The Island of Grenada

Grenada, the southernmost Windward Island, is best known for its spices (most notably, nutmeg). It is 21 miles long and 12 miles wide. This friendly and laid-back island was discovered by Christopher Columbus in 1498. It has been Spanish, French, and British. It was languishing until the 1830s, when its chief crop, nutmeg, became a popular and coveted spice. St. George is a bustling town with lots of tourists and activity. We took a taxi from the airport where we "parked" the helicopter and visited the spice market and a local restaurant called the Nutmeg.

Spice Market in St. George:

We bought a lot of spices from Miss Gloria's:

Everyone is very friendly in the spice market:

Homemade hot sauces, condiments, flavorings, and seasonings are sold throughout the market:

Spice is also packaged in plastic bags...

...or in handmade baskets:

I really enjoy my coconut water!

Decor at the Nutmeg:

Sugar-coated tamarind balls were utterly delicious -- I bought a whole bagful!

Beautiful stone and brick architecture can be found in the towns and villages of Grenada:

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Unique concrete grouting is a special feature of the brick building in St. George

Our pilot, Bill Lavallee, was a helicopter flight leader in the American invasion of Grenada. This year marks the 25th anniversary of that fateful day. Bill recounted the military maneuvers that liberated a group of medical students who were confined by military insurgents, who had rebelled against the repressive dictatorship of Maurice Bishop. The so-called friendly invasion ordered by President Reagan was not without American casualties, but it did result in an end to Cuban expansionism and a threat of Eastern Bloc power on an island with a 9,000-foot runway and close proximity to the United States

This is the memorial on Grenada commemorating the American invasion of the island in October 1983:

Bill Lavallee's friend, Captain Keith J. Lucas, died in the invasion. This monument to him overlooks the harbor:

Comments

[Jan Erickson]

Hi Martha, Thank you so much for this historical and geographical lesson about the beautiful Island of Grenada. With all of the gorgeous pictures and informative text, I feel like I was there with you. The spice market was really facinating. Did you bring back lots of samples? You look very relaxed in that picture. The weather looks just beautiful in all of your pictures. Thanks again for sharing. Jan P.S. I had forgotten about the invasion of Grenada. Thanks for the reminder. J.

[Krystn from PA]

Martha, and co.
Thank you for all the work you put into this excellent blog. I always enjoy the pictures and the information. It must be a wonderful job to be your blogger! Keep up the fab work!

[bernadette]

The updates are so cool! Amazing!!

[Make and Takes]

Okay! I need new fresh spices. I can just see the flavor in the photos from Miss Gloria's. I am sure I still have the same spice rack with the same spices I got as a wedding present 7 years ago. Are they even useable?

[Liisamarja]

what sunny skies you had! i have read that you should freeze spices bought abroad before using them, does that apply to grenadian spices as well?

[Francine]

I am originally from Grenada so this post gives me great joy. As well as makes me homesick! It's been two years since I was there and another trip is long overdue. I'm glad you enjoyed my little island home. Did you try the Callaloo Soup at The Nutmeg Restaurant?

[Kathy]

Martha,
Thanks for the photographs and information about Grenada. I had only known about what I learned during the American invasion of 1983. Thanks for a bit of the history and discussion of the memorials.
I liked the architectural photographs---the stone and bricks as well as the concrete grouting in the towns and villages.
You look as if you are enjoying your coconut water! The tamarind balls also look delicious. I was introduced to tamarind when I first went to Thailand.
The spices look wonderful. I can almost smell them.
Enjoy!
Kathy

[PAULINE MUCCIACCIO]

Hi Martha,
Grenada is such a different island than I had envisioned.
To have an aerial view from a helicopter gives one a more indepth look at the place your're going to see. I remember the first time I was in a helicopter, it was to see Niagraia Falls. Besides viewing the falls, what I also remember from this trip.. my husband saying as the pilot was making his turn..."if the angle of the turn is too sharp we won't have enough lift & we'll drop like a rock"!
Best,
Pauline Mucciaccio

[Desiree']

Martha,
Your blog is excellent and very informative. I have truly enjoyed checking it out everyday, I am so happy to see you enjoying your vacation!

[Margie]

Thank you.

This is an excellent blog.

As a side note--Martha, we can not even see a hint of a sun tan let alone a sun burn---what is a vacation in the sun without it?

[Andrew Ritchie]

I love the photo called "Decor at The Nutmeg." Let's hear it for minimalism!

-Andrew

[Kathy]

Martha,
Your blog today ties in so well with The Martha Stewart Show. Seeing the beauty of the stone and brick architecture in the towns and villages of Grenada and in the shaping and laying of stone on your home at Bedford has made me pay more attention to how stone is used where I live. It was good to learn about the beauty of stone as an organic material as well. Seeing the differences between dry stone walls, dry-looking walls, and walls with cement joints was fascinating.
All in all, it makes me appreciate our natural resources and artisans and landscapers.
Thanks again.
Kathy

[Barbara James]

I discovered this beautiful blog while 'stumbling' the net. Thank you so much! Now, when I open my reader, I am hoping there is a new post from Martha.
And those handmade spice baskets certainly look interesting. I would have bought a couple of those :>

[Amy Garner]

It must have smelled absolutely wonderful there--all those delicious spices in the warm sunshine. MMMM!! Thanks for writing about it so we can imagine for ourselves, too!

[Sarah Worey]

Martha,
I love this blog!! I am currently in Medical School in Grenada at St. George's University. I have never been to The Nutmeg Resturant...I will have to try it! What did you have when you ate there? I am glad to see that you enjoyed your time on the Spice Isle!
~Sarah

[Anne Lucas]

Hi Martha,

Thanks for featuring Grenada on your blog... Keith Lucas, the pilot Bill Lavallee was speaking of who was killed in the invasion, is my dad. I went to Grenada with my mom, sister, and grandparents for the 20th Anniversary of the intervention and hope to go back this year for the 25th. Thanks for bringing awareness to a subject not many Americans know of while showcasing the beauty of the island and its people.

Anne Lucas

[Glennis Parker, retired college teacher]

How wonderful to know that viewers are aware of the sacrifice of our nephew, Capt. Keith Lucas. This family has suffered for nearly 25 years.

[Claudine]

Thanks for sharing your vacation! I love all the spices and that grouting is incredible...
Claudine

[Theresa Lucas-Stephan]

Martha,

Along with my sister, Anne, and Aunt Glennis, a big thanks for mentioning my father, Capt. Keith Lucas', sacrifice and for posting the pictures of the monuments. I very much appreciate that you included this piece of Grenada's history in writing of your trip. We hope you enjoyed the island as much as we did when we visited in 2003.

Theresa Lucas-Stephan

[Denise Fontaine]

Those sugar balls look yummy! Denise Mass...oh I was just featured on Eco Weddings blog? Who new? What a surprise?!
Denise Mass.

[Shirley Moore]

Have you thought of writing a cookbook of just your mother's favorite recipes, using the plain everyday ingredients she must have had to cook with in her day? I think this would be well accepted by all, and especially those of us who like to cook from "scratch" and not using pre-prepared mixes etc.

[africankelli]

How nice that they package the spices. I've been to spice markets all over the world and never seen them wrapped up so nicely!

[Shannon]

Hey Martha.. my 2pm friend! Thanks for posting the blog! It's fun to see where in the world is martha stewart!

[Terry Spencer-Smith]

Love the pictures and the outdoor shopping. As a kid we lived in Antigua and I love tamarinds too. Wish they were easy to get ahold of.
Glad you had a great trip.

[Dona Jadwin]

MOM (more of Martha