James Meets Anne Dentel of Sibarth...

Q.'What ‘accident’ was it that brought you to St Barths?'

Anne Dentel
‘Actually you could see it as somebody else’s accident. My husband got a job at the hospital on the island. We were in St Martin when Hurricane Luis struck in 1995 and that was very bad, but a chance came up to move to St Barths. I started working at Isle de France initially and then, when it closed for renovations, I moved on to Sibarth in 1996.’

Q.‘What were your first impressions of the island?’

Anne Dentel
‘I fell in love with it immediately. There is a magical feel about St Barths and a great energy. And it puts you at your ease. It’s not as flashy as St Tropez. People don’t go to the beach in a Ferrari or head off to lunch by helicopter. I often tell new visitors before they arrive that they will fall in love with St Barths too. They laugh, but then often when they do arrive the same happens to them.’

Q.‘What’s new at Sibarth?’

Anne Dentel
‘We have taken on 25 new properties in 2009, which means we have over 200 altogether now. It is a reflection of all the building that’s going on at the moment. New villas are appearing all the time. And the quality continues to improve with them. It is good to see that they are being built to personal taste rather than as houses for sale – I suppose the people fall in love with the island and then built their dream house. The service at Sibarth remains European, though some expectations are driven by the American visitors. For instance the maid service and all the concierge services we offer, like restaurant reservations, private chefs and watersports. Brook Lacour – who set up the company in 1975 - retired late last year and so I have been at the helm since then, though I continue to do the Sales and Marketing.’

Q.‘How have the properties changed over the years that you have been at Sibarth?’

Anne Dentel
‘Before, they tended to be small and often Caribbean in style. Now they have become more international, and they are larger - some have bedrooms 50 square metres in size, others have six or seven bedrooms now. They are in every conceivable design – Caribbean, Floridian, Asian and now the most popular style is modern. There are some really spectacular houses. Philippe Stouvenot’s Maison de Jade is magnificent and The Stone House by Xavier David is too – it is a very modern house that uses local island stone.’

Q.'How has the island been over the past year (since 15/9)?'

Anne Dentel
‘St Barths has been lucky. In October last year it was looking bad when all the cancellations came in after the financial collapse, but the island is not so large and it does not take that much for it to fill up. By Christmas it was full and we were busy. This year everything has been much more last minute, and people are looking for deals, but we have been all right. The shops are probably suffering the most. People spend on their accommodation and then eating out, which leaves them less money to spend on buying things.’

‘Even so, it’s good to see that the island has loyal followers. It’s nice to see the children of original families coming now with their own children. The visitors have changed a bit, though. There are more British travellers now, August is popular with the French, Russians have invested a lot recently and more South American travellers are coming too – of course their winter is the opposite to the northern hemisphere so that works well. The majority of visitors are American of course. For them it’s …’

Q.'….a little bit of France without crossing the Atlantic?’

Anne Dentel
‘Yes, they get the pleasure of France without having to go all the way to Europe. Actually it’s not quite the same, though. The people you meet in St Barths have all travelled and they do have a more international mentality from the metropolitan French. They say that the people from the fringes of France travel more and you can see that in the mix of people on the island – there are Bretons, Normans (actually these were the original settlers too) – and people from the Alsace, for example.’

Anne Dentel was appointed President of the St Barth Hotel Association in August 2007

Q.'What are the latest activities of the Hotel Association?’

Anne Dentel
‘We have introduced quite a few new measures, for instance a weekly charter flight from Antigua on Fridays to bring passengers on the BA and Virgin flights and we have made it easier for South Americans to visit by getting rid of the need for a visa. Things have changed politically as well. In August 2007 the island’s political status changed and the ‘Collectivité’ of St Barth now raises its own taxes – there is an import tax and an accommodation tax (there is still no income tax). Now we have a senator.’

‘Equally though, as the Hotel Association we need to make sure that the island itself does not suffer. And in fact, it is a big issue on the island right now, whether there should be so much building. There have been no new hotels in the past decade, but the new villas and rebuilds are non-stop. There are now green zones around the island, in which no building is permitted. Also, we need to be more proactive in encouraging alternative energy – the solar power is too individual at the moment. We have an excellent incinerator, which provides power to desalinate water and we should even look at wind power.’

At my surprise – where exactly could the turbines go? – Anne continues -

‘There are offshore islands. They wouldn’t disturb anyone there… We have the wind and sun so we should use it.’

Q.'A final word?’

Anne Dentel
‘I’d love to see wider promotion of the island. We have managed to live on our reputation, but we need to maintain the quality and to make sure everyone knows what a great island we are.’


For more information please see our Definitive Caribbean Review of Sibarth.

