From Sugar Cakes to Chef at Petite Anse – Meet Chef Max.

Monday, November 12, 2012

“By the time I was in primary school I was making sugar cakes and tamerin balls to sell at recess. I’ve always liked to cook,” beams Max, his white chef’s hat perched on his head to make an occupational statement. And what is not to like about this personable 52-year old cook? According to Wendy Hartland – an artist and author of Great Grenada Recipes who has lived on the island for 50 years – people don’t come more authentic than R. M. Maxwell, known simply as Max.

“My aunt — Miss Pearl — raised us, my two brothers and me. It was tough because we didn’t have a lot of money. We had to work hard, but we survived. On the weekends I would also sell newspapers, but mostly I supported us with my cooking. You could say I was born a salesman.” Max developed a system of cooking in one pot and then dividing it into meals for the day. “It was just the easiest way to do it.”

So when the other kids were out limin’ — a delightful Grenadian expression for “hanging out and not doing much of anything” — Max spent his after-school time fishing and selling his catch to the neighbours. He also made various concoctions that he would sell on the weekends or at special events. People got to know him and his food and they started to put in orders. “The money would be used to buy the next batch of ingredients. The profit-margin was low, because otherwise people wouldn’t have been able to afford it.”

“Then when I was about 15 or 16 I went to my teacher and said, ‘I know what I want to do so I’m going to leave school to do it’ and that is when I started my bakery-hopping career. Green’s Bakery was my first job. There I learned to make a roti wrap, and that became my signature dish. If you mention my name anywhere on the island or in St. George’s people associate “Max” with roti.”

“I learned by watching, listening and doing. After the bakeries I branched out into working in restaurants. I started peeling potatoes in a place called Nutmeg. It was very popular and always full. Locals, people from the yachts, everyone ate there. From there I went on to work at various restaurants all over the island. I picked up skills as I went along, always challenging myself to try different things. To experiment with food and to try different tastes and various spices. To really cook, you have to be able to feel it. To sense what flavour goes with what. And to assemble it so that it all works.”

This mainly self-taught chef now runs the kitchen at Petite Anse, an idyllic boutique hotel tucked away on the northern coast of the island near the town of Sauteurs. Any fruits and vegetables not grown at the resort are purchased locally, so everything is just-picked fresh.  

 

Enjoy a drink on the terrace overlooking the ocean and get Max to make a recommendation from the menu of the day.

The three starters could be Callao soup, salt fish fritters or a cold-cut platter. Mains on offer will include a selection of fish, chicken, pasta or meat. If you want to try a Max roti, call ahead and get him to prepare it for you. Or if you want to make it at home, here is his recipe:

Max’s Roti Wrap Recipe
1 lb. all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
I cup of water

Mix all ingredients into dough and leave for 10 minutes.

Flour the table, roll it out and cut into 10 balls. Leave for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, boil 1 lb. of yellow split peas in 3 inches of water. Add chopped garlic, onions and peppers. Bring the mixture to a boil and cook until firm, but not dry. Pass through a fine strainer and season with salt and pepper.

Put 1 tablespoon of the pea mixture in each dough ball and leave for 10 minutes. Roll out the dough balls until they are about plate-size. Cook for about seven or eight seconds on each side in a frying pan.

Fill with the mixture of your choice.

Getting There

According to Tripadvisor Petite Anse is Grenada’s “best-kept secret.” The locals in the area, however, all know Miss Annie and Mr. Phillip, so just ask and they will point you in the right direction. The best way to appreciate Max and his menus is to stay for a few days.

If you are coming from St. George’s for a day-trip, Petite Anse is about an hour to an hour and fifteen:

Rent a car and pick a route. You can go up the west coast, across the Grand Etnag Forest Reserve or around on the east coast.

Stand on the road and flag down a local bus. These mini-vans ply their trade up and down the coast, as the locals get off-and-on for short hops. It is a wonderful way to mix and mingle and gain a cultural appreciation of life in Grenada.

Contact Justin Louison, local tour guide and taxi operator in St. George’s. Home telephone: 1-473-443-5056
Mobile: 1-473-403-7184
E-mail: jlexotic01@hotmail.com

A one-way trip to Petite Anse – with a running commentary – is about $60USD. Get him to wait or have someone at Petite Anse arrange for a taxi to take you back.











