trinidad produce, all served with easy charm.

Opposite, clockwise from top: Mt Plaisir Estate on Grand Riviere beach; the Hyatt Regency lounge; saltfish accra and sides at Mt Plaisir; manicured coastal grounds

takeaway dishes on the island. It’s as delicious as it is ubiquitous.

If Trinidad’s colourful street food draws you in, the well-established restaurant scene will keep you hooked. Chefs such as Khalid Mohammed (Chaud and Chaud Café), Joe Brown (Jaffa) and Johnny Aboud (Aoili) have raised the bar when it comes to fine dining in the island’s capital, Port of Spain. Any of them will serve you a supper worthy of the best local restaurants in the world – and Trinidad could teach many a country about service with a smile.

Indeed, smiling seems to come naturally to the islanders. Although world famous for its spectacular carnival, Trinidad has lots more to discover and the locals will be only too happy to reveal it to you. On weekends, the San Antonio Green Market in Santa Cruz draws from all over. Farmers from Paramin and Carapichaima sell their wares, and vendors tempt with a huge selection of homemade food and drink: cocoa tea, bake and buljol, fish soup, oxtail, spicy black pudding, chicken curry and homemade ice cream are on sale alongside pickle, chutney and jam. Think of the best British farmers’ market you’ve ever been to, add 30C heat and prices so cheap you could spend money all day, and you’re somewhere near the mark.

Nature lovers can explore the 470 species of birds, including the kiskadee (large tyrant flycatcher) and its apparent French-language call of ‘Qu’est-ce que tu dit?’ (‘What are you saying?’).

It’s much the same in the south of the island.

Travel information Local currency is the Trinidad and Tobago dollar. The time difference is four hours behind GMT and flights from London take just under 11 hours. The islands have a consistent tropical climate, with a daily average of about 27C. The rainy season is from June to November.

GETTING THERE British Airways flies from London Gatwick to Trinidad six days a week, and to Tobago twice a week. ba.com/trinidadandtobago Caribbean Airlines flies from Gatwick three days a week. Flights from Trinidad to Tobago take 25 minutes. caribbean-airlines.com Virgin Atlantic flies from London Gatwick to Tobago once a week, on a Sunday. The flight takes 11 hours. virgin-atlantic.com RESOURCES For travel tips and advice, visit: gotrinidadandtobago.com FURTHER READING Robinson Crusoe by Daniel Defoe (Wordsworth Classics, £1.99).

The famed castaway yarn is thought to be set on Tobago.

CARBON COUNTING Offset emissions for your trip at climatecare.org. Return flights from London Gatwick produce 1.99 tonnes of CO2, costing £14.96.

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‘There are few things as sensual as sitting on the hot sand of Maracas Beach, watching the rolling waves crashing on the shore while tucking into a fresh shark and bake loaded with garlic sauce, chadon beni, tamarind and pineapple chow, with a cold beer by your side’

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GOURMET TRAVELLER TRINIDAD

Clockwise from top left: Carmel Valley cocoa pod; Port of Spain street art; phoulorie and chutney at the Green Market; preparing the doubles Opposite page: the variety of dishes and destinations that make up the island’s food scene reflect its blend of cultures

The town of Debe dazzles with vendors lining the road selling East Indian fried delicacies such as aloo pies, pholourie balls (chickpea fritters), saheena (spinach and chickpea fritters) and baiganee (aubergine fritters). Market food goes beyond the roadside. Piero Guerrini, who owns and runs Mt Plaisir Estate Hotel, is a cheese maker, producing Pepper Jack, Dutch and Trini cheese with coriander pepper and traditional fresh caciotta, as well as a super creamy yoghurt. All this is done in his small factory in Grande Riviere.

Astrida Saunders, who also sells at the Green Market, owns a small cocoa estate and grows cocoa pods. Mixing her produce with cloves, nutmeg, cinnamon and orange peel, she makes cocoa tea (a Caribbean version of hot chocolate), cocoa-tea ice-cream and handmade chocolates under the Exotic Caribbean Mountain Pride brand name. Shirley Vilain Hargreaves is another success story. Her Rum Cake Factory makes delicious goodies using the island’s Angostura Single Barrel Reserve. The cakes have been enjoyed by the King and Queen of Spain, served in the state rooms on board the royal yacht Britannia and used as gifts at the Commonwealth Heads of State Conference that was held in Trinidad in 2009.

There are few things as sensual as sitting on the hot sand of Maracas Beach, watching the rolling waves crashing on the shore while tucking into a fresh shark and bake loaded with garlic sauce, chadon beni, tamarind and pineapple chow, with a beastly cold Carib beer by your side. Or perhaps some of the oysters that grow on the roots of trees in Trinidad’s fertile mangroves.