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The Beaches of Anguilla – A Photo Essay

The Beaches - the classic reason for going to the Caribbean. Palm-backed curves of blinding white, powder-soft sand that shelve gently into gin-clear shallows and a surreal blue sea. It is a 21st Century idyll. The island of Anguilla has some of the most spectacular beaches in the whole region. And it has them in spades - on a small island there are over thirty of them. Some are mile-long strands, others secluded coves but the thing they all share is their strikingly white sand and incomparably clear water. Our photo essay for this issue explores the beaches of Anguilla. Images are courtesy of William Boyd and the Anguilla Tourist Board.

Please see The Beaches of Anguilla – A Photo Essay.

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Jamaica Farewell by Morris Cargill (re-issued by Barricade Books, 1995)

Jamaica Farewell is a classic Caribbean memoir. Written by Morris Cargill, it shows the depths of his love for Jamaica, with all its difficulties and eccentricity. The book was written at a difficult time for the island, in the late 1970s, and a difficult time for the author himself – as the title suggests he was about to emigrate from the island he so obviously loves. This merely heightens the pathos, the sense of love and consequent loss. Cargill is an accomplished writer and Jamaica Farewell is an exceptionally touching memoir.

Read our Review of Jamaica Farewell on the Definitive Caribbean blog.

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Now in its 13th year, the world’s largest Creole festival will take place once again in the Eastern Caribbean island of Dominica this October into November. Originally founded to showcase Creole music and the other cultural talents of the Dominicans, the event has grown in popularity and size and now attracts international artists as well.

Headlining the festival in 2009 are Maxi Priest (the reggae/rnb singer from Britain), Morgan Heritage (a Jamaican reggae band consisting of Denroy Morgan's family) and the Guadeloupean zouk artist Patrick St Eloi. But the event also showcases some of the extraordinary range of less known Caribbean musical genres. On show will be cadence-lypso, a Dominican amalgamation of the Haitian cadence rhythm with Eastern Caribbean calypso, compass from Haiti, merengue from the Dominican Republic, bouyon, a percussive rhythm from Dominica itself, bélé, folk song and dance from Dominica, quadrille, a French Antillean dance and the delightful sounding jing ping, an accordion band accompanied by percussion, also from Dominica.

The festival takes place Friday 30 October - Sunday 01 November, in the run up to Dominica’s Independence Day celebrations on 03 November 2009, when the country celebrates 31 years of independent nationhood. The headline events will be held at the Windsor Park National Stadium in Roseau, but in addition to these shows, there are a number of fringe events surrounding the festival, including the LIME Creole in the Park, Heritage Day in Colihaut and Kweyol Bod La Mer on the Bayfront in Roseau, so visitors are given plenty of chance to sample the local cuisine and other culture such as storytelling as well as Creole music.

World Creole Music Festival 2009 line-up

Friday 30th October 2009

• Swinging Stars
• Allan Cave backed up by ZIN
• La Perfecta
• Patrick Saint-Eloi
• Music For Real - MFR Band

Saturday 31st October 2009

• Caribbean Vibes
• DLUX Mizik
• Icons of Zouk
• Sweet Mickey
• Morgan Heritage
• Triple Kay International

Sunday 1st November 2009

• Winward Caribbean Kulture
• Cadence Icons
• Michele Henderson
• Maxi Priest
• Nature Boyz Band

Tickets are priced at EC$120 (approx £27) per day or EC$325 (approx £68) for a three day pass. Tickets can be purchased from www.wcmfdominica.com.

For more information on Dominica please see the Definitive Caribbean Guide to Dominica.

For more on the rhythms of the Caribbean take a look back at our music article in last years October newsletter.

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Has the market bottomed out? Who will prove to have predicted the right time to buy? We won’t pretend to know all the answers – and whoever did probably wouldn’t tell anyone! But let’s just say that enquiries are up, prices are levelling and interest levels (those of investors, not the banks!) are climbing rapidly. We believe the next six months represent a great time to buy, and with that in mind we have collected together some great deals from Antigua, Jamaica, Nevis, St Kitts and St Lucia.

FEATURE ARTICLE
SEASIDE at Cliffdwellers, Nevis
Now in its final phases, SEASIDE at Cliffdwellers is already a much admired residential enclave on the charming island of Nevis. Developers Marcia Myers and Mat Skinner, long-time Nevis residents originally from Boston, were enchanted by the West Indian style of architecture found throughout the island. With the help of architect Anne Hersh of Nevis and New York, they have succeeded in creating an intimate village by the sea featuring traditional West Indian architectural elements. Hip roofs, broad verandas, balconies with brackets, wood shingles and clap board sidings are among the details which give the houses authentic style and charm.

