By Rupert Parker, Freelance journalist and photographer.
Tuesday 28 Aug 2018 12:00 pm
Im standing in the middle of the main street in Charlestown, the tiny capital of Nevis, with my apron on, facing a frying pan and a collection of ingredients. Curious locals are wandering past, intrigued by whats going on.
Fortunately Im not alone, and New York Chef, Seamus Mullen, is directing eight of us to cook mahi-mahi with mango.
Weve already made the salsa – a mixture of shallots, coriander, chilli, garlic and ripe mango – so all that remains is to sear the fish quickly on both sides and then top it with this exotic mix. We then get to eat it, right there in the square.
This is just one of the events at the Nevis Mango and Food Festival, which takes place over four days every year, when the fruit ripens.
Officially, there are over 40 different varieties on the island, although locals say its more like a hundred. Even the shape of Nevis looks like a mango.
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Two other celebrity chefs, Korean-American Judy Joo from London and Michael Harrison from Barbados, are also giving master classes, and all three offer special dinners. Every dish they cook must contain Nevis mangos.
Sunday has the big event with local chefs showing what they can do, a cook-off competition and, best of all, a tasting of over 10 varieties. I would be lying if I said I could identify every one, but I liked the (easy to remember) long mango.
Nevis is tiny, just 36 square miles, and is one of the Caribbean Leeward Islands, a 10 minute water taxi ride from its big sister St Kitts.
They say Christopher Columbus named it Nuestra Señora de las Nieves because he thought he saw snow on the peak, although it could also have been Scottish sailors evoking their own big mountain – Ben Nevis.
For such a small place, Nevis punches above its weight. The young Horatio Nelson was stationed here and married a plantation owners widow Fanny Nisbet under a cottonwood tree.
Alexander Hamilton, one of Americas Founding Fathers, was born in Charlestown, and got his education from a local Jewish teacher.
For me at least, feasting on mangoes is a pretty good excuse in itself to visit Nevis.
And although peak mango season on Nevis is early to mid-summer, other varieties ripen at different times of the year so youre always guaranteed a succulent hit.
6 other things to do on Nevis:
1. Relax on its sandy beaches
Nevis is one of the most unspoilt and relaxing islands in the Caribbean.
Vividly green with blue skies, clean air and long, empty beaches with romantic names like Oualie Beach, Paradise Beach and Lovers Beach.
Palm-fringed Pinneys Beach has several miles of glistening white sand, and a cluster of beach bars serve their own versions of killer rum punch.
2. Visit Charlestown
The capital is a sleepy little place where a handful of Georgian stone buildings with breezy balconies and wooden upper floors, and wooden gingerbread shacks sporting tin roofs.
Here, youll find two museums, each devoted to Neviss historical figures – Nelson and Hamilton; the latter in the building where he was born in 1757.
The Bath Hotel dates from 1778 and was once a playground for the rich and famous, who came to Nevis for the therapeutic hot springs. Although the hotel is long closed, you can still dip your toes in the thermal pool outside.
Theres also a Jewish Cemetery with graves dating back to 1679, piled with pebbles left by visitors, the last symbol of a thriving Jewish community, which played a part in the sugar cane plantations.
3. Hike
More of a climb than a hike, you need loads of stamina to reach the top of the 3,232 ft Nevis Peak, actually a long dormant volcano.
Its a tough two-hour scramble up its steep slopes to the summit, and in places you have to pull yourself up by ropes, clinging on to roots.
If its clear, youll be rewarded with fantastic views of St Kitts and Montserrat.
4. Go to church
Nevis has around 50 churches to supply the spiritual needs of only around 12,000 people.
The 1643 St Thomas Church, on a hill in the outskirts of Charlestown, was the first church in Nevis and the oldest Anglican church in the Caribbean. The cemetery has many tombstones bearing names of Neviss early settlers.
Cottle church was built in 1824 for his slaves by John Cottle, a onetime president of Nevis and a plantation owner. It was never consecrated, since it was illegal for slaves to worship. All that remains is a shell, damaged by earthquakes and hurricanes, although its still a popular site for weddings.
5. Take a Rum Shack Tour
Various hotels arrange Nevis bar crawls, seeking out the places where tourists dont normally go, where you get to sample the rum and hang out with the locals.
Nisbet Planation Beach Club has five locations on its tour, but you can drink beer or soft drinks, if youre worried about staying upright.
6. Eat
Nevis food is a blend of European and American, with hints of African and Asian.
Fish is plentiful, mahi-mahi, wahoo and snapper are favourites. Local delicacies include breadfruit, coconut jelly, tamarind and of course fresh mango.
If youre looking for restaurants, here are a few to try:
The Hermitage is the oldest wooden house in the Caribbean, serving traditional dishes. Dont miss their weekly hog roast.
Montpelier Plantation Inns garden was where Nelson got married and it offers stylish cuisine with an Asian twist.
At Nisbet Great House, the menu changes daily and offers a mixture of Caribbean and international cuisine in the stylish settings of the 1778 Great House.
Gin Trap is a great location for sampling 101 different gins, while watching the sunset from their terrace.
Golden Rock Inn is famous for its lobster salads and sandwiches and its beautiful lush gardens.
Caribbean Flavorz offers authentic local food in the Cotton Ginnery Mall, Charlestown.
Where to stay in Nevis and how to get there:
The next Nevis Mango and Food Festival will take place in summer 2019.
Stay at the Nisbet Plantation Beach Club, the only plantation hotel to be right on the beach. Its where Nelson met his future wife, Fanny Nisbet. Accommodation is in roomy self- contained cottages, spaced widely apart, among the massive palms. Rooms start from £220, including breakfast.
British Airways flies twice a week from London Gatwick via Antigua to St Kitts. Then its a 15 minute water taxi to Nevis.
Caribtours offers seven nights at Nisbet Plantation Beach Club from £1,495 per person, based on two adults sharing on a half board basis, including return flights, private transfers and airport lounge access.
For more information on visiting Nevis, see Nevis Naturally.
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