      

comments | | Read More...

Doing the Town: St. George’s, Grenada

Thursday, October 25, 2012

Travel writer Jody Hanson and local Anne Clift teamed up to bring you this one day walking guide to St. George’s. Follow their tracks and you will feel like a local by the end of the day.

Why Grenada?
St. George’s – the capital of Grenada – may not roll off the tip of your tongue as a destination when you think about the Caribbean, but this island is about to take off. Why? Because it has practically everything – except a lot of direct flights, but any extra effort to get there is well worth it.

Kirani James winning an Olympic gold in the 400m – a first for the island with a population of only 103,930 – did Grenada proud. And that sort of publicity that you couldn’t buy is going to attract tourists. So if you want to beat the invading hoards, book your trip immediately. No, not next month – now. Got it?

Long known for its spices, this 21 by 12 mile island was first colonized by the Spanish. It then yo-yoed between the British and the French before becoming independent in 1974. Nutmeg leads the spice pack and is found in everything from ice-cream to rum to liniment to sooth your aches and pains. But cloves, ginger, cinnamon, mace and allspice are also in the line-up, which explains why Grenada truly is the “spice island.”

In Grenada, contemporary history in measured in terms of pre-and-post-Ivan. This 12-hour-level-3 hurricane on September 17, 2004 wreaked havoc. And everyone has an Ivan story. “We had to make out way down the hill to the church and it was hard to move my mother because she is in a wheel-chair. There were no leaves left on the trees,” sighed Jenny, “and no birds.” But rather than being down and dusted, the island spirit prevailed and - like the nutmeg trees - is making a comeback. And as Grenada reinvents itself, it is poised to be “the” next hot-spot destination for the savvy traveller. And just remember that you read it here first.

In addition to sun, smiles, sand, surf and spice, this people-friendly island has a love affair with reggae and the music pulsates from all available mini-taxis, restaurants, bars and shops. The tranquil pace on the island generates a charm that allows you to slow down and, well, smell the spices.

A Day Trip Around St. George’s
Known as The Town to the locals, St. George’s is a place where walking is the primary form of transportation. Check the maps – one of the centre of town and the other heading south.

Really you can start and finish your day trip anywhere you want, but here is a suggested itinerary. Begin at the Grenada National Museum on the corner of Young and Monckton Streets. Here you can check out the displays of pre-Columbian, colonial, independence and post -independence displays.

When you emerge from the somewhat dimly lit museum turn left and head for Tikal. This shop was opened by the charming and energetic Jeanne Fisher – whose exact age is a badly kept state secret – in 1959. About 85 per cent of the arts and crafts are locally made, with the remainder coming in from surrounding countries like Haiti to help support the people there. If you want some original art, check Sandra Fisher’s paintings. She is Jean’s daughter and her work is distinct and influenced by the island.

Foodies will want to pick up a copy of Wendy Hartland’s Great Grenada Recipes. Dark chocolate lovers beware: You will drool over Mott Green’s organic concoction, but try not to drip on the island soaps or the malachite and amber jewellery in the display cases. The Grenada Chocolate Company just keeps winning awards and accumulating accolades. And the chocolate bars make a perfect easy-to-pack gift for those unfortunates who were left back at home.

Then pop across the street to the Grenada Arts Council and check out the local talent. It is a struggling operation, so leave a donation in the jar at the entrance.

Double back and head for the Sendall Tunnel. Dug out and reinforced in 1894, the Tunnel Sendall links the two side of the Town, namely the Carenage and the Bay Town. Rumour has it that this narrow tunnel – one lane of traffic with pedestrians hugging the left-side wall– is the largest flat stretch of land on the hilly island.

Once through the Tunnel, head for the Espanade Mall. This duty-free shopping paradise backs onto the cruise ship dock. And when a couple of ships dock at the same time the entire area becomes totally foreigner-infested. To get a discount you have to present your ticket with a 48-hour turnaround time. If you get a touch lost or confused about where to go to find something, check in at the Duty Free Caribbean and ask to speak to Shirley. She will get you sorted.

