Virgin Islands Food History
An essential part of the culture of the Virgin islands is its food. The major contributors were the Africans and Europeans. When they came to the islands, they brought with them foods and cooking styles. Some of the foods include garlic, beef, onions, wheat, sugar cane, limes, mangoes and breadfruits. The African slaves brought okra. Americans contributed corn, beans, peppers and potatoes. The Chinese and Indian servants also contributed by bringing serving styles to the Virgin Islands.
Food in the Virgin Islands - Virgin Islands Cuisine
Food by Country » Caribbean Food » Virgin Islands Foods - Virgin Islands Cuisine, Food in the U.S. Virgin Islands
Virgin Islands Cuisine
History of the Virgin Islands
Traditional Food in the U.S. Virgin Islands
The foods of the Virgin Islands include many different dishes, and focus on ingredients such as mangoes, limes, potoatoes, curry, beans, corn, onions, garlic, peppers, breadfruits and okra. The usual meal might consist of spiced mea, starches and a little bit of vegetables. Conch, similar to goat and squid, is eaten with butter sauce. There are lots of dishes with chicken and fish that are served with coconut milk sauce or fruit salsa. Foods that are rubbed with Caribbean curries or jerk spices are also very common.
Popular Dishes in the U.S. Virgin Islands
- Dumplings - This dish uses guava, plum, gooseberry, peach, apple or cherry.
- Fungi - This is a famous food of the US Virgin Islands. It is made of boiled cornmeal and is cooked with okra until thick. Fungi is often eaten as a side dish to salt or boiled fish.
- Callaloo - This is a soup made out of callaloo leaf. Spinach can be substituted. It is full of okra and meats and is boiled until thick like stew.
- Roti - This is a popular meal made of curried meat and vegetables that have been wrapped in very thin dough.
- Fish soup - This is the most common dish in the Virgin Island.
- Red-bean soup - This dish is made with ham or pork, spices, tomatoes and sugared to flavor.
- Salt-fish salad - This is a salad that is made of potatoes, boiled eggs, boneless salt fish, oil and vinegar dressing.
- Herring gundy - This is another traditional island dish. It is salad made out of salt herring, onions, potatoes, hot peppers, green sweet peppers, diced beets, olives, herbs, carrots, and eggs.
- Fish and Meat - A very popular dish in the Virgin Islands. Often, fish is boiled in water that has been seasoned with herbs and hot peppers and is often served with a creole sauce that contains tomatoes, onions and peppers.
- Sweet potato pie - This is a dessert of the Virgin Islands. It is made of eggs, butter, sugar, milk, raisins, chopped almonds, cinnamon and salt.
Virgin Islands Drinks
- Caribe, Blackbeard Ale and Foxey's Lager - These are some of the most popular Virgin Islands beers.
- Cruzan Rum - This is a favorite drink of the Virgin Islands. It is rum distilled from molasses or sugar cane.
- Seamoss - A drink that made of seaweed. It is boiled and mixed with spices and milk.
- Mauby - A drink made of mauby bark that is boiled with spices like cinnamon.
- Pumpkin punch, peanut punch and banana punch - These are other favorite drinks of the Virgin Islands.
About Virgin Islands
Discover more Virgin Islands Food and Drinks Resources
- Virgin Islands Background Information - provided by the United States Virgin Islands government.
- Traditional Food in the U.S. Virgin Islands - popular dishes and favorite foods.
- Vacation in the U.S. Virgin Islands - travel guides.
- Typical Drinks in the U.S. Virgin Islands: rum, beer.
- U.S. Virgin Islands Dessert - a typical Virgin Islands dessert which is served at various restaurants.