A tantalizing food journey through San Juan, Puerto Rico

November 28, 2022 No Comments

With a blowtorch in one hand and a rocks glass in the other, Dennis Rivera meticulously lights a small pile of tobacco leaves sitting on a slab of wood from a Spanish white oak sherry barrel on fire and places the glass on top to infuse it with the smoke. Rivera, a brand specialist at Puerto Rican rum distillery Ron del Barrilito in Bayamón, is creating a cigar fashioned — a twist on an old fashioned — made with ingredients like chocolate and orange bitters, cocoa powder, and rum instead of rye.

“It smells amazing already,” he says. “This is a cigar simple syrup. We do it here ourselves; we create the tobacco syrup in house.” Ron del Barrilito is the oldest Puerto Rican rum, made in the same way since 1880, but the cocktails on offer in the visitor’s centre are fresh takes on classic cocktails. Here, rum bottles fetch as much as US $750 for a collector’s edition that’s been aged for 35 years.

After touring the premises and learning all about the history of the business and the distilling process, the tables have turned, and now I’m the one mixing drinks by taking part in a mixology class offered on site, concocting three rum-based drinks, including a pina colada.

Nicknaming the one-ounce shot glass “Monday” and the two-ounce glass “Friday,” we follow the instructions and skillfully create some top-notch cocktails. The reward is not only to drink the fruits of our labour — everyone in the class is also presented with an official certificate for successfully completing the course.

Now, who said drinking couldn’t be educational?

A gastronomic adventure

The next morning, as local chef Nivia Villanueva arrives at Plaza del Mercado de Río Piedras, a traditional market in San Juan, her eyes light up when she sees the abundance of fresh local produce on offer just a few short weeks after the destination was hit by Hurricane Fiona.

“Look at this!” she says with excitement, holding up a large avocado that’s quadruple the size of the typical ones found in grocery stores back in Canada. “We also need peppers, onions and garlic.”

 

Our mission today is to pick up the ingredients needed to prepare a typical Puerto Rican feast for lunch. We’ll soon be whipping up dishes like mofongo, a local favourite made from fried mashed plantains. Since moving back to Puerto Rico to be part of the solution and recovery efforts after the devastating impacts of hurricanes Maria and Irma back in 2017, Villanueva has been on a quest to share her love for cooking and the history of Puerto Rican cuisine with travellers. She strives to source local ingredients as much as possible as well as to support nearby farmers and small businesses.

“I share my passion for Puerto Rico’s culture and cuisine, emphasizing local products and my secret ingredient — a pinch of love,” she explains. Although the bounce back was much quicker this time around (there are barely any traces of impact left in the San Juan area), the Puerto Rican-born chef wants to get the message out that the island is open and ready for visitors. By night, we’re told the area surrounding the market transforms into a vibrant spot for nightlife with ample bars to choose from.

Food: a cultural connection

After gathering all the necessary ingredients for our gastronomic venture, we head to Villanueva’s condo apartment to get cooking. Our group is spread out across the kitchen chopping vegetables and mashing the plantain down in small wooden containers. Progress is made quickly and a short while later, we’re lining up to plate our concoctions. The end result is quite possibly the best tasting meal I’ve ever had a hand in cooking.

The next day, Elliot Cintron of The Spoon Experience guides me through the picturesque cobblestoned streets of Old San Juan to five culinary stops while also stopping by some interesting sights in the area like the smallest apartment building in San Juan — which fits between his outstretched arms — and La Puerta de la Bandera, a large colonial door with the image of the Puerto Rican flag alongside some street art. I’m on the Sunset Walk & Taste Tour, which is as much about food and drinks as it is about getting a historical overview of the 500- year-old city.

Our first stop is Chocobar Cortés where almost everything on the menu has a chocolate element from the avocado toast to the aptly named chocoburger. Even the cocktails incorporate the sweet ingredients with options like a chocolate old fashioned using chocolate bitters. We’re here to sample frozen chocolate — essentially the opposite of hot chocolate and more like a chocolate shake, which hits the spot. Another delicious stop is at Singular restaurant for cocktails and Arroz Congri, a dish made up of black beans and rice in this case topped with steak. The restaurant is located in the Hotel El Convento, a historic hotel in the historic walled city of Old San Juan set in a former Carmelite convent dating back to 1651.

Just when I think I can’t possibly squeeze in even more food, Cintron brings the group to Señor Paleta, an ice-cream and popsicle shop utilizing local products. The locations of the food tour stops vary slightly each day but one thing is for sure — no one leaves hungry.

—STORY BY ANN RUPPENSTEIN

These are some of the best things to do at Fiji’s Nanuku Resort

November 23, 2022 No Comments

After learning I’m the only one who turned up to the studio for morning yoga, instructor Sisilia Cece Nasiga asks if I’d rather do the session in the great outdoors. “Yes!” I exclaim without hesitation — I’m only here for a short time so why be indoors when I could be staring out at the natural beauty of Fiji. 

A few minutes later, the former Olympian, and Commonwealth and Pacific Games medalist is leading me through peaceful stretches and meditation exercises overlooking the scenic coast of the 500-acre Nanuku Resort.  

