Belize produces staple products enjoyed globally, such as sugar, citrus and bananas, but the local staple food I enjoyed there made it well worth the visit. The small population of about 405,000 people in a country roughly the size of the USA state of Massachusetts, made for a relaxing trip, full of slow food, slow drinks and slow fun. One of the most widely eaten dishes would be beans and rice, which I never got tired of eating, as it was as delicious as it was simple.
One of the other main foods that I did not realize I would enjoy so much was the local, freshly pressed tropical fruit juice. This was available in some grocery stores, without any preservatives, as well as the restaurants that cared enough to make this fresh every day. I greatly appreciated this extra effort for these juices.
Here are some of the things I've enjoyed.
A calm photo to put you in the right state of mind.
One of the other main foods that I did not realize I would enjoy so much was the local, freshly pressed tropical fruit juice. This was available in some grocery stores, without any preservatives, as well as the restaurants that cared enough to make this fresh every day. I greatly appreciated this extra effort for these juices.
Here are some of the things I've enjoyed.
A calm photo to put you in the right state of mind.
Happy Ranch Club
PH3F+435, Unnamed Road, Santa Cruz
This was a small restaurant off the side of the road, with tables and seats inside, as an option. Many of the fantastic local restaurants were off the side of the road. I would not hesitate to visit one of these, nor did I have any gastrointestinal issues afterwards. The service here was personal and friendly and the cost of a sizeable meal was much less than at any of the restaurants in the main tourist location of Placencia.
Stewed Chicken Plate. This was our first real meal in this lovely country. The chicken was tender, slow-cooked with onions, tomato, chilis and an array of spices. The rice and beans were flavored with the cooking liquid from the beans. The plantain was sweet and soft and the cabbage, carrot and beet slaw was fresh, citrusy and crunchy.
Stewed Pork Plate. The same lovely sides as the chicken but with hearty, fried pork ribs. These were a bit more toothsome than the chicken, but packed a wallop of flavor from the spices. I was very happy with both dishes.
RumBum
Mile 15.2 road to Placencia (16.617094, -88.353388) Casa Chachalaca Placencia
This little restaurant on top of stilts was within biking distance from our hotel, so it was the most conveniently located local restaurant. It also happened to serve excellent food and juice, so we were more than happy to take a bike ride a few times to this quaint location. The stilts held a little balcony area, which lent a nice scenic view of the small-town road as well as the trees all around while we dined.
Watermelon & Orange Juice. Freshly squeezed by hand was the order of each day. I thanked the proprietress for her daily efforts and purchased extra juice to go. The watermelon was sweet and fragrant, the orange juice was perfectly balanced with a more complex citrus flavor than what we get in the USA. Plus the green rind of the ripe orange was an amusing mind-bender.
Breakfast Burrito. The burritos in Belize seem to be all open-ended, which I didn't mind, and they did not contain any extra starchy fillers like rice. This hand-made tortilla had a bit of heft and chew. Made with flour, water, baking soda and salt, this is still a texture of tortilla I have not come close to replicating at home. The simple egg, bacon, beans and cheese filling was comforting and tasty. The pico de gallo and fry jacks (fried tortilla) on the side made for an extra carbo-loaded, hearty breakfast.
Nachos. A familiar dish, but with Belizean ingredients. The house-fried chips were topped with lettuce, beans, cheese, jalapenos, sour cream, and added optional shredded chicken. These were crunchy and satisfying with the mix of creamy, spicy, fresh and savory.
Che'il Mayan Chocolate Factory.
This little restaurant on top of stilts was within biking distance from our hotel, so it was the most conveniently located local restaurant. It also happened to serve excellent food and juice, so we were more than happy to take a bike ride a few times to this quaint location. The stilts held a little balcony area, which lent a nice scenic view of the small-town road as well as the trees all around while we dined.
Watermelon & Orange Juice. Freshly squeezed by hand was the order of each day. I thanked the proprietress for her daily efforts and purchased extra juice to go. The watermelon was sweet and fragrant, the orange juice was perfectly balanced with a more complex citrus flavor than what we get in the USA. Plus the green rind of the ripe orange was an amusing mind-bender.
Lime Juice. This became my favorite type of juice throughout the entire trip. I'm not sure what variety of lime this was, but it was naturally sweeter than limes I'm able to buy in the USA. The juice was mixed with just enough sugar to cut the tang, but still had a very refreshing sour taste. I have never been so hydrated on any of my other travels.
Breakfast Burrito. The burritos in Belize seem to be all open-ended, which I didn't mind, and they did not contain any extra starchy fillers like rice. This hand-made tortilla had a bit of heft and chew. Made with flour, water, baking soda and salt, this is still a texture of tortilla I have not come close to replicating at home. The simple egg, bacon, beans and cheese filling was comforting and tasty. The pico de gallo and fry jacks (fried tortilla) on the side made for an extra carbo-loaded, hearty breakfast.