Time for lunch so head for BBs Crabback. The seafood in this family-run-location-perfect-on-the-water-front restaurant is so fresh it makes you wonder if they have somebody in a boat just outside. Check out the special of the day with Anna or Brian if you are hungry. Or decide on something from the menu if you want a smaller meal. A personal recommendation – which originated with Anna – is the sizzlar lambi, succulent spiced conch.

A cheap and cheerful choice is Creole Shack, upstairs in Andall’s Supermarket. This is where the locals eat lunch, so the line-ups at noon-ish can be intimidating. Traditional Caribbean dishes – such as dashee, oil down (the officinal national dish) or roti - are on offer so you can point at what you want and the server will add it to your plate. There is a bar so you can pick up a Carib or a Stag to swig with your meal.

The television for the sports bar is next to the buffet downstairs, but you can escape to the upstairs deck with an ocean vantage-point. Karaoke abounds on Friday and Saturday nights for those so inclined.

Head south along — either along the beach or on the road — and stroll around the Port Louis Marina.  Sit at the outdoor café overlooking the harbour and watch the boats float around.

If you want a hit of modern shopping, stop at the Spiceland Mall. No surprises there as it is one of those places that could be anywhere in the world. Yawn.

Time for dinner. Chances are you are at Grand Anse Beach where 90 per cent of the visitors stay. So chill out, take a shower to wash off the sweat of the walk and enjoy a rum cocktail. What?  You don’t have any rum and fizzy?  Tisk, tisk you should have picked up some your earlier walk. No problem as there is a run shop about every ten paces. More on that later.

Splash out and try local cuisine that lives up to international standards and head for Oliver’s at the Spice Island Beach Resort. Reservations are recommended and dress is “elegantly casual evening attire.” The menu changes daily, but always includes two appetizers, two soups, five entrées — one of which is a vegetarian selection — and four desserts. During the peak season there is a buffet dinner on Friday nights. A local band plays four or five times per week during the peak-season and three evenings in low-season.

Insider tips and other suggestions:
For those who want to swot up on their history of the island read Grenada: A History of Its People by Beverly Steele.

The party-hearty can take a Rhum Runner cruise.  Dance, drink, eat is the main theme, complete with a steel band and a beach stop.

If you are doing the town on Saturday, a must-visit place is the Grand Anse Craft & Spice Market.

The hail and hearty head up the hill to Fort George, 175 steep feet above sea level. Donations to the historic site are tax deductible for Americans.

The National Cricket Stadium may appeal to sports enthusiasts. If you are so inclined, head north on Halifax Street from the centre of town and check it out.

Side-Trips Close to Town
Le Phare Bleu Marina & Boutique Resort at Calivigny Bay 8001. A bit of a jaunt, but well worth it. If you are tired, check out the Pool Bar Restaurant as it is a touch early for the Lighthouse Ship Restaurant. This place caters to events – such as wedding, graduations and the like – so there may be some action. According to Lynn – who manages the operation for the Swiss couple who own it – Le Phare is “like a little village. It has everything – restaurants, a mini-market, a hotel and place where you can moor your yacht.”

Stop in for a drink and a snack in the mid-afternoon and enjoy the ambience.

Transportation for going further afield
Travel like the locals and flag down a taxi-van. This hop-on-hop-off option is cheap, efficient and a good way to meet the locals. Drivers have even been known to reverse the vehicle for a block or so to pick up passengers.

Rent a car. There is no shortage of choices and types of vehicles. Vista Rentals offers a new fleet and complimentary mobile phone with each rental: www.vistarentalgnd.com

Contact Justin Louison at Exotic Discovery Taxi & Tours
Home Telephone: 1-473-443-5056
Mobile: 1-473-403-7184
E-mail: jlexotic01@hotmail.com


Day Trips from St. George’s

Petite Anse
Head for this idyllic resort on the wind-swept north shore of the island to truly get away from it all. Allow an hour to an hour and a half to get there and enjoy the scenery along the way. The three road options include going up the west coast road, heading across the middle Grand Etang or taking the long way around the east coast. Go up one way and come back another for variety.
 

Tucked away down a winding dirt road is an opportunity to indulge in isolated paradise. This charming places runs on the personality and charm of Phillip and Anne Clift, the British couple who carved the resort out of the tropical rainforest.

