Taste of St Croix

Breadfruit: The New Spirit of St Croix

August 7, 2019 by Cindy @ MyStCroix.VI 1 Comment

MUTINY Island Vodka™, is the world’s first and only vodka distilled from breadfruit and is the brainchild of award-winning Chef Todd Manley. The vodka is the inaugural spirit distilled and bottled at the newly-opened Sion Farm Distillery on St. Croix.

The name of the vodka was inspired by the famous tale of the mutiny on the Royal Navy vessel HMS Bounty in 1789. You’ve likely heard of Captain Bligh and “The Mutiny on the Bounty”, but did you know that the HMS Bounty was actually on a mission to sail to Tahiti and bring back breadfruit to the West Indies?! (specifically, Jamaica)

Breadfruit a Tropical Superfood

Breadfruit is considered by many to be an untapped superfood and is a versatile tropical fruit. Widely eaten throughout the Pacific Islands where it is known as ulu, more breadfruit is produced per hectare than rice, wheat, and corn. Enjoyed locally on St Croix in West Indian and Latin cuisine, breadfruit is cultivated in 90 countries, throughout South and Southeast Asia, the Pacific Islands, the Caribbean, Central America, and Africa.

Tropical breadfruit is an energy-rich food and an excellent source of complex carbohydrates, fiber, vitamins, and minerals. It is also naturally GMO and gluten-free. With nearly 1 billion hungry people worldwide, 80% of whom live in the tropics, the expansion of breadfruit as a viable crop is exciting. In line with their mission, a portion of the proceeds from the sale of MUTINY Island Vodka™ will be donated to the Trees That Feed Foundation to support their efforts to alleviate hunger in tropical countries.

Currently, the breadfruit that is turned into vodka is sourced from Polynesia. Breadfruit trees can be found across the Virgin Islands growing in backyards, but it hasn’t yet taken off as a commercial crop.

Sion Farm Distillery, St Croix

Sion Farm Distillery is committed to changing that and is working in conjunction with the Virgin Islands Department of Agriculture and other non-profit organizations to provide local farmers with seedling trees and the ability to grow the crop commercially.

With a commitment to the environment, the Sion Farm Distillery is also a zero-waste facility. After distillation, 12% of the volume becomes vodka, which results in 88% waste. By incorporating only natural ingredients, 100% of the waste is reusable as “nutrient water”.

By recycling waste for agricultural use, the Distillery can then conserve water for other useful purposes. The “waste” will be used to water their own planted breadfruit trees and will be given to farmers for the cultivation of their crops. It is also a nutritious feed product for goats.

Born on St. Croix and perfected during the 2017 Hurricane season that brought us Irma and Maria, Mutiny Island Vodka™ started commercial production in a Virginia distillery in April the following year. The stateside distiller produced the original vodka until June 2019 when the new Sion Farm Distillery took over.

Now, the brand is 100% VI production, being distilled AND bottled right here on St Croix. MUTINY Island Vodka™ is the inaugural spirit of the newly-opened Sion Farm Distillery and is available in 750ml and 50ml sizes.

Originally from Virginia where he was chef/owner of multiple restaurants, Chef Todd Manley has called St Croix home since 2010. A serial entrepreneur, he owns four popular restaurants on St. Croix in downtown Christiansted: 40 Strand Eatery, Rum and Wine Bar (RAW), The Mill Boardwalk Bar and Brick Over Pizza, and Toast Diner.

St. Croix is a magical place where history, culture, and incredible people come together to create a rich experience. Mutiny Island Vodka™ started as a way for us to give back to this amazing island and its people.
~ Chef Todd Manley

Grand Opening Celebration

Grand Opening Sion Farm Distillery

Attending the Grand Opening of the distillery on August 10, 2019, will be celebrity chef, restaurateur and television personality, Sam Choy, who was raised with breadfruit as a staple ingredient in many Hawaiian dishes and is an enthusiastic supporter of MUTINY Island Vodka™.

Chef Choy has visited the island numerous times in the past bringing Aloha to the annual Taste of St Croix and participating in many of the Food & Wine Experience activities that give back to the community. In addition to Choy, Samoan celebrity and Polynesian culture-bearer, Kap Te’o-Tafiti, will also be on hand. Together, they will perform a traditional Samoan Kava Welcome Ceremony with dignitaries and invited guests enhancing the cultural exchange of breadfruit with St Croix.

MUTINY Island Vodka™ currently retails in the Virgin Islands for a recommended retail price of $25 per 750ml bottle. And just like with other locally produced spirits like Cruzan Rum & Captain Morgan Rum – you can bring up to 6 bottles per adult back with you to the United States as checked baggage at no cost to you (the USVI covers the cost!). Distribution is right around the corner for Puerto Rico and the British Virgin Islands with the United States soon to follow. (likely starting with Texas, Florida, and Virginia). The Sion Farm Distillery has also started production on a unique, hand-crafted rum. Additionally, they plan to expand the Island Vodka™ line with infused vodka flavors from seasonal, locally sourced ingredients.

