The 5 characteristics of the Martinique cuisine

The Martinique cuisine, a mix of flavors

Asian cuisine (Vietnamese, Chinese, Japanese, Thai, etc.), Italian, Mexican, American, in the list of favorite cuisines of the French, the Caribbean cuisine rarely comes out in the first place, and yet, authentic and mixed, Martinique's cuisine has more than one flavor in its bag to place itself at the rank of heritage and traditional gastronomy.

In particular, the cuisine of the island of flowers marks its inhabitants and visitors by its clever mix of cultures, eras and tastes. We give you 5 reasons that will make you consider it as a great cuisine as well as the other regional cuisines.

#1 It is a multicultural cuisine

Martinique was first Amerindian, then Spanish and finally French. Later on, migratory flows brought Dutch, Africans, Indians, Hindus, and finally Chinese to inhabit and influence the island's cuisine. These mixtures are very much felt in the local cuisine.

Initially French, it has become creolized with the addition of ingredients and flavors from these different communities and the reappropriation of indigenous products or fish, from the richness of the island's marine life.

#2 It is a refined cuisine

Martinique's history is strongly linked to France - or the metropolis - and the search for excellence in gastronomy. Creole cuisine combines structure, attention to detail and unusual mixtures, associations of colors and flavors. For far too long, Creole cuisine has had the image of a rich and unrefined cuisine.

More and more popular with tourists and honored by recognized chefs, it is regaining its credentials and becoming part of the modern world.

#3 It is a cuisine that relies on a rich terroir

Let's not forget to talk about the products before talking about the cuisine. The native products - pineapples, squash, peppers, beans - but also the vegetable products imported during the colonial period (breadfruit, bananas, papayas, christophines and especially sugar cane), are emblematic products that you will find in the salty or sweet dishes of the island.

#4 It is a balanced cuisine

Contrary to popular belief, West Indian cuisine does not make you fat, and if eaten in the right proportions, it is completely in line with a healthy and balanced diet.

Often, a false trial is made to the "country vegetables". These country vegetables (Chinese cabbage or dachine, christophine, giraumon, yam, sweet potato), consumed in the right quantities, are on the contrary starchy foods to be favored, because they are richer in vitamins and nutrients than rice or pasta.

#5 Savory and sweet, there is something for everyone

As we will detail, the cuisine on the island of flowers satisfies both sweet and salty gourmets. Acras, black pudding, fierce avocado, stuffed crab, colombos and boiled chicken accompanied by rice, lentils or red beans for the salty side; coconut flan, flambéed banana, tasty fruits and homemade sorbets for the sweet side.

This gastronomy is full of surprises. Whether you are visiting the island or hesitating to go to a Creole restaurant, take the plunge and sit down at the table of a plural and tasty cuisine.

On a table in Martinique, there are ... 

Little bonus: we have listed several dishes that you can discover in your gourmet travels. 

• Dombré: Balls of flour cooked with dry vegetables.
• Fierce: mixture of avocado, cod, cassava flour and chilli.
• Macadam : Martinique speciality. Cod court-bouillon mixed with rice cooked in paste.
• Matoutou : fricassee of crabs.
• Pate in a pot: thick soup of mutton offal and vegetables.
• Smoked chicken: a smoked chicken cooked on a kind of barbecue closed at three quarters and topped with a chimney. The meat is placed high above the fireplace and cooked gently with the smoke.
• Souskai: maceration of salt, garlic and lime.
• Ti-nain morue: a typical Creole dish, made of dried cod with banana, that some people take in the morning as a snack. It's very invigorating and revives you for the day.
• Touffé: stewed.
• Canard à l'antillaise : duck macerated and flambéed with rum.

Martinique's cuisine has something for everyone!

As you can see, Martinique's cuisine is the quintessence of culinary diversity, drawing its strength from cuisines from all over the world to create a new one. We have grouped together for you the 18 most frequent technical terms in a lexicon.

If you want to learn more, we recommend the blog of Tatie Maryse which is simply the reference cooking blog in Martinique. Now, let's get cooking!

Tropical and sunny, the Caribbean cuisine will transport you between mixtures of flavors and local traditions. Many Martiniqueans share their know-how and their love for local products around discovery activities, historical visits or culinary workshops.

Discover the culinary world of Martinique with Tourcrib

With Tourcrib, you can discover the culinary world of Martinique during a visit to an agricultural plantation, a rum distillery or during a traditional cooking workshop. 

Have you ever visited Martinique? Tell us in the comments which food has impressed you the most and which you are looking forward to find during a (very) next trip!