Clustered around a large free-form pool with views to neighbouring St Kitts, the 14 residences marry traditional building with modern amenities - private Jacuzzis in walled courtyards, generators, stainless steel appliances and bedroom air-conditioning. Each home has its own signature features. Some have indoor-outdoor showers in the master suite, others have large plantation-style galleries facing the sea. In addition, SEASIDE includes a highly-praised restaurant, three shops in classic chattel-style houses (one is an original, saved from the wrecking ball) and a boat house. A tennis court and fitness centre are planned.

Surrounded by some of the most elegant homes on Nevis, SEASIDE is conveniently located across from the Nevis Golf Club. Five restaurants are close by, the Four Seasons’ Robert Trent Jones II golf course is a five minute drive, and the airport is just six minutes north on the main island road. The new Seabridge car ferry connecting with St Kitts is close and there are boat moorings in the immediate vicinity.

When owners aren’t in residence, SEASIDE management can provide a rental programme and carefree ownership. SEASIDE qualifies buyers for the St Kitts-Nevis Citizenship by Investment Program - which allows foreigners to become St Kitts-Nevis citizens.

Asking Price: Several 2, 3, and 4-bedroom homes are still available, starting at US$745,000.

To make an enquiry please email Suzanne Gordon.

For more information about Suzanne and other Nevis real estate offers please see our Review of Sugar Mill Real Estate.


OTHER OPPORTUNITIES
Penthouse Condo at St Christopher Club, St Kitts
This top floor condominium is spread over 3,200 square feet and has three large bedrooms with king size beds, three bathrooms and is fully furnished with three sofa beds, an air-conditioned loft with a pool table and ceiling fans in most rooms. There are two levels, each with its own entrance, kitchen and large balconies – so the unit can be used either as one or two condos. Currently the condo is rented out for US$3,000/month, with the tenant paying for utilities and the landlord paying a monthly charge for maintenance at US$375.

The St Christopher Condominium complex has two pools, two restaurants, a tennis court, club house and is right on the beach at Frigate Bay North. The Marriott Resort with its casino and spa are nearby as well as a host of restaurants.

Asking Price: US$575,000 (Comparable condos in the development are on offer at US$850,000.)

To make an enquiry please email Ricky Pereira.

For more information about Ricky and other St Kitts real estate offers please see our Review of St Kitts Realty.


Golden Clouds, Jamaica
A very popular rental villa, Golden Clouds is set on a cliff-front just east of the town of Oracabessa. There are nine bedrooms in all, seven in the main house and two in the guest cottage, Golden Acres. The whole estate is almost like a resort, spread over six acres, with two pools, various different terraces – sandy, barbecue and waterfront – a Jacuzzi hot tub, wet bar, exercise room with table tennis, tennis court, children’s playground, shuffleboard, basketball practice court and croquet lawn! There is an air of history about Golden Clouds and although the house has been restored it has kept most of its original features.

Asking Price: US$4,000,000. To make an enquiry, please email Clinece Prendergast.


Stonaway, Jamaica
Moving closer to Ocho Rios you will find this four bedroom property in the gated community of Ridge Estate in Shaw Park. Stonaway is an elegant, four bedroom, four bathroom plantation-style home surrounded by tropical gardens. Owners gain access to ‘Rooms on the Beach’ at Turtle Beach, a stunning stretch of white sand five minutes down the road and can have spa treatments at home on request. Further afield there is the Sandals Golf and Country Club and Prospect Plantation for horse riding, both 10 minutes away by car and another 20 minutes will take you to more riding and polo at Chukka Cove in Laughlands.

Asking Price: US$1,500,000. To make an enquiry, please email Clinece Prendergast.

For more information about Clinece and villas in Jamaica, please see our Review of Prendergast Villas.


Acacia, St Lucia
Looking down over sloping lawns, Acacia Villa is a light, breezy five bedroom villa on a hillside in Becune Point. The main house consists of three bedrooms, a large living and dining room and kitchen all facing a completely private pool terrace with outdoor dining area, 8 man Jacuzzi and a BBQ area. Downstairs there is a separate living space with two bedrooms and storage area. Located on the Cap Estate, Acacia gives fantastic views to Pigeon Island National Park, and across the sea to the French island of Martinique as well as being walking distance to Anse Becune and causeway beaches and a 5 minute drive to an 18 hole championship golf course at the Cap Estate Golf and Country Club.

Asking Price: US$950,000 (Down from US$1,200,000). To make an enquiry, please email Faye Joseph.

For more information about Faye and villas for sale on St Lucia, please see our Review of Tropical Villas Limited.


Anchorage Inn, Antigua
Currently run as a family-owned 40-room inn with seven self-catering studios in the north of Antigua, Anchorage Inn has been put on the market as the family is looking to move on. The poolside piano bar and reception area is a great hang out for guests and locals alike and students and airline engineers mix happily with visitors from all over the world. Within easy reach of St John’s, the airport and Dickenson Bay beach, Anchorage Inn is ideally set as a launch pad for island tours and is a regular venue for birthday celebrations, graduations and weddings.