What is there to do at Petite Anse? Swim in the pool. Sit and do nothing – such a precious indulgence. Go for a walk. Stroll back and forth on the sheltered beach. Explore Sauteurs, a nearby village. Have Max the chef whip you up one of his famous rotis for lunch or dinner. In summary, just get away and relax at a resort where the motto is “no shirt, no shoes, and no problem.”

Bathway Beach
“Don’t go out beyond the protective reef,” warns Miss Johns, a teacher at the St. Victoria Special Education School, “because people disappear there. The body may or may not be washed up on shore” And the tone of her voice conveys the seriousness of being so foolish as to venture out of the safe area and chills your blood a few degrees.

The locals all know this beach and it is packed with picnicking families on the weekends and everyone on the island for holidays and festivals. But the tourists tend to stay in the area around the Grand Anse Beach so, chances are, you may be the only foreigner.

Photo credit: Grenadaexplorer.com

Agnes’s Rum Shop
Rum – which comes in mild, medium and knock-off-the-top-of-your-head – is the tipple of choice in the Caribbean and Grenada is no exception. And it is ubiquitous. Saunter into any little shop that sells cigarettes, sugar, toothbrushes and bread and there will be bottles stashed under the counter. Buy a 1/8 or a ¼ or go for broke and get the whole bottle. It is mixed with locally made fizzy drinks and slides down very easily. Just be sure it doesn’t return to whack you on the back of the head.

Agnes runs a rather non-descript shop along with her daughter Jenny, quoted earlier. The store used to be on the other side of the road, but Ivan nudged it across the way, so they took it as a sign from the heavens and left it there.

If you can’t find Agnes’s little shop on the road between Bathway Beach and Sauteurs, stop at any of the other similar places along the way. Beer, for those who prefer it, is also on offer.

Head for the hills
Hikers, bikers and trekkers can head for the Gran Etang Forest Reserve and the many waterfalls. I don’t “do” nature so there are no recommendations.

Bios
Jody Hanson is an insufferable travel junkie who has visited 102 countries. On an island hopping junket in the Caribbean in July 2012 she had the opportunity to spend a week in Grenada. There she had the fortune to meet the remarkable Anne Clift, who has lived on the island since 2007.

To say everyone knows Anne – remember the population is only 103,930 – is not an exaggeration. A trained nurse, she regularly stitches wounds, dresses cuts, takes temperatures, reads blood pressures, monitors blood sugar levels and doles out medications to many of the locals who cannot afford even basic medical care. Driving down the road she is greeted with waves and a chorus of people calling out Misssss Annieeeee. Her reception comes a close second to Kirani’s victory parade.

comments | | Read More...

Grenadian Soca artist "Brother B" nominated for a NAACP awards

Tuesday, January 31, 2012

Grenadian Soca artist Brother B was recently nominated  for a NAACP award, for his album ‘Carnival Fever’ which was nominated for ‘Outstanding World Music’ album.

The NAACP, honours outstanding people of Colour in the fields of Television, Music, Film and Literature.

"It is a great honour to be nominated at the 43rd NAACP Image Awards in Hollywood, USA. Coming from the wonderful Island of Grenada and creating music in the Soca arena, it is amazing that the music has reached so far and is accepted”, said Brother B

The ‘Carnival Fever’ album includes music produced by many Grenadian producers including Jimmi King at King Beats Studios and Doggy Productions.


The 43rd  NAACP awards will be aired on  NBC on Friday 17th February 2012. 

Vote here for Brother B"

comments (4) | | Read More...

Grenada to launch 2011 carnival regional campaign in Trinidad

Wednesday, March 16, 2011

ST GEORGE’S, Grenada -- Grenada plans on marketing its 2011 carnival in North America and the Caribbean, starting in Trinidad later this month.


