Eat BVI Local

 
When most people hear the name BVI, they immediately think “Yachting Capital of the World.” Yet, with Anegada lobster, local conch, fresh papaya, mango, and passion fruit galore, the British Virgin Islands are beginning to define themselves as far more than sunshine and placid waters. In fact, the BVIs are home to some of the best local ingredients and recipes in all of the Caribbean.
 
Most of the fertile land in the islands is found on hill slopes at higher elevations as well as in the valleys. With a rotational method of cultivation, local farmers alternate from food crops to pasture, peddling their harvest directly to the consumer or to local markets scattered throughout the islands.
 
What does this mean for you?
 
It means no freezing or transporting of goods for 2,500 miles or more. Instead, shoppers are treated to wonderful and unusual varieties that they’ll never find in supermarkets back home. Best of all, these hometown goodies can be sampled at the height of their freshness, usually within twenty-four hours of being harvested.
 
The Honorable Eileen Parsons, Minister of Natural Resources and Labor in the BVIs, encourages locals and visitors alike to focus on produce from BVI farmers and purveyors. While the territory is partly dependent on imported food to satisfy the varied palates of tourists, the real flair of the islands is found when venturing inward to discover fragrant tropical gardens and exotic fruits on the hillsides.
 
The islands are finally receiving recognition for their agriculture as a result of recent honors awarded to the BVI National Culinary Team, masters of cooking with only the freshest of local ingredients. Headed by Wilford “Willo” Stoutt, executive chef at Peter Island, the culinary team demonstrated many varieties of local recipes to over two thousand hoteliers from thirty-two Caribbean countries at a recent competition.
 
Many visitors are discovering that produce that is locally grown by small farmers not only tastes better, but is also more nutritious and less likely to be contaminated by pesticides than imported products. Local fruit and produce, with more vitamins and minerals, have an extra zip and are tastier, as evidenced by the number of BVI restaurants now supporting local farmers and using ingredients indigenous to the islands on their menus.
 
The demand is there, and it’s no wonder.
 
Take a step outside, or take a hike through the Sage Mountain National Park on Tortola. What do you see?
 
There is fruit wherever you look. Mangoes, breadfruit, and coconuts are just the beginning.
 
Many tropical trees, such as the mango tree, are cultivated for their large, oval, smooth-skinned fruit that has a juicy aromatic pulp. Island fare such as this can be found in everything from salads to desserts, and just about everything in between. Locals find the sweet and sour tang of mango chutneys to be the perfect complement to a roti—an East Indian crepe-like wrap filled with meat or vegetables and available at restaurants throughout the islands. Similarly, with melon-sized breadfruit abounding throughout the BVIs, it should come as no surprise that such natural treats pop up in almost every “down home” recipe. Used most often in savory and sweet dishes, breadfruit can be served undercooked and grated in a skillet as hash browns, mashed with butter and coconut cream like potatoes, or served as a fritter in the style of a French croquette. With ample helpings of fiery jerk recipes, the slightly bland taste of breadfruit provides a nice balance to many island entrees.
 

Surrounded by the island’s bounty, there are obviously many reasons to buy and eat local produce. In today’s global marketplace, we rarely get the chance to see what is behind the stuff we buy. Where does it come from? What are the working conditions for the people who created it? What kinds of chemicals were used?
 
In the BVIs this simply isn’t the case. Look above, below, and around you. It’s all there. Nature’s best recipes are right at your fingertips.
 
Keep that in mind come dinnertime.