Asking Price: Available on Request. To make an enquiry please email Delores Jardine.

For more information about Delores and these properties, please see our Review of Anchorage Inn.


Lolivya, Jamaica
This unique four bedroom villa is one of a few waterside homes at the famous Blue Lagoon near Port Antonio. Lolivya has been decorated with contemporary Caribbean décor with all its rooms facing the water for an open, free feel. The villa is set over three floors and comes with a private jetty and sun deck, dinghy, kayak, cable TV, CD player and barbecue. Lolivya has excellent snorkelling right off its deck. The nearest actual beach is at San San, five minutes walk away and there is a small beach on Monkey Island within rowing distance.

Asking Price: US$1,450,000 (Reduced from US$1,650,000) To make an enquiry please email Yvonne Blakey.

For further information about Yvonne and villas on Jamaica please see our Review of Villa Vacation.


Cap Maison, St Lucia
Cap Maison is a collection of 22 one, two and three bedroom suites in a modern ‘hacienda’ Mediterranean style, which are for sale leasehold (with a formula of a given number of weeks of residence per year, after which the suite is handed back to the hotel as part of their rental pool). The resort consists of 3.5 acres of landscaped, oceanfront land with direct access to the sea and adjacent beach, Smugglers Cove. The resort offers a gourmet al fresco cliff-top restaurant with panoramic sea views, courtyard and infinity pool with swim up pool bar, gym, spa, 24 hour concierge/security, and a gift shop. Location-wise, Cap Maison is hard to beat, with Rodney Bay and its variety of restaurants, bars and shops five minute drive away. The St Lucia Golf and Country Club, an 18 hole championship course is a three minute drive and owners at Cap Maison receive free membership to the golf course for five years. The St Lucia Racquet Club and the world class Oasis spa are both less than 5 minutes away.

Asking Price: Available on request. To make an enquiry please email Adam Gobat.

For more information about the hotel please see our Review of Cap Maison.


Terracotta Terrace, St Lucia
A luxurious three bedroom townhouse with its own private pool set in landscaped gardens at Cotton Bay Village, Cas en Bas. This two storey apartment covers 2800 square feet and includes a master bedroom with its own balcony. All bedrooms have air-conditioning and ceiling fans. Five minutes from the Cap Estate and just 10 minutes to Rodney Bay this beachfront townhouse sits right in the middle of all the action in the North of the island with access to Cotton Bay Village amenities including a world class spa, gym facilities and restaurants.

Asking Price: US$795,000. To make an enquiry please email Andrew Barnard.

For more information about the locality of Terracotta Terrace please see our Review of Cotton Bay Village.


Land at Becune Point, St Lucia
Andrew is also selling two half-acre lots of bare land with prime Caribbean sunset sea views only about 150 feet from the sea in Cap Estate. There is nearly no land left for development on the Caribbean side so the plots here are very interesting. Potentially, a buyer could buy and develop both lots then sell one house to make a profit.

Asking Price: Top piece - US$18 per square foot. Lower piece - US$15 per square foot.


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Spent too much time offshore recently? Horizon Yacht Charters in Grenada can arrange a day on land with visits to two of the island’s best attractions. Their tour starts at the HYC base at True Blue in the south-west of the island and heads into Grenada’s mountainous interior. The first stop is high in the rainforest in the Grand Etang National Park, where you can expect to see some of Grenada’s extraordinary flora.

Thirty minutes later you’ll arrive on the Atlantic coast at Belmont Estate, a 17th century plantation. Here, shaded by immortelle trees with their bright orange blooms, you will find ‘cocoa walks’, lines of trees where the organic cocoa is grown, the brightly coloured pods harvested and the beans processed in time-honoured fashion. It is chocolate heaven!

The Grenada Chocolate Company, which uses the cocoa from Belmont Estate, is an award-winning organic outfit based up in Hermitage, a village outside Grenville on the north east coast of Grenada. Their premises are now too small to cater for the number of people that want to visit, so instead they have arranged for people to sample their chocolate at nearby Belmont. As it is a working plantation you can see cocoa processing underway, including ‘cocoa walking’ or ‘dancing’, in which workers shuffle through the drying beans, turning them with their feet. Then you can see inside the cocoa fermentation plant, where demonstrations and tastings are held.

You might be surprised to hear that Belmont Estate has the island’s only goat dairy, where goats’ cheese tastings are held. You will also find a craft market, a workshop and a heritage museum containing artefacts, tools, photographs and other memorabilia from the estate as well as personal effects from the Nyack family, the owners of the plantation. Belmont Estate’s Creole restaurant offers an authentic Grenadian buffet lunch made from local ingredients mostly grown on the estate’s nurseries and farm.