Junior Culture Minister, Senator Arley Gill, made the disclosure at a meeting with Chris Alexander, chief administrative officer (CAO) for the Festival Management Committee of Toronto’s Scotiabank-sponsored Caribana.
Gill said the regional campaign will capitalize on the popularity in Trinidad of Grenadian artiste, Tallpree, and on Iwer George’s hit, “Come to Meh.’’ In the song, George threatens to leave Trinidad for Grenada to be part of the island’s carnival Jab Jab celebrations.
“Trinidad has been one of our focal points for marketing for the past two years,’’ the culture minister said. “We are going to kick off our regional campaign in Trinidad because it’s an important market. We’re going to piggyback on the success not just of Iwer George, but of our own Tallpree as well, in the Trinidad market. By next week we should be able to engage the Trinidad market for Spicemas 2k11.’’
Gill said with regard to Toronto, he’s interested in partnership that would allow for the marketing of Grenada and its Spicemas carnival.

He described the talks with CAO Alexander as “just the beginning of a discussion to see how best we can, as much as is possible, bring benefits for both Caribana and Grenada carnival.’’
Gill presented Grenada-born Alexander, a former banker and now an independent businessman, with a copy of “Canboulay,’’ the 2010 souvenir magazine of Grenada’s carnival celebrations
Alexander travelled to his homeland after visiting Trinidad for the country’s carnival that ended March 8.

“I had a series of meetings in Trinidad with different ministers and other officials to see exactly what they do, to see what we didn’t want to take away and what we wanted to take away,’’ Alexander said.

“There are a few things that I know we wouldn’t do, and some good things that we picked up from Trinidad’s carnival that we probably could take back to enhance what we’re doing in Toronto right now.’’

Toronto’s 2011 Caribana will be held on the weekend of July 29. Alexander said Grenada’s culture will be highlighted at the festival with the participation of members of the Toronto-based Spice Youth Organisation.

He’ll like to have artistes from Grenada visit and participate in Caribana, but admitted that cost may be a prohibitive factor.

“Grenada,’’ Alexander said, “has a lot of great artistes, so it would be nice to see if we can get them more involved. But you know the aspects of what happens when artistes come in. First thing, there is the cost aspect to bring them in.’’

Source:Caribbeannewsnow.com

comments | | Read More...

Digicel Reggae Fest X

Thursday, March 3, 2011

Q-West Promotion ,Digicel and Guinness will be staging this 10th Annual Reggae Festival "Digicel Reggae Fest X", which be held on Saturday May 28, 2011at the  National Cricket Stadium in St. George’s Grenada.

Artistes who are booked to perfom includes  Artist Jah Cure ,Sizzla, Konshens and  veteran performer Cocoa Tea.  Also , Grenada’s  Ajamu will also perform..
 
Tickets will be US$20 or EC$50  but patrons will have to pay more later on and at the gate. Limited VIP Drinks-Inclusive tickets will also be available. Gate open at 7 PM and showtime will be at 9 PM - 5 AM

comments (1) | | Read More...

Mr Vegas Banned Grenada

Tuesday, February 23, 2010

The Grenada government has refused a work permit to Jamaican artiste Mr. Vegas, who was scheduled to perform there on Saturday.


Vegas who performed in Grenada at a rally of the then ruling new national party in 2008 said the move is political one by the government.

Steve Duncan said no specific reason had been given by the Minister of labour for refusing the work permit.

Mr vegas on his twitter page hit back by saying “How could the minister of labor in Grenada be so lie and call himself a pastor,he is on the news saying steve duncan applied For a work permit late,this man is a pastor and is out their lying through his unholy teeth the permit was applied 4 jan 22 we have proof “

Duncan ,who claimed to have invested more than EC$30,000 in marketing the show, is questioning the move to ban the artiste and wants the government to say if it has a list containing the names of persons who should not perform in Grenada

Grenada’s labour laws do not require the labour minister to provide a reason for denying an artiste a work permit.

This is the second Jamacian artiste to be banned from performing in Grenada by the 19th month old Tillman Thomas administration. Last April, the government refused a work permit for artiste known as Vybz Kartel

comments | | Read More...

The 31st Annual Carriacou Parang Festival

Friday, December 19, 2008

The 31st Annual Carriacou Parang Festival Is Finally Here

Friday 19th - Sunday 21st December, 2008

Main Events
Friday 19th – Cultural Show and Paranging on Main Street
Saturday 20th – The Band “Caribbean Traffik Jam” from Trinidad
Sunday 21st – “Co-op Bank” String Band Competition

comments | | Read More...