spices and vanilla in the southern carib

[shops54]

Finally picked the ship and ports; Carib Princess on Jan 24 sailing. Not going to Granada - will I still be able to find spices and good vanilla? I really am looking forward to the fresh spices and I'm hoarding the last of my vanilla. Please say yes - and tell me where. TIA

[coiran]

NO! Best place for vanilla is in Cozumel Mexico! Granada is the best place for other spices.

 

Change your booking!

 

Ron

[hughdm]

Got great vanilla from a neighbor gal that brought it with her from the Dominican Republic. Is that on your itinerary?

[Langley Cruisers]

Sorry, guess I'm too lazy to actually go look up your itinerary. :p Could you post a list of the ports, please?

[shops54]

Sorry - here they are: Antiqua, Tortolla, St. Lucia, St. Thomas, Barbados and San Juan.

[Akheila]

St Lucia for sure! And get a bundle of the spice mix for the spiced rum! you can just keep adding white rum to the mix and its so yummy! great for a nice cold winters night!

 

the market in St. Lucia was an amazing experience. just walking around, sooooo many spices. but don't be afraid to shop around in there, one person wanted $3 for a bag of whole nutmeg, yet a couple of booths down the same amount was only $1. and the Piton Beer is only $1, was cheaper then water.

[Langley Cruisers]

...and the Piton Beer is only $1, was cheaper then water.

 

yes, absolutely! DH grew up in St.Lucia and fondly remembers his beloved Piton Beer. :p

 

In St.Lucia, please look for the best curry powder in the whole world! It is called VEDA Madras curry powder and it is in a yellow bag with red lettering, and a drawing of a woman on the front. A small bag was only 99 cents in the grocery store, so I don't know how much it will be in market. It is phenominal, local to St.Lucia.

 

Have a fun cruise!

[Toto2Kansas]

I bake a lot, and my vanilla is also running a bit on the low side. It's been quite sometime since we sailed to the Western Caribbean where I usually buy mine. I have to tell you though, I have not seen the 'good stuff' at any Eastern Caribbean ports before, if I had, I would have grabbed up a new supply. ;)

[Langley Cruisers]

Sorry, off topic, but I have to say it: you can make your own pure vanilla for a fraction of the cost of one of those small bottles! If you can purchase your vanilla beans online, that is usually the least expensive option. Buy what you can afford (at least 10 beans) and follow my easy recipe.

 

1 bottle vodka (can use rum or brandy, but I like vodka best)

10 or more vanilla beans

 

Cut the beans in half or thirds and place inside vodka. Shake well, and keep in a cool dark place. Shake weekly. Your pure vanilla should be ready in about 3 - 6 months. It will gradually turn a light brown to dark brown color, with the vanilla seeds floating around in it. When you cannot smell the alcohol anymore, it's ready. ;)

 

Decant a small amount at a time, leaving the rest to infuse some more. I use a coffee filter in a small strainer, and strain into a small bottle to keep in my cupboard for baking. As needed, replenish your vodka and vanilla beans. I usually have two bottles "brewing", with one of them being stronger than the other, having started it earlier.

 

Makes great homemade Christmas presents!

 

(FYI, in Canada where I live and purchased my beans online, the vodka cost me $12.00 and the beans coast approximately $10.00, for a total of $22.00 plus my time. A tiny bottle of pure vanilla in my grocery store costs about $7.00! It's quite a savings, plus the homemade vanilla smells absolutely amazing!)

 

Best,

Karen

[Carpsavage]

Walking thru gardens in St. Lucia and other islands, we've encountered young people selling small bags of nutmeg - whole with the shells & mace coatings. We've bought them several times - wonderful practical souvenir which we enjoy for months after the cruise!

Also bought vanilla beans, although not inexpensive - best buy was the saffron in Turkey - very inexpensive compared to the US. Helps lower the cost of the cruise - LOL!!

[skf]

FYI, for those who buy loose spices...keep them dry & do not keep in plastic. Ours got mouldy & had to be trashed.

[Toto2Kansas]

1 bottle vodka (can use rum or brandy, but I like vodka best)

10 or more vanilla beans

 

 

I did just that with my vanilla beans purchased on our last trip to Tahiti. Guess I had better stock up when I return this month, since I don't plan another trip to Mexico in the near future. ;) I prefer Rum with my vanilla beans. lol

[flamomo]

Tortola has a wonderful spice shop, called Sunny Caribe Spice Company. It's housed in a cute little Caribbean style house that is painted bright pink. It's within a few blocks of the pier and is easy to walk to. It's on Main Street in Road Town -- just follow the people who are walking to the shopping area.

They have ALL kinds of spices, teas, sauces, and vanilla, as well as numerous other items. I always go there and restock my spice cupboard with a great mixture called Herb Pepper Blend.

[tmitchell82]

Tortola has a wonderful spice shop, called Sunny Caribe Spice Company. It's housed in a cute little Caribbean style house that is painted bright pink. It's within a few blocks of the pier and is easy to walk to. It's on Main Street in Road Town -- just follow the people who are walking to the shopping area.

They have ALL kinds of spices, teas, sauces, and vanilla, as well as numerous other items. I always go there and restock my spice cupboard with a great mixture called Herb Pepper Blend.

