In this incredible adventure on the island of Dominica, I’ll be taking a boat ride through the jungle to have an amazing bush food breakfast, including roasted breadfruit and cod fish!
But first, we had a boat to catch! The only way to get to where we were going was via the Indian River. You have to buy a site pass from a gas station near the bridge. It only costs $5 USD, so it’s practically a steal. Then, you give your pass to the ranger, and you’re good for the day!
Our boat captain, Eric, led us to the boat and we set off down the river to the place where we’d eat the bush food. We could see some male and female wild hibiscus growing along the banks as we got deeper in the jungle.
This part of the river is brackish water—a mix of fresh and saltwater. They get occasional sharks and barracudas in these waters, and there are also lots of crabs along the banks. There were crabs everywhere and bloodwood trees all along the banks.
As we continued on our 30-minute journey, we also saw some wild ginger. Finally, we pulled alongside the dock and walked down a short path to the Indian River Bush Bar. Our cook and bartender was Alicia. She immediately served us some local bush rum. It was strong, so I needed a chaser!
Next, we watched a guy roast a whole breadfruit over a fire. It roasts for about 15-20 minutes. Then, we went into the kitchen with Alicia, who was already preparing our bush food breakfast. She started by boiling the cod, or saltfish. Then, she poured off the boiling water and shocked it with cold water.
She added spices to a pot of boiling water, including lemongrass, bay leaves, and nutmeg. Next, she added some cocoa sticks to the water. She was making cocoa tea!
Then, Alicia cut up some onions and garlic and added them to some soybean oil along with the shredded cod. She added coconut milk and custard to the tea for a smoother texture. Then she also added some canned milk.
She then skinned and thinly sliced a cucumber, diced some avocado, and then fried the bakes in another pan with oil. Meanwhile, the breadfruit was ready. They scrape off the ash. Then, I tried my hand at making some bush food myself! I flattened some bake dough and put them in the skillet.
Finally, it was time to eat our bush food in the dining area. The breadfruit was starchy, dense, and filling. The bake was crispy on the outside and soft and doughy on the inside. But it was the best when I opened it up and put the saltfish inside. The salt levels in the fish were perfect.
The cocoa tea was similar to a drink I’d had on the island of Tobago the previous year. It was almost like hot chocolate, but I could also taste ginger. The saltfish was good enough to eat by itself!
Then, I tried some spiced rum, which was very strong! Huge thanks to Alicia and the Indian River Bush Bar for an incredible experience!
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