Your love affair with Trinidad, where culinary innovation can be experienced everywhere, is sure to continue long after you leave. The intoxicating mix of spice, rum, natural beauty and island spirit is one you’ll never forget – while the recipes themselves are sure to soon place the country on the world gastronomic map.

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Where to eat Prices are for three courses, excluding wine, unless otherwise stated Aioli Pots of fresh herbs adorn the table as European-trained chef Johnny Aboud turns out fine dining in Port of Spain. £32. Ellerslie Plaza, Maraval, Port of Spain, 00 1 868 222 4654, aiolitrinidad.com Chaud Khalid Mohammed is the best-known chef on the island. His Indian-spiced octopus with tomato chutney and crispy onions is a delicious taste of the past. Broccoli purée, cherry tomato confit and porcini veloute is a taste of the future. £40. 6 Nook Avenue, St Anns, Port of Spain, 001 868 621 2002, chaudkm.com Hakka Sexy, stylish and decked out in lush reds. The menu is a fusion of Chinese recipes and Indian spice. Try the chicken pakora and chilli mushrooms to start, followed by crispy, spicy konjee chicken for main. £28, 4 Taylor Street, Woodbrook, Port of Spain, 00 1 868 622 0004, hakkarestaurant.com Patraj Roti Shop Rotis are eaten daily by nearly every Trinidadian.

Most rank Patraj as the best. It serves dhal-stuffed roti with chana (chickpeas), pumpkin, spinach, goat or beef and mango. £4. 161 Tragarete Road, San Juan, Port of Spain, 00 1 868 221 9592 Veni Mangé Housed in a traditional colonial home, this 35-year-old restaurant is the best place to go for authentic creole. Stew and dumplings, grilled shrimp with tamarind, and tilapia with garlic butter are surefire winners. £22. 67a Ariapita Avenue, Woodbrook, Port of Spain, 00 1 868 624 4597, venimange.com

Where to stay Hyatt Regency The most luxurious hotel on Trinidad has stunning

views over the ocean, with a rooftop infinity pool, spa and an excellent sushi bar. Doubles from £140. 1 Wrightson Road, Port of Spain, 00 1 868 623 2222, trinidad.hyatt.com The Kapok A locally owned hotel in a Polynesian style set in thick, lush vegetation. The 94 rooms are all well appointed. A gym and two excellent restaurants complete the package. Doubles from £95.

16-18 Cotton Hill, St Clair, 00 1 868 622 5765, kapokhotel.com Mt Plaisir Estate Hotel On a north coast beach that is heavily populated by turtles, this former hunters’ lodge has just 13 rooms.

Service is excellent and the restaurant is beautifully intimate. Doubles from £115. Grande Riviere, 00 1 868 670 1868, mtplaisir.com The Normandie Known for its lively carnival parties, the hotel hosts cultural events all year round. Rooms are spacious and comfortable, with a European four-star-style. Doubles from £76. 10 Nook Avenue, St Anns, Port of Spain, 00 1 868 624 1181, normandiett.com L’Orchidée Service sets this hotel apart. The welcome belies the size of the comfortable 12-room property, which serves an excellent traditional breakfast: fruit, sweetbreads and saltfish fritters take centre stage. Doubles from £76. 3 Coblentz Gardens, St Anns, Port of Spain, 00 1 868 621 0618, trinidadhosthomes.com

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‘If Trinidad’s colourful street food draws you in, the well-established restaurant scene will keep you hooked. Chefs in Port of Spain will serve you a supper worthy of the world’s best local restaurants – and Trinidad could teach many a country about service with a smile’

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GOURMET TRAVELLER TOBAGO

Clockwise from right: Castara Bay; salt fish buljol at Kariwak; Sunshine Restaurant; a mango smoothie; fish cakes at Castara Retreats; Pigeon Point

PARADISE found

The smaller sister, Tobago is the original castaway island. Crack crab with your teeth, get sugar

PHOTOGRAPHY BY SARAH COGHILL. WORDS BY JUDY BASTYRA

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t is hardly surprising that Daniel Defoe’s classic story Robinson Crusoe was based on the island of Tobago. The overused phrase ‘island paradise’ doesn’t do justice to the pristine and deserted beaches that are dotted along its picture-book coastline. Tobago has barely changed since I first visited in the Seventies, which is more than I can say for most Caribbean destinations. Sure, there are a few more hotels and the buildings may have grown slightly taller than the palm trees, but Pigeon Point beach is as unspoilt as ever, with its boundless white sand, dancing coconut trees and jetty leading into an azure sea. Most importantly, the laid-back vibe prevails and the welcome remains just as sweet as it always was.