Horizon Yacht Charters has an extensive fleet of yachts – catamarans and monohulls – including Athena 38 Cat, Bavaria 38, 39, 42, 46, Jeanneau SO 50 DS, 45.2, Lagoon 380, 410 Cat, 440 Cat, Leopard 4700 Cat, Venezia 42 Cat. For full details of the company and what they offer, please see our Definitive Caribbean Guide to Horizon Yacht Charters Grenada.

For more information about what to do while on island - if you make it onto dry land – please see our Definitive Caribbean Guide to Grenada.

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The Atlantis was a stalwart of Barbados hotel scene long before the now famous West Coast was even conceived. Set above Bathsheba, overlooking the Atlantic breakers and the top-heavy rocks of Tent Bay, the hotel has held pride of place on the Atlantic coast for more than a century.

In times past the Atlantic coast was the retreat of choice for wealthy Barbadians wanting to get away from the sweltering heat of an un-air-conditioned Bridgetown. Bathsheba is only fifteen miles away, but the air was fresher and loaded with ozone off the ocean. Some families would literally pack up their linen and clothes for the summer and spend a month or two over there (you can still see some of the original holiday homes, which are as coveted as they are hard to come by). Or they came to stay at the Atlantis. Later, when the railway was completed in 1883, visitors would come to the Atlantic coast and the hotel on day trips.

In the second half of the Twentieth Century, as the West Coast became so popular with overseas visitors, the Atlantic side held its popularity with the Barbadians, especially over public holidays and at Christmas time. And the Atlantis itself continued to have a following for its Sunday lunch. Each week a mix of islanders and travellers would gather for its Bajan Buffet, which was known particularly for its traditional dishes.

Now the Atlantis is to get a new lease of life. In November the venerable old hotel will re-open as a 10 room, all suite hotel. It has been restored by Andrew Warden of Little Good Harbour, the delightful small hotel near Speightstown, which has established itself over the last 15 years as a very friendly but low key getaway within a shout of all the activity of the West Coast. It has an excellent restaurant too, The Fish Pot. Andrew will be taking the same formula across to the Atlantic side. We spoke to him as he was in the final stages of the restoration, hanging doors and putting on shutters. Getting a hotel in the Caribbean ready to open on time is always fraught business, but it seems that they will be making their Christmas deadline -

‘Yes, there’s a month’s more work to do and then a bit of a clean up, so we’ll open our doors in late November or early December'

Q. What have you enjoyed most about working on the Atlantis?

‘What I loved about the idea initially - and have continued to love while I have been building it - is the satisfaction of seeing the old structure restored. It’s a lovely old building that will now stand for another hundred years. And that’s important for Barbados too.’

‘Nobody has done this before and so the challenge for us will be to bring across the people who come to the West Coast. While we know that we love the ruggedness and wildness of the Atlantic side, some visitors never even leave their hotel. Those that do always say they love the East Coast, so we want to bring more across to see it.’

Q. What will it be like?

‘They’ll certainly love the rooms, which are as nice as anything on the West Coast, with the same quality of linen, towels and soaps as at Little Good Harbour, WiFi and iPod stations.’

Q. And atmosphere?

‘There is a lovely Caribbean atmosphere already, with lots of white and lots of wood, so it feels beachy and laid back. As I mentioned, the building has its own historical value and the walls will be decorated with photos of times gone by and pictures of people who have had an impact on the island. It’ll be interesting to read about them in itself.’

Q. And the Sunday buffet?

‘The old Atlantis was known for its Sunday morning buffet and the social gathering that went with it. We’ll be rejuvenating it, putting out the traditional Bajan spread and adding to it. The Sunday buffet will definitely continue...’

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Maca Bana and Aquarium Restaurant’s Signature Dish Recipes
Prepared by Chef Randy Daysant

Callaloo Cannelloni and Deep Sea Palm Tree of shredded coconut shrimp with a Pineapple and Curry Sauce

Owners of Maca Bana and the Aquarium Restaurant, Rebecca Thompson and Ulrich ‘Uli’ Kuhn first came to Grenada to open the Aquarium beach bar back in the 1990s. The intrepid husband and wife team had picked Magazine Beach, close to the tip of the Point Saline peninsular and miles from Grand Anse. It was so rarely used at the time that local people thought they were mad to do so. All that has changed of course and ‘their beach’, a delightful corner of the island, now has its own draw. Uli and Rebecca went on to build Maca Bana, which they designed themselves. Rebecca is a trained artist and is the driving force behind both the spirit of the resort and the art courses that are held here.