Belizean Breakfast. Another simple breakfast of eggs, beans and bacon, but with that fantastic tortilla on the side. For some reason, these same ingredients tasted better than the ones I can make back home. It is said that atmosphere affects your perception of taste. Vacations make everything taste better, but I'm sure the type of eggs and produce, mostly grown organically in Belize, make a difference as well.
Black Dinner. This was a special of the day. I was intrigued by the name and it turned out that the color comes from black "achiote" chili paste, known there as "recado". This type of paste is made from non-spicy chilis that are toasted until charred, then ground until a fine paste. The aroma and flavor of this dish was superb. It was full of carrot, cabbage, vermicelli, a whole chicken drumstick and hard-boiled egg. It was very savory, complex, spiced but not spicy and filling, as it was served alongside rice and beans.
Southern Highway Snacks & Cafe
QJX9+QW, Kendal
I was in awe of how much delicious food came out of this tiny little shack on the side of the road. If there was not a sign that indicated what it was, I would have passed it by without a second thought. The proprietress did not speak English, but I managed, since the words for the menu items were in Spanish and my Spanish is excellent when it comes to ordering food. Just like the other restaurant locations, there was no real address, but if in doubt, follow one's nose.
Chicken Tamale. This may have been my favorite tamale I've ever eaten in my life. That's not to say I dislike all other types of tamales. I love them all, but this had a beautiful, mottled mix of plain cooked masa and cooked masa with a red recado. The texture of the masa, since it was long-cooked, had a very soft, custardy silkiness. It was moist, flavorful from the recado and inside each tamale was an entire juicy chicken drumstick with the bone. I can imagine this was time-consuming to prepare, as each component required separate preparation and then all were skillfully combined, wrapped in banana leaves and steamed. I greatly appreciated the effort, and I enjoyed every bite.
QJX9+QW, Kendal
I was in awe of how much delicious food came out of this tiny little shack on the side of the road. If there was not a sign that indicated what it was, I would have passed it by without a second thought. The proprietress did not speak English, but I managed, since the words for the menu items were in Spanish and my Spanish is excellent when it comes to ordering food. Just like the other restaurant locations, there was no real address, but if in doubt, follow one's nose.
Chicken Tamale. This may have been my favorite tamale I've ever eaten in my life. That's not to say I dislike all other types of tamales. I love them all, but this had a beautiful, mottled mix of plain cooked masa and cooked masa with a red recado. The texture of the masa, since it was long-cooked, had a very soft, custardy silkiness. It was moist, flavorful from the recado and inside each tamale was an entire juicy chicken drumstick with the bone. I can imagine this was time-consuming to prepare, as each component required separate preparation and then all were skillfully combined, wrapped in banana leaves and steamed. I greatly appreciated the effort, and I enjoyed every bite.
Shredded Chicken Burrito. Another example of a dish that was prepared without any shortcuts. The tortilla was hand-made to order and then it was smeared with stewed beans, and chicken. The simple filling was succulent, filled with umami from recado and the homemade tortilla melted my heart. I was only able to make it to this location one time, but I will definitely look for it again during a future visit.
Rum. Less than $1 million worth of rum, produced in Belize, is exported to the USA. As much as I feel that is a shame, I'm also happy that the local folks are able to keep and enjoy some of their best products. It also makes any rum I bring home, from my travels, that much more special. The rum would also be a major pull for me to return to this lovely small country, just so I can stuff my suitcase with each visit.
Tiburon Rum. This un-aged, clear rum was very easy to drink and versatile. The initial flavor was mild, but finished with a gentle sweetness, which was a bit softer than most other types of rums. This would make a great sipping rum or something with ice and a splash of citrus.
Travellers Rum. This was one of the more affordable and widely available varieties while in-country. It was found at many local grocery stores. It had more of a buttery, caramel sweetness with notes of burnt sugar. I enjoyed this with ice and fresh pineapple juice and would not hesitate to get more next time I'm in Belize.
I am always happy to support local farmers and the farms in Belize produce amazingly delicious fruit, vegetables and protein that I enjoyed on a daily basis. This "factory" is a working farm that provides tours and produces small amounts of organic cacao. Every part of the chocolate growing process is hand produced with minimal machinery, so the word "factory" does not quite fit. There is a lot of effort and craftsmanship involved with making chocolate and I can appreciate all the extra hard work to produce something most people take for granted, but enjoy every day. The small store sells their own chocolate products, and I was more than willing to spend a few dollars for these amazing products.
https://belizing.com/Cheil-Mayan-Chocolate-Factory/
Cacao Powder. This is the essence of chocolate without any of the cacao butter or fat. I have already used this for chocolate cookies and the aroma and flavor is very complex and balanced with a bit of bitterness and fruitiness.
Cacao Nibs. These are the un-ground chocolate bits inside the cacao pods. I use these in my homemade granola, and they add a lovely crunchy, coffee-like note to my daily breakfast.
I tend to tell people I go shopping for groceries, rather than souvenirs, whenever I travel. I'm usually met with laughter, but it's 100% true. The products I'm able to find outside the USA just seem to taste better and make me feel like the dishes I cook at home become more elevated with these ingredients. I look forward to my next trip to Belize, and I will be making my shopping list in advance.
