The Martinique Gourmande culinary festival returns this weekend to offer up a taste of the Caribbean island to Quebecers, both live and virtually, and at the same time help food banks in the province. Running for eight days through Oct. 3, the 14th edition of the popular event will feature local and island chefs and mixologists hosting live workshops, along with other fun and tasty activities.
Martinique Tourism Committee president Bénédicte Di Geronimo says, “Martinique Gourmande thanks once again the Quebecers who, year after year, celebrate Creole gastronomy, build lasting friendships with the Martiniquais, and come to visit the island of flowers in increasing numbers.”
Some of the week’s activities include virtual live cooking demonstrations:
• Chef Jérémie Jean-Baptiste will be at the helm of the first Martinique gourmande live cooking class on Sept. 25 at 11 a.m., with Amine Ouadahi (Tastet).
• Tuesday, Sept. 28 at 5:30 p.m.: Céline Dorion from the Plus-Que-Parfait restaurant in Fort-de-France, Martinique, along with Jérémie Jean-Baptiste will cook a recipe with vegetable accras and its Colombo mayonnaise, a delicious recipe to delight the taste buds.
• Thursday, Sept. 30 at 5:30 p.m.: Virtual aperitif and mixology demo with the Great Agricultural Rums of Martinique. Aurélie Coppet-La Loca, a mixologist from Martinique, live from Sainte-Luce in Martinique, and Fanny Gauthier mixologist from the Groupe Ateliers & Saveurs will show their secrets.
• Sunday, Oct. 3 at 10 a.m.: Learn how to make Martinique-style gnocchi! This cooking workshop for children accompanied by their parents features Matthieu Jolly from the restaurant Ajoupa2Gros in Case-Pilote in Martinique and Karine Desserre-Pezé from C’est Moi le Chef.
Go to the Facebook page Rencontrez la Martinique to participate!
Other aspects of the festival include:
Recipes
Participants can prepare classic Martinique dishes at home with typical recipes posted on the Martinique Gourmande website (in French).
Music
The rhythms and flavours of the “island of flowers” will be on full display during the closing event at the Robin des Bois restaurant, in the heart of Montreal’s Lafontaine Park, on Sunday, Oct. 3, starting at noon. Jean-Christophe Germain, originally from Martinique, and his band KréoLounge, will perform.
There will also be an exhibition on the City of St. Pierre, City of Art and History of Martinique, and the sale of this year’s “solidarity dish,” Creole chicken fricassee and mashed sweet potatoes, to benefit the Restaurant Le Robin des Bois, which for the past 15 years has been redistributing the restaurant’s profits to charitable organizations fighting social exclusion and food insecurity.
Solidarity
For the second consecutive year, a collaboration with the Tablée des chefs and Robin des Bois will see the Martinique solidarity dish cooked for the Quebec food banks. In 2020, more than 10,000 portions were distributed with the help of the festival.
Donations to the Tablée des chefs and the Robin des bois can be made on the Martinique gourmande website.
Contest
Attendees could win two round-trip plane tickets from Montreal to Fort-de-France, offered by Air Canada, the festival’s official airline, as well as an all-inclusive week-long stay at Club Med Les Boucaniers. To qualify, visit the Martinique Gourmande website and register by Oct. 22.
For more on the festival, click HERE.