"Our ethos in developing Maca Bana was to provide a luxury product at an affordable price, the antidote to large scale hotels.” As keen environmentalists they note "We are striving to set an example that responsible development is attainable for a small family-run business. Our organic nursery is nourished by compost from The Aquarium Restaurant’s and our guests’ kitchen waste collection. Maca Bana had taken the first step away from fossil fuels towards renewable energy in 2007 with the installation of a photovoltaic system of 48 solar panels in addition to the pre-existing solar water-heaters. In April 2009 we have added another 63 solar panels to be able to cover the electrical needs of our boutique accommodation. The total number of panels is 111."

Last August they purchased a 15 acre plot of agricultural land in the rainforest region of St David. Their idea was to restore the plot and to employ local farmers to cultivate short-crops in between the nutmeg trees. The produce, which is all organic, would then be used in their restaurant to supplement other locally produced organic foods. "A large part of the historical culture of Grenada is agriculture. Our land project has taken a previous section of nutmeg plantation, which had become overgrown and unutilized forest since Hurricane Ivan in 2004, and begun restoring it to its former working state. This has been an investment primarily to integrate this small subsistence farm into the experience of our visitors, either in person by visiting it or by ideology; of being informed”.

“We also serve a niche tourism market of eco-conscious travellers who require an authentic cultural experience as part of their vacation. This is seen by the popularity of our initiatives where local farmers, artisans and our chefs meet the guests for cookery lessons in the villa or jewellery making on the beach, etc. We provide a safe path into Grenadian culture through our knowledge of the island and complete concierge service and encouragement to engage themselves."

Both of the recipes below were created by Uli and have been on the menu at The Aquarium Restaurant since it was established back in 1991. Though often in attendance, Uli no longer actively cooks and the kitchens are now run by two head chefs from Grenada, Lorry and Randy, who also run the cookery classes. This summer, chef Randy Daysant was a member of the Grenada culinary team which travelled to Puerto Rico to partake in the annual CHTA’s Taste of the Caribbean competition. He is pictured below preparing one of the Signature Dishes incorporating a couple of Maca Bana’s home grown ingredients.


Callaloo Cannelloni
Ingredients to serve 4 as a starter

Dough for pasta
1 pinch of salt
1 teaspoon of vegetable oil
2 teaspoons of water
2 whole eggs
2 seasoning peppers or mild Habaneros
2 cups/1lb of plain flour

Callaloo mixture
½ pound of callaloo or spinach leaves
1 medium sized onion
1 garlic clove
1 tablespoon of vegetable oil
Salt and pepper to taste

Topping
2 cups of heavy/double cream
8oz grated Parmesan cheese


Method

Dough for cannelloni
Mix all ingredients in a bowl and form into a smooth ball then dust counter top with the flour and roll out the dough thinly. Cut the pasta into eight strips measuring approximately 3” x 4”.

Callaloo mixture
Finely chop the onions, garlic and seasoning pepper, then sauté them in oil. Add the roughly chopped callaloo (or spinach leaves), cover the pot and let slowly simmer for 10 minutes, stir in between, then add salt & pepper to taste.

Allow the mixture to cool (drain excess liquid) place spoonfuls of it on the pasta strips and roll it into tubes. Put two pasta rolls each into four small ovenproof gratin dishes, cover the rolls with some cream and then place in a moderately hot oven for 5 minutes - 380° Fahrenheit/195° Celsius (approx 180° for fan assisted ovens) or gas mark 5. After 5 minutes take out and sprinkle parmesan cheese on top of the cannelloni and cook for another 5 minutes until golden brown Allow to cool for a few minutes before serving, noting the dish will be too hot to serve directly out of the oven.

Notes on ingredients

Grenada Seasoning Pepper – this is one of a number of mild Habaneros of the Capsicum Chinense family, which include the Aji Dulce 1, 2 and 3. These small, teardrop shaped peppers are from the same family as the fiery Scotch Bonnets but lack their heat. Nonetheless they are very fragrant and pack lots of flavour. There are similar varieties in the Caribbean which include the Tobago Seasoning (Habanero Elongated), Trinidad Perfume, and St Lucia Red or Yellow Seasoning. Pimento peppers or regular sweet or bell peppers can be used as a substitute for this dish if you are not able to get hold of a mild Habanero.

Callaloo – this leafy green plant is a species of Amaranth from the Xanthosoma family. It has its origins in Africa and resembles spinach or sorrel. In the Caribbean it is known as dasheen, taro or tania, elsewhere elephant ears, bhaji, sag/sagaloo or Chinese spinach. In the Caribbean both the large green leaves (as in this dish) and the starchy tuber are used – some species are very high in calcium oxalate, which is also found in rhubarb leaves and if not prepared correctly can be toxic. Like spinach, callaloo leaves are also rich in iron and vitamin C. One of the most popular uses of the vegetable in the region is in Callaloo Soup. Tinned callaloo can often be found in the World Food sections of large supermarkets or you might come across it at markets where there are West Indian communities.

