There’s nothing quite as restorative as some time in the sunshine. Good food helps as well.

We had plenty of both during our extended Christmas stay on the West Indian island of Antigua. Now, I’m so relaxed, it’s hard to get moving again.

A few culinary highlights of our trip:

The Antiguan black pineapple. A skinnier version of the one we’re used to in North American supermarkets, it is also much sweeter. You can buy them at roadside stands in the lush, south part of the Island where they are grown or, you can find them at the public market in the capital, St. John’s. Alas, they don’t export these juicy  little gems.

The beef carpaccio at Sheer Rocks in St. Mary’s Parish on the south-west coast. It was sublime and the location –  a stepped terrace perched on the edge of a cliff – is outstanding for a special night out. The evening we were there, the Caribbean was rough and it was amazing to watch the surf pound the rocks by candlelight.

The roti at Roti King in St. John’s. We asked a policewoman for directions when we got lost looking for a Caribbean restaurant the guide-book recommended (turns out it had closed), and she told us we were headed to the wrong place and promptly walked us several blocks to Roti King, the place people in the know go to for lunch.

As you can see, it is nothing fancy and we may not have ventured in on our own if we hadn’t had such a glowing recommendation. The service was not particularly friendly but the place was packed with Antiguans, not tourists, and the smell of the curry was compelling.

The rotis were huge, cheap and delicious. I had beef, L had chicken (the kids, of course, ate at one of the two Subways, which have recently invaded the island). I can’t wait to go back for seconds.

Now, back to reality (and the kitchen).