It was in Tobago that Princess Margaret chose to spend part of her honeymoon in a small hut on a spit of beach known simply as ‘No Man’s Land’. It was here, too, that Sir Norman Parkinson, the fashion and royal portrait photographer, built his home after buying a pig farm where he produced his delicious Porkinson sausages.

Sausages aside, the island is a gourmet food-lover’s dream, playing host to a hub of eclectic food producers. On the recommendation of a friendly driver we headed to the Tobago Cocoa Estate, owned by Tobagonian Duane Dove. In 2005, he planted exclusively Trinitario cocoa, held up as gold standard for the rich, intense flavour and large, mahogany beans. Duane is

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determined to show that Tobago can still produce the best chocolate in the world. Indeed, his single-estate chocolate, Tobago Estate, won a 2014 Great Taste Award gold medal and is a bestseller at Fortnum & Mason. Growing and harvesting is a painstaking process here, as greedy thieves are waiting in the wings everywhere.

Each pod must be netted to protect it from the attentions of wild parrots. Tours of Duane’s estate always end with a chocolate and rum-tasting session.

Tobago’s history is dramatic, to say the least. From the 1500s the island was fought over by the British, Dutch and French as well as the Spanish and Courlanders (who hailed from a small Duchy in Latvia). It changed hands more than 30 times prior to the early 1800s, more than any other Caribbean island. Its fertile soils were ideal for growing sugar and cotton and, under British rule in the 18th century, these crops, along with indigo and rum, were exported in vast quantities. This was made possible by the thousands of Africans who were shipped to the island to work on the plantations as slaves. Even though the British Empire officially abolished slavery in 1807, the slaves remained as ‘apprentices’ on the plantations until unconditional freedom was finally granted them in 1838.

Including Pigeon Point, beaches are the island’s stock in trade: Mount Irvine Bay is a surfer’s paradise;

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highs on the beaches and forage in the rainforest. Just watch out for parrots...

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WHERE TO STAY Bacolet Beach Club New rooms this year bring the count up to 20,

all with ocean views. A chic lobby alludes to modern design throughout, though some fixtures and fittings are a little tired. On-site Café Havana serves Asian/Cuban fusion cuisine, an interesting mix worth trying.

Doubles from £120. 73 Bacolet Street, Scarborough, 00 1 868 639 2357, bacoletbeachclub.com Blue Waters Inn This beachfront resort with 38 rooms in the lush tropical surrounds of Speyside is a great base for divers and a long way from tourist traps. The Drift-Deck restaurant serves international cuisine with a good selection of local dishes, like flying fish and buljol.

Doubles from £124. Batteaux Bay, Speyside, 00 1 868 660 4341, bluewatersinn.com Castara Retreats Staying in these laid-back and rustic lodges is like staying in a grown-up treehouse with favours. Fourteen self-catering options, each with free wi-fi, are dotted on the hillside in lush gardens, home to parrots, lizards, iguanas and hummingbirds. The local fishing village is ramshackle and authentic. Double-bedroom lodge available from £120. Northside Road, 00 1 868 766 1010, castararetreats.com Cuffie River Nature Retreat To the east of Main Ridge Forest Reserve is this spot for nature lovers. Its ten rooms are relatively small, with wildlife on their doorstep – and inside, if you leave your windows open.

Reception can advise on the best hikes on the island. Doubles from £85. 00 1 868 660 0505, cuffie-river.com Kariwak Village Within walking distance of the airport, this eco hotel is an ideal base for trips to the rest of the island. Rooms are comfortable, birds are rife – even the rare cocrico (tropical pheasant) abounds. A bountiful kitchen-garden serves the restaurants. Doubles from £127.

Store Bay Local Road, Crown Point, 00 1 868 639 8442, kariwak.com

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This page, clockwise from top left: Seahorse Inn; a reptilian observer; Kariwak Village.

Opposite, clockwise from top left: lobster at Jemma’s; Castara Retreats’ Keisha; local rum and a Lime Sunset cocktail; houses dot the hillside; Tobagonian Angostura bitters; a Store Bay lady descaling fish; Kariwak’s restaurant; breakfast is served

Stonehaven Bay and Turtle Beach are favoured spots for turtles to lay their eggs; and, at Castara Beach, tourists can help the fishermen pull in their nets and enjoy a superb jerk-chicken supper. Elsewhere, for a slice of solitude, Englishman’s Bay is something of a deserted tropical paradise, while Parlatuvier, another spectacular sweeping bay of golden sand, has a pier in the middle of the beach where the chatter of fishermen rises above the ebb and flow of the water.

