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Mauritian cookery reflects the culture of the island which is both cosmopolitan and heterogeneous, so a visit to Mauritius automatically implies a gastronomical round the-world tour. Nevertheless, Mauritius has its own typical cuisine, a unique synthesis of several culinary traditions. The tropical climate made the first European settlers adapt their cooking habits to suit the local ingredients. This was further developed after the arrival of Africans and especially of Indians, who were specialised in the use of spices. In later years Chinese immigrants added a new dimension to local cookery.
All dishes are generally accompanied by rice and achards - spiced vegetables or pickles preserved in vinegar and sometimes by marinated lime.
The traditional fare, which is both exquisite and refreshing, is a salad of palm centres, tastefully accompanied by delicacies such as smoked marlin. Something to remember is that it is the nearby ocean that lends Mauritian cooking its particular character. Try some crab stock, oysters au gratin, or the countless ways of preparing fish - for instance with vindaye, a spicy sauce with vin d'oil (literally 'garlic wine') which is also served with octopus.
The markets and hotel tables display mountains of fruit: pawpaws, watermelons, pineapples, bananas, guavas, passion fruit, bigarades, and lemons. In summer (November to May) you can take your pick from lychees, mangoes, corrosols, and longanes. As to coffee, it is served as a subtle and delicious drink, spiced with vanilla à la Créole.
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