Shades of blue blend sea and sky where, in between, Creole folklore tells of the Water Mother, Manman D’lo, in whose protective spirit islanders immerse themselves. Here, teams of dolphins undulate between waves, flying fish fling like skipping-rocks and we, floating in azure, marvel at the mystique of Martinique and the allure of a culture and gastronomy that thrives in French Caribbean paradise.
It's the eve of Carnival. Within an arts enclave of Fort-de-France, Sylvaine Eneleda personifies an air of celebration as she readies for the parade. Her vibrantly coloured papier-mâché masks on display at ARTPERKUT studio are inspired by Martinican folklore. Eneleda encourages us with sagely exuberance to create art. “Everything is art,” she smiles. “Use your instinct; use everything around you.” Outside, abuzz with excitement, the market area is a potpourri of cacao, vanilla, cinnamon and curry.
What is immediately prominent in Martinique is the palette of spices and fruits, and the profusion of colors that bejewel the island. Volcanic soils cultivated by Mount Pelée nourish an extraordinary mosaic of flora and fauna from the beach to the rain forest. In the Island of Flowers, Mother Nature, Manman Tè, is the greatest artist of them all.
Trails at the Habitation Céron weave between massive trees with lush branches wound up in vines fit for Tarzan. Under thick dark green canopy, exotic flowers dazzle like jewels. The Porcelain Rose rises like a crimson Dale Chihuly glass sculpture. Golden Shrimp Plants sprout alabaster white flowers. magenta- and raisin-coloured petals of Torch Gingers protrude like floral torches, and a profusion of Annatto looks like clusters of dried figs. There are Pink Bananas, elegant white Peace Lilies, Yellow Hibiscus, and Crepe Gingers, which appear as red spiral candle sticks with white floral flames. One special tree, reminiscent of every fairy tale I’ve ever read, is the 300-year-old rain tree of mythical lore, the Zamana tree. Its branches twist and stretch in every direction like woodified snakes, and each one, seemingly, its own ecosystem, if not playground for the forest’s inhabitants. Oh, if these branches could talk.
Dining on the patio within this natural grandeur at Habitation Céron, we indulge in local cuisine of warm-from-the-oven bread, crayfish, and beef fillet with cocoa béarnaise and breadfruit cream. The kitchen takes full advantage of the onsite 17th century sugar mill and cocoa plantation that enable them to produce their own chocolate for our dessert. Martinique chocolate is distinguished by its locally sourced cacao, un-purified brown cane sugar, low cocoa butter content, and its resulting "grainy" texture. We indulge in rich molten chocolate cake wrapped in a cacao leaf with a dollop of jam extracted from the pulp of the cacao pod.
From the fruit of one garden, we jaunt to the next where, at the Rhum Clément distillery, we admire the open-air art gallery of twenty-five sculptures and installations from all over the world, thoughtfully set within a diverse tropical landscape.
Awarded the label "remarkable garden," by the Ministry of Culture, our tour here leads us through the botanical world, the industrial world, the Creole world, and the world of rum. Our stroll past eight varieties of palm trees and a myriad tropical birds also reveals the historical and the natural source of the Martinican rhum agricole that we are eager to sample.
Here, we are shown multiple varieties of sugar cane from yellow and black to Canne Bleue (blue sugar cane), which is unique to Martinique. The expression of this variety in Rhum Clément’s elixirs, from squeezed sugar cane juice without any molasses, yields unique flavor profiles and characteristics like fresh-cut grass, citrus and even floral notes.
From the new spacious tasting room, we taste white and amber rums, including the iconic Rhum Clément VSOP, and the Clement Canne Bleue, which envelopes our palates in a bright herbal bloom with minerality and a lingering sugarcane pulp that sings of the breeze in the fields.
Whereas the sugar cane from Rhum Clément is situated on humid plains, the cane rows at Rhum Depaz unfurl down the fertile slope of Mt Pelee. The difference in terroir is pronounced. Clément’s airy fields enable clean, refined, delicate aromatics, while higher rainfall nurturing the dramatic volcanic soils of Depaz yield rich, sugar-dense, bold aromatics.