‘Goats in the summer, cows in the winter’, is the maxim that Josefa Patience lives by. Her soon-to-open Café Cream Cheese is made possible by the dairy produced by her dual herds. When their grazing is limited, the goats head inside and the cows provide the base for Josefa’s milk yoghurt stuffed with a cornucopia of fruit.

When the grass grows verdant, the goats take their feed from an old sugar plantation, and the milk they produce is the most sought-after on the island. Locals swear they can taste the cane in the milk.

Indeed, dairy is big business here. JnJ Homemade ice cream has been in business since 1983 and now has a repertoire of 45 flavours; 20 its own unique creations. Pumpkin and coconut is the most popular on the island, Chocolate Guinness a bitter-sweet delight. From supermarkets to food trucks, everyone stocks it.

The island’s lush rainforest is a hidden gem – the oldest protected one in the Western Hemisphere. Just a 30-minute drive from the coast up into the vegetated hills via a snaking road, it’s a world away from the swathes of sand below. Hiking, albeit in humid conditions, is some of the best in the world. Horticultural tours of the unique flora and vegetation make for dinner-party conversation the world over.

Whereas Trinidadian cuisine is influenced by East India, here it is more creole. Spicy oxtail, pelau, callaloo, coocoo (cornmeal), fish broth and plantain, vegetable rice and dumplings are ubiquitous and delicious in equal measure. But nothing holds a candle to the island classic: crab and dumplings. The crab is left in the shell and has just enough hair to remind you of its freshness, served with a dumpling that is large, flat and piping hot. The locals have the best advice for eating: ‘crack de ting with your teeth and suck out de flesh’. It’s a fabulously messy business. For pudding, stick to the beach.

Hawkers doll out sesame bene balls, coconut cakes and fudge. Any of which will give you a sugar high that lasts into the afternoon.

The Store Bay ladies, who cook up the freshest seafood and sell it from their pretty beachside kiosks, are a local institution held in similar regard to the crab dish. It’s difficult to know which one to choose: Miss Jean’s, Miss Trim’s, Miss Joyce’s, Alma’s, Silvia’s or Miss Esmie’s. Breakfast is bake and buljol, smoked herring, eggs or fish. Lunch offers various rotis, stewed chicken, curried chicken, beef or goat, callaloo, macaroni pie and flying fish. The latter is the subject of a bitter feud between Trinidad and Tobago and Barbados, with each claiming the other is fishing its seas illegally. The Caribbean islands are notoriously relaxed when it comes to day-today life, but there’s one thing that makes tensions run high: food.

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WHERE TO EAT Prices are for three courses, excluding wine, unless otherwise stated Jemma’s This 30-year-old treehouse restaurant is a Tobagonian institution, recognised by the sea almond tree growing through the roof. All tables have views towards Goat Island. Try coleslaw with honey and mustard, shrimp stewed in Creole and do not miss the macaroni pie. Very good value. £25.

Main Street, Speyside, 00 1 868 660 4066 Kariwak A thatched-roof restaurant that delivers over and over again. A huge kitchen-garden influences the daily changing menu, which may include pigeonpea soup, gazpacho salad, grilled mahi mahi and creole chicken plus a vegetarian option, served with vegetable rice, grilled aubergine with black olives and sautéed bok choi. £22. Store Bay Local Road, Crown Point, 00 1 868 639 8442, kariwak.com Pavilion Serving handmade ravioli and tagliatelle to make an Italian chef blush, this dining room overlooks Castara beach and has a more European vibe than others. Italian coffee pairs beautifully with cocktails, made with the local Angostura bitters, of course. £30. Northside Road, 00 1 868 766 1010 The Seahorse Inn As fine dining as Tobago gets. The local-style beef daube, browned in sugar with aromatic herbs, is excellent. The creole crab cakes are even better. During turtle season, you may witness egg-laying on Grafton Beach below. £35. Grafton Beach Road, 00 1 868 639 0686, seahorseinntobago.com FOOD & TRAVEL

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“The beauty of Tobago: its pristine blue water and diverse dive sites and its magnificent rain forest imbues calm and serenity and invites you to get in touch with your inner self.”

Marie Gurley, proud Trinbagonian and local writer

A land built on coffee and cake, fruit brandies and hearty spätzle, the Black Forest is also a mecca for haute cuisine. Sue Style tucks into a fairy-tale feast amid the castles, rivers and sky-piercing firs PHOTOGRAPHY BY MOWIE KAY 64

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