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Speciality Foods of the Eastern Caribbean

Roti

The quintessential fast food in the region is called 'roti', and comes from India. There are different varieties of roti, most with a curried filling, such as conch, goat and vegetable, and you can buy them from street vendors for about $2 US. The 'bus up shut' is a type of roti which, when it is cooked, looks like a torn up shirt, or a 'bust up shirt'. Basically the delicacy they call 'bus up shut' is a curried burrito.

Pig Foot Souse

A bowl of souse will set you back by about $4 US. Apparently the souse is good for men, who can eat it and 'go all night long' and so women cook it for there husbands 'when they need a little extra lovin''. The pig foot souse is not a pretty picture - it looks like a good, hearty soup with plenty of vegetables, cow skin and pig's feet. Yum.

Plantain Dumplings

Plantain is a starchy fruit of the banana family and it is usually served fried or grilled like a vegetable. Plantain dumplings, though, are also a common foodstuff in the Caribbean, and they are supposed to be the secret to a long life. The method of preparation is fairly simple; just grate the plantain and mix it with flour and deep fry.