The southern Grenadines are the perfect sailing vacation destination AND you get to try some of our wonderful locally-grown Caribbean fruits.
Caribbean Fruits: Fresh & Full of Flavour!
Grenada and the Grenadines are renowned for healthy, organic produce and the best spices around. We always include a wide selection to try on our charters and we promise you’ll love them! This is our top 10 list of healthy Caribbean fruits to sample on your sailing vacation:
Credit: wikipedia.com
1. Coconut
Coconuts are simply amazing! You can eat or drink from them in their various stages of maturity and they are said to have lots of health benefits. When the coconut is young, drink the water inside for a nutrient-packed, refreshing hit and then scoop out the “jelly” as a quick snack. As the coconut matures, the “meat” hardens and it can be used for cooking or eaten raw. Grenadians use coconut oil when cooking, and it can also be used as a mega moisturiser on your skin and hair.
Credit: wikipedia.com
2. Papaya
We often find that people either love or hate papaya. Admittedly, it does have a bit of a funky smell when you cut it open, but the soft, butter-like flesh has a very sweet taste when ripe. Many guests on our sailing vacations like these Caribbean fruits in a salad for breakfast. Christopher Columbus called it the “Fruit of the Angels”.
Credit: wikipedia.com
3. Mango
Mango is one of the most prolifically growing fruits in Grenada. More mango are eaten around the world everyday than any other fruit – so if you haven’t tried one then you are obviously missing out! They can be used in curries, pickles, chutneys, smoothies, salads and are packed full of nutrients. The BEST way to eat a mango is to wade into the turquoise sea, wash it off, and then take a big delicious bite. They are so juicy!!
Credit: Fruitpedia.com
4. Soursop
Soursop is a large, green tropical fruit with gorgeous sweet flesh. Grenadians use soursop as the basis for several different beverages, ice creams and other sweet foods. One of our favourite places to get a soursop smoothie is from the Native Food and Fruits outlet in Spiceland Mall on Grenada.
Credit: soscuisine.com
5. Passionfruit
Alex is lucky enough to have a passionfruit tree in his garden, meaning that Chao Lay often has lots of these on board to try. Passionfruit are small, round, yellow or purple fruits, filled with a sweet, seedy pulp. Passionfruit is a great addition to drinks, smoothies and desserts. If you want to impress, then Alex’s favourite is passionfruit cheesecake!
Credit: wikipedia.com
6. Guava
Guavas have a sweet musky aroma and are creamy in texture. They are small and round with green skin. Inside, the flesh may be white, pink, yellow, or red, and you can consume the edible seeds. Guavas make really great jams, jellies, marmalades, pickles and candies. We love having some Grenadian Morne Délice Guava Jam on our toast!
Credit: organicfacts.net
7. Tamarind
Tamarind is found within western cuisine in Worcestershire and HP sauce. In Grenada and the Grenadines, once it is ripened it is used in snacks, drinks, jellies, jams, juices, chutneys, and ice-creams. Some say that it has a bitter or sour taste, but this tends to be the young fruit that is used in savoury dishes. If you would like to try some on your Caribbean sailing vacation then ask Stuart – he has a big tree in his garden!
Credit: wikipedia.com
8. Plantain
Plantain often confuses visitors as it looks just like a banana! Whereas bananas are sweet and can be eaten raw, plantains need to be cooked. When mature, yellow plantain can be fried, boiled, baked or grilled over charcoal – both peeled or still in the peel. Polly’s favourite dessert is caramelised plantain with salt, pepper, and a dash of rum (and don’t forget the nutmeg ice-cream).
Credit: caribfruits.fr
9. Golden Apple
The golden apple is an oval, medium-sized, green Caribbean fruit that grows on a tree. The flesh tastes like a mango crossed with a pineapple, making this a wonderful fruit to use in juices, smoothies, chutneys and preserves. It has a rather annoying spiky seed in the centre so be careful if eating it raw! The golden apple has many different names around the world.
Credit: wikipedia.com
10. Starfruit
Starfruit are named due to their resemblance to a star when cut. The skin is thin and waxy, and turns from light to dark yellow when ripe. The flesh is translucent yellow and is both sweet and tart. We love to slice the fruit into stars and freeze them into ice cubes or use as frozen cocktail decorations.
So there you have it. Our top 10 delicious Caribbean fruits to try on your sailing vacation. Just let us know if you want to try something special when you book, and we will make sure we have it on board for you!