Island Food

When it comes to sharing time with my family, especially, Anne and David, days often revolve around planning a nice meal made with locally available ingredients. Anne and I thoroughly enjoy baking together and after buying a decadent cinnamon roll at the Island Farm, we decided we should make our own. On Eleuthera, the flour is different than what we have available in the states. It is a Canadian product and very, very fine. After one unsuccessful attempt, Anne made a second batch and these were delicious. Now I must work them off my hips but they were worth it.
Not the best photo but this was a collaborative effort - surf and turf. David cooked the lobster tail he had brought back from a diving expedition (just off the cliffs near the house). He grilled it and then served it with garlic butter. We also had steak and potato cakes which I made from leftover mashed potatoes and broccoli we had enjoyed a previous night to accompany a beautiful pork roast. Anne made a great salad from local produce. The incredibly sweet island tomatoes were perfect in Anne's salad. Dinner enjoyed with a Kalick beer!!

Grilled chicken and papaya with crispy onion rings, served at Tippy's in North Palmetto Point.
Anne with a beautiful plate of bruschetta she made to take to a neighborhood party during my visit. Heavenly with the fresh basil we acquired at an island aquaponic garden.
Lunches we enjoyed at Coral Sands on Harbour Island:

Local greens, strawberries, goat cheese and balsamic dressing. Perfection!

My lunch: Grilled shrimp and pineapple spears with a basil aioli - a lovely and delicious combination
Grouper fingers. Really delicious with an herbed batter
Our dessert choice: fried banana with caramel, homemade ice cream and beautifully spun sugar. Decadent but the perfect choice to share three ways.
Artisan breads at the Island Farm. Two days a week, the Farm features multiple baskets filled with these beautiful baked items and they go very fast. There were garlic breadsticks, wholegrain breads and sweet breads.

Choosing fresh spinach
Especially for me, David had brought a batch of his homemade raviolis so on the next to last day, they made a perfect light dinner. David makes these delights in keeping with a tradition started by his father, and almost always has a batch in the freezer ready to enjoy. He even has an especially wide counter at home where he rolls out his pasta dough and does his shaping and cutting. Using the last of our island tomato supply, I created a very light and rustic sauce to top the ravioli. It is simply chopped and lightly sauteed tomatoes, minced garlic and fresh basil, topped with some buttered and toasted crumbs made with one left over croissant we had from a local bakery. It was a perfect meal! Scattered around the plates is a bit of the seaglass we collected.
There was other wonderful food enjoyed, too. Cracked conch is an island specialty. It is the meat of the conch, pounded to soften, then sliced and deep fried. It is quite sweet akin to fried clam strips. Another highlight were the steaks at The Rainbow Inn. They have top grade, grain fed beef flown in from Chicago weekly and it is grilled to perfection by Richard, the owner of the Inn. The Inn also grows their own vegetables and herbs, which enhance every meal there. I admit to indulging in a delicious filet mignon, along with a Goombay Smash....enough said.

Happy memories, made sweet by all the good food and lots of love.