In the tasting room of this storied distillery, we sample a range of rum. As the light shines through the windows to my tulip glass of blended-rum, the warm honey-glow of burnished gold is like a sun-kissed liquid that lacquers my palate in ambrosia. From the Depaz Grande Réserve XO to the Depaz Port Cask Finish, we’re treated to resinous complexities of toasted oak, browned butter, caramelized sugar and stewed fruit. Warm notes of vanilla, tobacco, banana, dried apricot and candied orange beckon pairings with dark chocolate, duck confit or the wood, leather and spice of a medium-bodied cigar.
Columbus introduced sugar cane to Martinique on his second voyage to the New World. Shortly thereafter came the introduction of slavery to harvest that sugar cane, as well as tobacco, cotton, coffee and cacao. La Savane Des Esclaves is a remodelled slave savannah created by Gilbert Larose, a passionate local Martinican dedicated to preserving Martinique's heritage. Here we learn about four hundred years of history: the lifestyle and the dwellings, as well as the traditions developed following the abolition of slavery. As we walk through the village, passing each successive hut, we learn about the daily work schedules of the villagers, their diets, their practices of fishing, hunting and seduction, as well as their body painting, piercing and scarification. Learning about their hardships, but also their ingenuity and botanical knowledge, is both sobering and awe-inspiring. It's a uniquely formidable educational project unlike anywhere else in the Caribbean.
In addition to exploring the traditions of the indigenous Arawak and Carib peoples, the range of plants we see here is in keeping with the impressive florality of the island. Larose instructs us on the medicinal uses of each plant, and even shares with us his surprising selection of homemade ice creams and juices he crafted using ingredients from around the village and the island.
Martinique is an overseas department of France. We hear French language, taste French cuisine, and experience French sophistication. At the Domaine de Puyferrat we feel as though we've been plucked right out of Europe and set on a Caribbean perch, looking back at the Atlantic from the other side. Its three wooden eco-lodges are inspired by traditional Creole houses. In the dining area we sample the French and African cuisines that make up Martinican Creole.
Crunchy Caribbean Akra is packed with root vegetables and bold spices. Toasted baguettes are lavished with smoked herring, carrots and green onions. Grated pumpkin, served in a small glass, is enlivened with pimenton, ginger and turmeric. Each taste confirms a focus on health and nature. The juices and teas feel nutraceutical with each sip, and the coffee is infused with shell ginger flower for a unique and calming floral essence. This is the perfect getaway for those seeking solitude with sustainability--maintained by 100% solar energy and organic farming.
Exotic fruits and spices, brought to Martinique from India and Africa, are integral components to the local cuisine. Outside the Simon Hotel in Fort-de-France, the air is perfumed by the nearby market. Inside, we overlook the Caribbean Sea while dining on marlin tartare with local spices and tangy and spicy citrus juice. Black tiger prawns are flambéed with Rhum Vieux XO and accompanied by turban squash with smoked garlic and lightly peppered shellfish bisque. For dessert, our whimsical dark chocolate taco is brimming with pistachio and white chocolate ganache for luscious decadence.
Flavours abound in Martinique as classically trained French chefs are liberated by the most diverse palette of spices and ingredients, nourished in beautiful tropical landscapes and volcanic soils.
On the shore at Club Med Buccaneer's Creek, the sun reflects off the sand so brightly. We dip into the blue, push out a wooden boat, hop in and set sail. It’s called a Yole: a traditional boat used for fishing and for racing; emblematic of Martinique and designated as UNESCO intangible cultural heritage.
Long wooden booms protrude from the hull on which we hike and counterbalance the force of the wind like a human ballast. As we all lean far out, we become a wing. Our boat becomes a bird. We take flight through the water as the sea breathes legacy and the wind carries change. The crew embodies an ancestral spirit, an expression of exhilaration and character of the island's soul. Pressed against the wind above the water, like ears to a seashell, we listen for the songs and secrets of Manman D’lo.
For more information on Martinique, including year-round direct flights from Montreal and seasonal direct flights from Toronto, go to: www.martinique.org/en