 

I second Sunny Caribe. Lots of variety of spices (just made grilled pork chops with Sunny's fresh ground Caribbean Creole...mmm) The spices can be a little more on the expensive side, but I have yet to find stuff in the states that is equal to what I got at Sunnys.

[Notagoose]

I found good vanilla in Barbados right in the terminal building you have to go through. I got a big honking bottle for next to nothing, along with a set of 5 small bottles which I gave to my happy sisters. :)

 

I loved Sunny Caribbee in Tortola too - my sister swears by their jerk seasoning and i really love their lemon and herb pepper (I think that's what it's called). It's on the pricey side but high quality with super cute packaging, if you're a sucker for that kind of thing like I am. :o

[pokey's mom]

Sorry, off topic, but I have to say it: you can make your own pure vanilla for a fraction of the cost of one of those small bottles! If you can purchase your vanilla beans online, that is usually the least expensive option. Buy what you can afford (at least 10 beans) and follow my easy recipe.

 

1 bottle vodka (can use rum or brandy, but I like vodka best)

10 or more vanilla beans

 

Cut the beans in half or thirds and place inside vodka. Shake well, and keep in a cool dark place. Shake weekly. Your pure vanilla should be ready in about 3 - 6 months. It will gradually turn a light brown to dark brown color, with the vanilla seeds floating around in it. When you cannot smell the alcohol anymore, it's ready. ;)

 

Decant a small amount at a time, leaving the rest to infuse some more. I use a coffee filter in a small strainer, and strain into a small bottle to keep in my cupboard for baking. As needed, replenish your vodka and vanilla beans. I usually have two bottles "brewing", with one of them being stronger than the other, having started it earlier.

 

Makes great homemade Christmas presents!

 

(FYI, in Canada where I live and purchased my beans online, the vodka cost me $12.00 and the beans coast approximately $10.00, for a total of $22.00 plus my time. A tiny bottle of pure vanilla in my grocery store costs about $7.00! It's quite a savings, plus the homemade vanilla smells absolutely amazing!)

 

Best,

Karen

THANKS for the recipe I am right on that !

[Clutterlady]

FYI, for those who buy loose spices...keep them dry & do not keep in plastic. Ours got moldy & had to be trashed.

 

Oh...how true! Purchased 2 bags of paprika in Granada in March. Went to finally use it about a month ago.....moldy! Had to throw them away:(

[recyclelady]

Tortola has a wonderful spice shop, called Sunny Caribe Spice Company. It's housed in a cute little Caribbean style house that is painted bright pink. It's within a few blocks of the pier and is easy to walk to. It's on Main Street in Road Town -- just follow the people who are walking to the shopping area.

They have ALL kinds of spices, teas, sauces, and vanilla, as well as numerous other items. I always go there and restock my spice cupboard with a great mixture called Herb Pepper Blend.

I originally bought some spices at the Sunny Caribe Spice Company. I found that they sell their spices on line and have been purchasing them that way.

[shops54]

Wow! When I read the first poster I thought my plans were a lost cause! ' Thanks for all the great ideas - you guys are wonderful. Since we only use carry-on luggage it would make sense to buy the beans rather than shipping the bottles of vanilla home - thanks so much for the recipe! I would still have the wonderful memory of the cruise every time I used my vanilla. And I am so very glad to know I can get spices in St Lucia and Tortola! I love to buy my things from the "little guy" so I hope that store is not owned by a big distributor - but it doesn't sound like it is. But I digress - Thank you so much for giving me hope in my "mission". I simply cannot wait.

[recyclelady]

Here is the Sunny Caribbe site (for those of us who might not be in the islands for a few months!)

 

http://www.sunnycaribbee.com/

[flamomo]

Sunny Caribe is a family operation. I have their brochure so if I get desperate for more Herb Pepper Blend, I can order it onine. But I MUCH prefer to be forced to take a cruise and shop in person! LOL

In the brochure there's a photo of the owners - looks like a guy, his wife, and probably a son. The shop itself is clean, bright, and well cared for.

[leoandhugh]

You get what you pay for; some of that Mexican vanilla which is so cheap is very poor quality . Actually the best vanilla extract and vanilla beans come from Tahiti and other French Polynesian islands and from Madagascar. Price for the best is almost double what is sold in our supermarkets, but far superior. The true vanilla bean which comes from an orchid is found in limited supply in only a few locations world-wide.:)

[houch]

Still using my vanilla from Granada and it is the best I have ever had, so much better than the Mexican vanilla I was using before that.

[Oca]

1. Is there an 'expiration date' for vanilla beans? We are hoping to purchase some vanilla beans and take advantage of 'the recipe' (remember the Waltons and the two elderly sisters who had 'the recipe' - as John Boy referred to it? They used to get pickled on their recipe!) But back to the topic. We would be purchasing the vanilla beans in October but would not be able to take advantage of making our own vanilla until next March. Is that too long to wait?

 

2. How would you 'store' the beans to keep them at their freshest?

 

3. What size bottle of vodka (or liquor of preference) do you use?

 

Thank you! And . . . good night, John Boy (whereever you are)

[Stevesan]

You needn't travel further than your local Williams-Sonoma for genuine vanilla extract (or beans :)).

 

http://www.williams-sonoma.com/products/fd041/index.cfm?pkey=xsrd0m1%7C16%7C%7C%7C0%7C%7C%7C%7C%7C%7C%7Cvanilla&cm%5Fsrc=SCH

 

I not in your town, order it on line.