Day 6, Cook like a Lucian

Day 6

Castries, St Luicia,

At first I thought they were washing our deck from above, but it turned out it was raining.  It didn’t look like rain because the skies out toward the horizon were clear, but there was a cloud directly over the ship.  That would be the last we would see of any rain as the rest of the day was clear and sunny. 

We arrived well before our scheduled time of 8 o’clock.  Since there were two other cruise ships in port, our arrivals were staggered since only one ship at a time could navigate through the narrow channel into the harbor.  Joining us today was the Carnival Fascination and the Royal Caribbean Freedom of the Seas.  

There are three spots for cruise ships in St. Lucia, all in the same harbor. Two being located at the cruise terminal and the third spot across the harbor adjacent to the downtown area.  If you’re going on a tour it probably doesn’t make much difference where you moor but if you want to do some shopping and see the city, being moored across from the cruise terminal puts you much closer to the city. 

COOK LIKE A LUCIAN

Today we are going to learn how to “Cook Like a Lucian”.  We discovered this class through Internet searches for cooking classes which we enjoy and always seek out when visiting a new port.  Cooking classes give an opportunity to meet local residents in an informal setting and while preparing dishes we have an opportunity to learn more about our hosts and life in their country. 

Here is a link to Cook Like a Lucian’s website if you would be interested in taking this tour on one of your future visits. 

After leaving the ship, we walked along the seawall towards the entrance to the cruise terminal, which today was shared with the of the other ships.  Upon entering the terminal, there is an exit on the far side of the room with a large group of drivers and tour guides holding signs.  We learned that this is the back entrance and is where the ship’s tours gather.  To find our pre-arranged tour guide we turned right after entering the terminal, walked across a small courtyard surrounded by various shops and exited the terminal in the direction of the main entrance where there is a larger parking lot and many more tour operators holding signs with names. 

The operator of our tour, was also the chef, and our driver.  He met us at the main entrance in a small air-conditioned van and we were on our way. 

Dean is very friendly and shared his extensive knowledge of the culture and history of St. Lucia.  It’s about a 15 minute drive to his kitchen where he holds the cooking class. 

This class could probably accommodate no more than six people so while the classes are not guaranteed to be private there is a good chance it will be because of the few number of guests that can be accommodated. 

GREEN FIGS AND SALTFISH

Today we would be making the National dish:  green figs and saltfish.  We learned that green figs are actually green bananas but they are called figs which is the way they are described in their local Creole dialect.  Salt fish is actually salted cod which was a staple on the British sailing ships from years ago. 

Also on the menu was red snapper and chicken, both prepared Lucian style.  We also fried some plantains and made a fresh salad.  Prior to our arrival, Dean had prepared some bread dough which we kneaded one more time when we arrived and then set aside to rest before making ‘Bakes’ or ‘Floats’ as they are called here. 

Unlike many cooking classes I’ve taken, we did much more of the preparation and cooking ourselves.  Most other cooking classes I have taken over the years, we may perform some minor task and usually only observe the chef who does the majority of the actual cooking.  

DANCING LIKE A LUCIAN?

As the meal preparation continued, Dean played some local music and we were all inspired to create impromptu cooking dances.  We had a wonderful time chatting, laughing and learning about St. Lucia as the morning progressed.  Soon enough it was time to eat, and we sat down and enjoyed a wonderful meal.  The food was delicious, who could complain since we cooked it ourselves.  For dessert we had a delicious cup of Cocotea, made from a local Lucian coco stick. 

We wrapped up around 1:45 PM and Dean took us back to the cruise port.  Instead of taking us to the port, Dean dropped us off at the Central Library so we could explore the city and then walk back to the ship, about 1 mile. 

BACK IN TOWN

The Library is small, with only one room with books on the second floor.  They do have free WiFi available. 

On the way back to the ship, we wandered thru a local supermarket looking for the coco sticks we used during the cooking class.  They didn’t have any in the supermarket, but we did find one for sale from one of the local street vendors on the way back to the ship. 

BACK ON THE SHIP

A Sailaway party was held at the Seaview pool at 4:30 pm.  Attendance was light and waiters passed hors d’oeuvres as we watched the other cruise ships leave in front of us before we headed out to sea. 

THE MAINSTAGE

Magician Jeff McBride was the featured entertainer and he put on a wonderful show.  He had an interesting mix of special effects, using quick change masks along with sleight of hand and some audience participation.  Very entertaining and highly recommended. 

• Jeff McBride