Eating In Belize

According to many world travelers, the best way to fully experience a visited country and culture is through their cuisine

. Belize is a South American country where the primary meal fare is red beans, rice and chicken. While this may seem to be staple, eating this in Belize is an altogether different experience for the individual.

The chicken is prepared and served on the bone. The rice and beans is a mixed dish, often cooked in coconut milk and spices. The rice is white cooked milled grain while the beans are often stewed pinto beans. Other inclusions to this Belizean staple are fresh fruits, such as oranges, grapefruits, pineapples, papayas, bananas and plantains. These fruits are included either as dessert or appetizers for a Belizean meal.

Another Belizean staple is hot sauce and not just any hot sauce but a specific one. Called Marie Sharp's, this hot sauce is made from a local habanero pepper and comes in three flavors, such as mild, hot and extremely hot. Another common table fare is citrus marinated seafood or locally known as ceviche. The most popular preparations are fresh raw conch and vegetables but it also has fish, squid and other sea creatures. Many say that a good hangover cure is the run-off from the ceviche stews. One common street food is called a papusa. This is a maize pancake with different topping options sold on stalls and carts in Belize's streets.

Not only is eating a good thing in Belize, but also drinking. The national beer is called Belikin and has four different varieties. These are Belikin Premium, Belikin Beer, Belikin Stout and Lighthouse Lager. Guiness Stout is also available but is marketed by the Belikin Brewing Company. All these beers are sold in glass bottles and a purist in the country drinks from the bottle, though this is not recommended to foreigners and tourists.

Another Belizean drink is the One Barrel Rum. This is distilled from molasses and the brewery is located just outside Belize City. There are many colors and sizes, the largest being a seventy (70) gallon cask. For other spirits, there is cashew wine, ginger wine, sorrel wine and blackberry wine.

There is a specific dining etiquette when eating in a Belizean home. Guests are served first and the host family would wait until you are done with the meal. Everything placed on the plate needs to be finished, so it is recommended that take only small portions, for your benefit. Once done, push the plate slightly away with the utensils by the side of the plate.

Specific meals also have specific dining rules. When eating tortillas, it is best to tear the tortilla into pieces as it is being eaten. Do await for the host to say "Buen Provecho!" before digging in. The knife is on the right hand while the fork is on the left. When eating with your hands, always have your hands above the table, with wrists resting and not the elbows on the table. When eating a salad, lettuce should not be cut but instead be folded to be picked up with the fork.

by: Bobby Castro

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