Feel at home

From the chanting warriors who greeted me upon arrival to the personalized message in stones at the bottom of my private plunge pool arranged to say “Bula Ann,” the team at the luxury retreat on Fiji’s main island of Viti Levu is all about making guests feel at home. Here, Bula extends beyond the Fijian greeting for hello and welcome to a sense of belonging. 

Back in my one bedroom villa, I’m faced with my next challenge — deciding between two tempting options — will it be the indoor or the outdoor shower today? Naturally, I keep the trend going and freshen up in the sun surrounded by lush green foliage. This is the life. 

Island oasis 

The next morning, dolphins are jumping out of the water and flipping up in the air before submerging again next to our speedboat, as if to be escorting us on our journey. 

We’re travelling from Nanuku Resort, to another piece of paradise, the nearby uninhabited island of Nanuku, the inspiration behind the resort’s name. 

This lush tropical island is an idyllic day escape for guests offering hammocks in the sand and unbelievable snorkelling and swimming. It’s also possible to spend the night camping under the stars. After a picnic in the sand, I walk around the entire island feeling like I’m living in a postcard. 

You’ve had cava… but have you heard of kava? 

Over breakfast one morning, where my cappuccino is served with my name in the foam, I overhear some guests talking about how they stayed up late over a bowl of cava. In my mind I’m picturing a group of ladies drinking out of a punch bowl with multiple bottles of sparkling wine emptied into it —but I’m completely wrong. 

I’m informed that in Fiji it’s all about kava, not cava, an earthy-tasting drink that plays an important role in Fijian culture. It’s customary to sit around a large bowl with a village leader and socially drink kava, which is prepared from the pounded root of a pepper plant species. 

The first chance I get, I try the drink for myself, and it provides a numbing sensation on my tongue. It’s just one of the many immersive experiences that makes my stay memorable from learning how to husk and scrape a coconut, to trying my hand at cooking a meal in bamboo shoots and witnessing a special fire walking ceremony. Another highlight is trying a local delicacy called kokoda, essentially Fijian ceviche with spiced coconut milk.

When departure day arrives too soon, I’m sad to leave, but I’m already devising a plan to come back as the entire staff at the property gathers to sing and see us off as we climb into the bus. 

Getting there: Fiji’s national carrier, Fiji Airways, is gearing up to launch twice-weekly flights from Canada this month. The new nonstop service between Nadi and Vancouver will start on November 25 with the two-cabin class Airbus A330-200 aircraft. Along with operational efficiency and having meals served in biodegradable containers, Fiji Airways is also offsetting its carbon footprint with the ‘A Tree For Every Take Off’ initiative. The airline has planted 55,000 mangroves to date and is targeting another 50,000 over the course of this year. Fiji Airways also offers day trips where customers can plant mangroves to offset their carbon footprint.

Day tripping: Picture a floating thatched bar in the middle of the most serene waters in the Mamanuca Islands, and you’ll find Seventh Heaven. The ultimate day trip is located 45 minutes by boat from Port Denarau, which is in close proximity to Nadi International Airport. The overwater lounge has a bar and restaurant, water activities like snorkelling and stand up paddleboards, and loads of loungers on a two level deck. If you dare, you can jump off the Leap of Faith, a five metre high lookout from the top deck. For those seeking an Instagram-worthy shot, you won’t be able to stop taking pictures!  

What’s in your cup? 

Drink up a local enterprise that’s making a difference on the ground in Fiji

The founding values behind Bula Coffee — a coffee production company in Fiji — extend far beyond providing a good cup of morning joe. As Luke Fryett, whose job title cleverly reads ‘Man on the Ground,’ explains, while giving the world a great shot of coffee, Bula Coffee is “all about giving Fijians a better shot at life.”

What started out over a decade ago as a small enterprise working with one family in one village in Fiji has since expanded across 38 villages and buying coffee off 5,000 people annually — providing a significant number of Fijians with additional sources of revenue.   

“It’s more than money — we exist to give people a hand up — to give people a better shot at life,” he said. “To give people access to education, to give them financial independence. Money matters, but it’s more than money. We are changing lives one cup at a time.”

More recently, Bula Coffee launched the Crop to Cup Coffee Tour, giving travellers “the chance to not only taste Fiji’s wild harvest coffee and see how we process it, but also the chance to become a part of our story, becoming invested in our work and becoming part of the change we are making in Fiji.”

Along with learning about how to get a coffee cherry ready for a morning brew, visitors can learn about how every cup of coffee makes a difference in the local economy. One example of how getting involved in the coffee business has made a positive impact is in a local community where kids would get to their boarding school by floating down the river in a tire — often getting soaked in the process. 

“They used their coffee money to buy every kid in the village a waterproof bag, and a small cooker, so now the older kids can cook for the younger kids, during the week,” he said. “They also built a much better raft with tires all around it secured properly so the kids can keep dry… This is why money matters, but it’s more than money. It’s about empowering communities to keep their kids safe, to keep them dry, to let them have food during the week. Allowing the kids to focus better at school because they aren’t hungry, aren’t worried about their wet clothes. This is why every cup counts.

STORY BY: ANN RUPPENSTEIN