Note– the seasoning peppers, onions and callaloo are grown on Maca Bana’s own small farm, while the fresh coconut comes from the beach below the resort where their restaurant is located. Pineapples are also home grown (right outside Pineapple Villa), though not in sufficient enough numbers to provide a guaranteed supply to the restaurant. The shrimps are imported from Guyana or nearby Trinidad.


Deep Sea Palm Tree with Pineapple & Curry Sauce
Ingredients to serve 2 as a main course

Coconut Shrimps
10 raw jumbo shrimps (peeled and de-veined)
2 eggs (whisked)
½ cup of fresh grated coconut or or desiccated coconut
5 tablespoons of plain flour
Salt and pepper to taste
½ cup of oil for frying

Pineapple & curry sauce
4 tablespoons of mayonnaise
1 teaspoon of curry powder
¼ cup of milk
2 slices of pineapple (chopped)
Salt and pepper to taste


Method

Pineapple & curry sauce
Mix all the ingredients together until well blended and place in two small dishes, then chill.

Deep Sea Palm Tree
Season the beaten egg. Place the flour and coconut in two separate bowls, then dip the shrimp into the flour, then the beaten egg and finally the coconut. Fry in a shallow pan until golden brown, drain and arrange 5 each to a small bowl, with the shrimp draped over to look like the top of a palm tree. Serve with the chilled pineapple curry sauce in a dipping bowl and accompany with fresh garden salad or seasonal vegetables and rice.


READERS’ OFFER
The Signature Dishes above are available to guests at Maca Bana as part of a complimentary three-course meal at The Aquarium Restaurant. Please see this month’sReader Offer for more details.

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The Maca Bana & Aquarium Restaurant offer is available to guests that stay at Maca Bana for a minimum of seven nights and consists of a complimentary three-course meal that includes two of the restaurant’s most popular SIGNATURE DISHES.

The starter is a tasty Callaloo Cannelloni and the main course is a mouth-watering Deep Sea Palm Tree of shredded coconut shrimp. While you stay at Maca Bana, you can meet Chef Randy Daysant personally or even co-owner Ulrich ‘Uli’ Kuhn (who originally created the dishes) and get insider tips on how to prepare them. If you wish to have the special arrangement of having the meal prepared by a chef in your villa, you can book the chef service for this at a cost of EC$120/US$45, which is payable locally.

To claim your complimentary meal, all you need to do is to send us an email requesting a Coded Voucher. For full terms and conditions and to read about the hotel, please see our Review of Maca Bana Villas.

You might be surprised to know that the Caribbean has its own tectonic plate. It came from the Pacific and has rammed its way eastwards, very, very slowly admittedly, between North and South America over the past tens of millions of years. Well, that’s one story. The other current theory is that it is actually moving westwards after all, just not as quickly as North and South America.

The Caribbean tectonic plate exists, anyway. On its northern border you find the Puerto Rican Trench, the deepest place in the Atlantic Ocean (about 27,000 feet), and the Cayman Trough, which was the scene of the film The Abyss. Apparently poor old Tobago is nothing more than a pile of tectonic rubble, pushed up as the plate moves against South America.

But it is at the leading edge, in the eastern Caribbean, that it gets interesting. Here the Caribbean plate is munching its way into the Atlantic section of the South American plate. The meeting point is out in the Atlantic itself, but the plate actually breaks farther west and this is where the main seismic activity is. Over the past 15 million years, where the plate has crumpled, a line of volcanoes has sprung up. There are seventeen of them in all at the moment, ranging from Saba in the north to Grenada in the south. The Eastern Caribbean is a very active area, volcanically speaking. The underground movements cause earthquakes, occasional tsunamis and of course regular eruptions.

The Montserrat Soufrière - many of the volcanoes are called soufrière, after the French word for the sulphur that you smell there - is the latest one to erupt. It has grumbled for the past decade (a mere blink of an eye in geological time), making the island all but unliveable. Elsewhere the underworld vents more gently, in steaming and smelly craters. Sometimes it lets off steam underwater, causing hot and cold patches in the sea, even emitting bubbles, giving you an impression of scuba diving in champagne. The activity around Kick ‘em Jenny in the Grenadines is enough to cause a sailing exclusion zone.

Some of the volcanoes erupt with cataclysmic force once a century or so (another geological nano-moment). In 1979 the Soufrière in St Vincent blew, causing immense destruction in the north of the island and sending clouds of ash 20,000 feet into the air (countervailing winds caused it to ‘snow’ in Barbados). And for plain and simple volcanic weirdness, see what happened in Martinique in 1902.

