Soufriere Market

The market in Soufriere, the town closest to us (population around 11,000) offers local produce from very small farmers -- mainly people who grow a few vegetables in their back yards. Farmers with more land sell at the larger markets in other towns. Some of the market sellers have just a small piece of cloth with a pile of yams or green onions; others have tables with umbrellas; I did not see any stalls as large as those at the market at home. The most crowded time was early in the morning, we were told, but there were still many sellers and buyers when we arrived at around 8 AM yesterday morning.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/12003515@N05/5290292814/" title="market4868 by mesander2000, on Flickr"><img alt="market4868" height="375" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5169/5290292814_4d9bea1c33.jpg" width="500" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/12003515@N05/5290293312/" title="market4874 by mesander2000, on Flickr"><img alt="market4874" height="375" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5206/5290293312_715e230101.jpg" width="500" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/12003515@N05/5289689693/" title="market4880 by mesander2000, on Flickr"><img alt="market4880" height="359" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5049/5289689693_9df562751b.jpg" width="500" /></a><br /><br />A few people were bringing animals to be cut up by a butcher with a machete. The crowds were especially dense around this area, buying goat meat, pork, and fish. Normally the market is on Saturday, but today is Christmas so the market was yesterday instead; we think that meat was especially popular for the holiday.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/12003515@N05/5290293672/" title="market4877 by mesander2000, on Flickr"><img alt="market4877" height="500" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5288/5290293672_78f6e6fae9.jpg" width="346" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/12003515@N05/5290293870/" title="market4879 by mesander2000, on Flickr"><img alt="market4879" height="375" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5245/5290293870_e677a88ab9.jpg" width="500" /></a><br /><br />While we were walking around the market with Bonny, our cab driver, there was a heavy rain shower that made everyone gather under the one or two large open-air shelters; when the rain slowed down, they all went into the open air again. The market is right by the sea, and of course one can see the tall volcanic piton, St. Lucia's most distinctive landmark, beyond the bay from there.

Soufriere Market

The market in Soufriere, the town closest to us (population around 11,000) offers local produce from very small farmers -- mainly people who...

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Who loves the food here?

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/12003515@N05/5286909700/" title="christmasbird by mesander2000, on Flickr"><img alt="christmasbird" height="375" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5084/5286909700_f0ed32f4f4.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />The birds love our breakfast -- especially cheese and butter. We like it too.<br /><br />In fact we have found the food really exciting. Tonight we had Indian-Caribbean fusion cuisine again. Last night was a big buffet:<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/12003515@N05/5286309237/" title="buffet4780 by mesander2000, on Flickr"><img alt="buffet4780" height="375" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5090/5286309237_6885ab2e3b.jpg" width="500" /></a>

Who loves the food here?

The birds love our breakfast -- especially cheese and butter. We like it too. In fact we have found the food really exciting. Tonight we had...

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Another View of the Pitons

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/12003515@N05/5281822576/" title="beer4742 by mesander2000, on Flickr"><img alt="beer4742" height="500" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5121/5281822576_b0e3a5452c.jpg" width="347" /></a><br /><br />For other views see: <a href="http://maetravels.blogspot.com/2010/12/more-of-pitons.html">More of the Pitons</a>

Another View of the Pitons

For other views see: More of the Pitons

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Lunch at Anse Chastanet

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/12003515@N05/5279097606/" title="lunch4662 by mesander2000, on Flickr"><img alt="lunch4662" height="375" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5163/5279097606_d1bda24e87.jpg" width="500" /></a><br /><br />The waitresses all wear this plaid costume.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/12003515@N05/5279097720/" title="lunch4663 by mesander2000, on Flickr"><img alt="lunch4663" height="375" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5207/5279097720_f950544521.jpg" width="500" /></a><br /><br />The food is delicious. Today for lunch we had fresh grilled kingfish served in small pieces, each one on a slice of potato with a curry flavored sauce.<br /><br />Our dinner was at an Indian-West Indian restaurant, also belonging to the resort. On the back of the menu is a fascinating summary of immigration from India to the Caribbean, which this brief history points out had a big influence on the cuisine -- despite being seven generations ago and much more. Sadly, indentured Indian laborers were the immediate replacement for the slaves, whose import was stopped in 1838.<br /><br />On each trip to the Caribbean, we relearn what a complex history these small islands have -- and how thoroughly they have been forgotten. Today we heard about a hurricane that hit here at the end of October, killing several people, and wiping out roads and bridges. They've recovered now. We were amazed since American media didn't seem to cover these events at all: the man who told us about it said he was surprised to find no coverage on CNN, so I don't think we just ignored the news. It just wasn't there.

Lunch at Anse Chastanet

The waitresses all wear this plaid costume. The food is delicious. Today for lunch we had fresh grilled kingfish served in small pieces, eac...

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We haven't eaten lobster, but...

