As you travel throughout the Caribbean, you will find a recurring item on most menus, seafood. Quite naturally, the accessibility of fresh fish and seafood characterizes any dining experience in the islands, whether prepared in local style such as Jamaican escoviched, or as an infusion of Caribbean and Asian cuisine such as the Sugar Cane Mahi Mahi* (otherwise known as Dolphin), seasoned with pepper brandade and angostura juice. If visiting Barbados, why not take advantage of the unique opportunity to try their flying fish.

Cuisine throughout the Caribbean is much like a pot of African, French, Spanish, Chinese, Dutch and Indian influences. Even the international chefs who have made the Caribbean their home have blended the flavors of the Caribbean with their own styles. Take for example Antigua’s Chef Patrick Gauducheau who was chosen by the Discovery Channel's "Great Chefs of the World." He boasts a menu that includes some classical French dishes to which he has added a Caribbean flair.

Fruits are also abundant in the islands and can bring a surprising twist to some basic recipes, turning up in side dishes, salads, sauces, and main courses. Expect them in even the most decadent desserts, such as a pineapple and ginger cheesecake or a coconut crème brulee.

As you go from island to island, you will notice that whereas there are similarities, each also has its own specialty. According to Caribbean Beat's May/June 2003 article, The Connoisseur’s Caribbean,

"Jamaican jerk, Guyanese pepperpot, Barbadian coo-coo, Cuban lechón asada (roast suckling pig), Curaçao's cactus soup, Trinidad’s callalloo, possess gastronomic subtleties that may not be apparent from their often rough-and-ready recipes. Coconut milk, nutmeg, chadon beni, orange peel, cinnamon, pimento, a dash of rum, a dozen kinds of hot peppers, and who knows what other secret ingredients, all contribute to the rich flavours of these dishes."

For more information on dining experiences in our destinations or incentive ideas such as private cooking classes, send us an email or visit our web site at www.sncdestinations.com.

* Sugar Cane Mahi Mahi as prepared at Dragonfly in St. Lucia.

Does That Really Mean Fragile? Neil Payne of UK-based Kwintessential shares cross-cultural blunders that demonstrate how things can go wrong if we are not adequately prepared for doing business beyond our borders. Here are three that are particularly relevant for those of us who plan events overseas. - One company printed the "OK" finger sign on each page of its catalogue. In many parts of Latin America that is considered an obscene gesture. Six months of work, lost because they had to reprint all the catalogues. - A golf ball manufacturing company packaged golf balls in packs of four for convenient purchase in Japan. Unfortunately, pronunciation of the word "four" in Japanese sounds like the word "death" and items packaged in fours are unpopular. - Staff at the African port of Stevadores saw the "internationally recognized" symbol for "fragile" (i.e. broken wine glass) and presumed it was a box of broken glass. Rather than waste space they threw all the boxes into the sea! To find more cross-cultural tips visit our blog, Something Extra. For more information on our cross-cultural workshops, visit our web site.   SNC Destinations, Inc. email: info@sncdestinations.com web: http://www.sncdestinations.com blog: http://sncdestinations.com/cblog PERMISSION TO REPRINT: The contents of this e-newsletter may be copied, reproduced or freely distributed for all non-profit purposes without the consent of the author as long as the author's name and contact information are included. This e-newsletter is sent to all individuals who signed up for our mailing list at www.sncdestinations.com or www.sncdestinations.com/cblog, and to friends and clients of SNC Destinations. We treat your contact information as private and confidential. We will never sell or distribute our subscriber list.