Interestingly there is a second line of islands, running in an arc from Sombrero and Anguilla in the north down to the eastern side of Guadeloupe, which is thought to be around 115 million years old. This is an older line of volcanoes which are now extinct. The mountains, once presumably as sheer and as high as the inner chain, have eroded over time, flattening them out. As the sea has risen and fallen, reefs have managed to grow on their fringes. And it is these – which break down into white sand – that give the north-eastern Caribbean islands their magnificent sand.

Some people say that one day – perhaps in a geological tick and a tock – a third line of volcanoes might appear, further out in the Atlantic… But by then, the Caribbean plate might have made its way up to the Arctic anyway, so it won’t necessarily mean more paradise islands.

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Ever felt you would love to head out to the Caribbean for a winter break or a Christmas treat - but only if you can find the right deal? The good news is that summer is no longer the preserve of Special Offers and Special Packages in the Caribbean. So if you have always fancied the idea of a nice winter holiday soaking up the sun on a sandy Caribbean beach, now’s your chance. Maybe you want an escape from the Christmas rush or even to hail in the New Year without having to bundle yourself up. If you do, then read on for two enticing opportunities to book your Caribbean getaway....

                  

Malliouhana Hotel & Spa, Anguilla
Spoil yourself this November or December at one of Anguilla’s most refined and elegant hotels, Malliouhana Hotel & Spa, which sits above one of the finest beaches in the whole region, Meads Bay. In honour of its 25th Anniversary this November, the resort is rolling back the rate for its Ocean View Double Room to the same level as it was in 1984, which will save you more than 50% on the 2009 price. This famous and well established Anguilla hotel has 55 rooms and spectacular cliff top suites, an excellent classical French dining room overlooking the bay (supervised by Michel Rostang), a beachfront bistro, full service spa and salon, wide range of watersports and an impressive children’s play area. A true original, Malliouhana appeared on the scene 25 years ago in what was then a virtually undeveloped island, introducing a level of luxury and cuisine that had barely been seen anywhere in the Caribbean at the time.

The 4 night Timeless Elegance anniversary special costs from US$900 plus tax and service charge and includes the following with additional nights also available at the 1984 rate -

• 4 night stay in Ocean View Double Room (single/double occupancy)
• All usual amenities and services offered by the hotel
• Fitness and gym facilities
• Watersports and recreational facilities
• 3 fresh-water pools and 1 heated outdoor Jacuzzi
• A snorkelling trip on hotel motorboat to a deserted bay
• Snorkelling and fishing gear
• 4 championship tennis courts with night lights
• Half-court basketball
• Children’s outdoor playground on the beach includes a large pirate ship, 60 foot water slide

01-16 December 2009, cost US$1,200 with extra nights at US$300. Rates are subject to 10% tax and 10% service charge.

To find out more about the resort or to make an enquiry or reservation, please see our Review of Malliouhana Hotel & Spa by James Henderson.

      

Nisbet Plantation Beach Club, Nevis
Christmas has come early this year at Nisbet Plantation Beach Club and the presents for guests have already been sorted. But there is one particularly generous gift to look out for – if you whisk your loved one off to Nisbet for a week over the festive season you can enjoy either Christmas Day or New Year’s Day for free! This delightful hotel has a unique combination of traditional plantation splendour in its Great House and the relaxed beach life of the modern Caribbean. It is the only Nevis plantation house hotel which is actually set on the coast. Its sweep of manicured lawns are flanked by an alley of palms which gives onto the beach and the striking azure waters of the Atlantic. So if you fancy spending a memorable holiday season in the sun, take a look below to see exactly what Nisbet Plantation is offering:

The Free Christmas Day or New Year's Day offer at Nisbet Plantation Club is for stays of 7 nights or more between 19 and 26 December 2009 or between 26 December 2009 and 02 January 2010 and enjoy all of the following:

• A complimentary bottle of champagne
• A complimentary 1 hour massage - upgrade to a couples massage for US$60
• Either Christmas Day or New Year's Day FREE, depending on when you stay at Nisbet. The offer even includes room taxes at Christmas. There is the standard service charge, however, a gratuity that goes to the staff so they too can enjoy their holidays

As another special gift to guests, the hotel has also kept rates for the 2009 holiday season the same as 2008.

To find out more about the resort, make enquires or a reservation, please see our Review of Nisbet Plantation Beach Club by James Henderson - along with some interesting background history, including links with Horatio Nelson through his wife, Fanny Nisbet.

Christmas in the Caribbean has its own magic (to find out more, see Deana Bellamy’s Guide to Christmas in the Caribbean in the October 2008 newsletter.)

Also, please see under our Special Interest section for a selection of other partner properties which have Special Offers currently available for this coming 2009-10 Winter Season.

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