<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKgoKO4v-q7W9t8D-Vg2Kbs7y80c2R81bPpkp_gNHk9tgtM-DtQ3MP-IGsY2h6Lgh4IRnmrncQV4hgh88a_ISa6wYtqydNKTUtGs5foVoNJK5GtHeZidQGOR1FTb7JOX9-gg9x0XFwdlnh/s1600/lobster0401.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5552735099358705906" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKgoKO4v-q7W9t8D-Vg2Kbs7y80c2R81bPpkp_gNHk9tgtM-DtQ3MP-IGsY2h6Lgh4IRnmrncQV4hgh88a_ISa6wYtqydNKTUtGs5foVoNJK5GtHeZidQGOR1FTb7JOX9-gg9x0XFwdlnh/s400/lobster0401.jpg" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 268px;" /></a>

We haven't eaten lobster, but...

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St. Lucia

We're in St.Lucia -- check maetravels.blogspot.com for more information and ongoing reports.<br /><br />As for food: last night after a long day of travel, we ate in the Continental dining room, one of 4 restaurants at our hotel. I'm sure we'll also try the others: a vegetarian cafe, a West-Indian dinint room, and a grill.<br /><br />The restaurant offers a different selection each night: I ordered fish with potatoes mashed with "salt fish" -- which I recall from reading <span style="font-style: italic;">Cod</span> by Mark Kurlansky is a bit of irony. Salt cod, once was the cheapest type of food; fishing boats in the North Atlantic scooped up huge shoals of cod and dried and salted them for distribution to all parts Europe and European colonies. The lowest quality salt cod was imported to the Caribbean plantations for the slaves (who were sometimes also allowed to grow a few vegetables for their own use after their unthinkable work in sugar cultivation and other tasks, a long sad story). Salt cod and other salt fish have always been among the staples in post-colonial Caribbean cuisine, for many reasons. Now cod have almost been fished out of existence. And one finds salt fish as an ingredient at an elegant tourist restaurant here at Anse Chastanet on a beautiful hillside with a stunning beach. St. Lucia of course is a land of free men and women, slavery a distant memory; but I remember something.

St. Lucia

We're in St.Lucia -- check maetravels.blogspot.com for more information and ongoing reports. As for food: last night after a long day of...

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Local Eating

The snow is deep this morning, the roads are slippery, and everything is frozen. Thinking about local produce seems very wishful. However, I've just read <a href="http://annarborchronicle.com/2010/12/12/washtenaw-whats-your-farmer-grow/">a study about greenbelt farming in our local area</a>, which treats a question I often ask myself: if a large number of people wanted to eat local food, would there be enough for them to all make that choice? I am thinking about how the statistics in the article affect my own decisions.<br /><br />Here are some statistics about the state of Michigan, excerpted from this article:<br /><ul><li>Agriculture is the number 2 industry in Michigan.</li><li>56,000 farm parcels cover over 10 million acres of Michigan farmland.</li><li>In diversity of commercial agriculture, Michigan ranks second to California.</li></ul><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB_Axt89JScjDa338kJdmhfwZLUVVwxmNxgy5PH3EPhwXiN00gImMie2uKsrQn6BFb33gBZMVf_rPTaYEpvfcn4ryUmQor_Gbd-zqnSfdCXTOUE7ME_53IsNspnmuoDGyUjYtzw9cByhU/s1600-h/jiffy17.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5279346586834126098" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB_Axt89JScjDa338kJdmhfwZLUVVwxmNxgy5PH3EPhwXiN00gImMie2uKsrQn6BFb33gBZMVf_rPTaYEpvfcn4ryUmQor_Gbd-zqnSfdCXTOUE7ME_53IsNspnmuoDGyUjYtzw9cByhU/s400/jiffy17.jpg" style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" /></a>So in terms of eating produce from Michigan, quantity isn't really a problem. In terms of my own experience, one challenge is knowing which products are actually from the state. Dairy products, corn, beans, and fruit are at the top of Michigan farm sales, but Michigan corn, wheat, and soybeans are commodity crops, sold on the national and international market. Some of the corn goes into Ethanol, but I hope that folly will soon be corrected. As a result, we may see manufactured food items that contain Michigan content but have been made non-local by commoditization.<br /><br />Even in winter, though, I often see Michigan potatoes and apples in the markets. Michigan cherries -- a big crop for the state -- are mainly canned or dried and shipped around. And I always thought that Kellogg's cereals were local: but the last time I purchased Special K the small print (which I read at breakfast) said "Made in Mexico"!!<br /><br />What about still more local products, from here in Washtenaw County and its immediate neighbors? Of course there's always Jiffy Mix, made right down the road in Chelsea (too bad I don't bake much). Corn, wheat, and soybeans are the largest crops in the immediate area, but local farmers also grow hay, livestock (for meat or dairy), vegetables, fruit, popcorn, and maple syrup. Much is for sale at the farmers' market, which I often write about. The total number of farm operators in the county is 1,984 -- this sounds like a large number, but includes proprietors of all-sized farms.<br /><br />The progress of the Greenbelt initiative is creating a protective situation for the farms nearest to us, and I am encouraged to know about the way this initiative is working to keep farmland from being made into tracts of houses.

Local Eating

The snow is deep this morning, the roads are slippery, and everything is frozen. Thinking about local produce seems very wishful. However, I...

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