Visit the Sion Farm Distillery on your next trip to St Croix. Take a tour of the facility, learn more about breadfruit, and enjoy lunch while sampling some of their signature vodka drinks or sample a MUTINY Island Vodka™ flight. Pro-tip: Try the breadfruit salad as your side when available. It’s like potato salad 2.0, super yummy!

Sion Farm Distillery tour on St Croix — Tour the Sion Farm Distillery on St Croix

Mutiny Island breadfruit vodka distillery

breadfruit salad with grilled cheese — Gourmet Grilled Cheese on gluten-free bread with plantain chips & breadfruit salad – delish!

St Croix Food & Wine Experience 2013

March 26, 2013 by Cindy @ MyStCroix.VI Leave a Comment

Tickets for the 2013 St Croix Food & Wine Experience, including tickets for Taste of St Croix can be purchased online here: https://www.stxfoodandwine.com/buy-tickets/

Bon Appetite!!

St Croix One Taste at a Time

May 8, 2012 by Cindy @ MyStCroix.VI 3 Comments

A Taste of St Croix isn’t just a gastronomic competition featuring A-list celebrity chef judges each April, it’s a journey through the many flavors that make up the cultural, agricultural and culinary map that is St Croix. It’s a time to celebrate the dining establishments that not only bring in locals and tourists, but bring them back time and time again. And it’s a time to explore new wines, dance and party along a stunning palm-tree lined Caribbean beach.

This year’s “Taste” at Divi Carina Bay Beach Resort was, in my opinion, one of the best I’ve seen yet! There were so many enthusiastic participants, the decor was fun and fab and the list of celebrity judges was nothing short of impressive. I’d had the chance the day before to briefly meet Chef Govind Armstrong at his book signing at Undercover Books and was excited to catch him before the festivities for a brief interview. When asked what things about St Croix that he liked most so far, he mentioned how wonderful our local growers were at establishing a network with the local restaurants. Earlier in the week, celebrity and participating chefs had a chance to browse a special St Croix Food & Wine Week Farmer’s Market to purchase local produce for their menus. Chef Armstrong was particularly impressed at the abundance, diversity and quality of our fresh local produce and especially in that many growers had asked the restaurants and chefs, prior to the planting season, what they would like to see harvested. By working together the chefs and farmers are creating a new market on St Croix that not only benefits the restaurants, but also visitors and locals (like me!) who frequent our wonderful farm stands.

Chef Armstrong, who grew up in Costa Rica and has traveled extensively throughout the Caribbean, also mentioned that he really loved the landscape and the warm people of our island. He’s looking forward to a return trip with his family where he can take more time to explore St Croix and especially visit and hike through some of our lush green spaces like those at the Virgin Islands Sustainable Farm out West in the rainforest or simply lime on one of our beautiful beaches.

But this night, it was all about the FOOD on St Croix and there’s plenty of it! So enjoy my delicious journey through the event and then go visit some of these great chefs in their natural habitat – find them by exploring our

St Croix Dining Guide

St Croix Lime Editor, Trevor Clendenin, enjoys a taste at the wine bar following the press conference.

The lobby at Divi Carina Bay Beach Resort was transformed into a chic lounge
by Michele Marquis of Dream Island Events

The event spans the entire beach at Divi Carina Bay Beach Resort.

A real Caribbean celebration featuring palm trees, turquoise waters and blue skies.

One of my favorite restaurants on the island, Salud! is known for their savory, Mediterranean and North African-inspired dishes. If you are visiting St Croix – don’t miss this great dining experience.

Another one of my personal favorites, Dashi offers creative Asian/Caribbean fusion specials on a nightly basis, and of course, the freshest sushi often featuring local caught, fresh off the boat fish.

Everybody loves the Brew Pub! The only micro-brewery in the Caribbean featuring
some of the best live entertainment and a great pub-style menu!

Prestige Wine Group, one of the event sponsors, offered up a wonderful selection of wines for tasting.

The judges begin the arduous task of tasting the night’s competition.

Celebrity Chef judges like Govind Armstrong and Ana Sortun feasted on
competition categories of appetizers, soups, entrees, desserts and cocktails.

Every girls needs a “Little Black Dress”

… and Palm trees.

The Bistro, my daily haunt, was just getting set up as I went by (judging started before the event opened to the public), but I knew I’d be back later in the evening for a hot cuppa joe!

I was so excited to see an abundance of local produce featured throughout the event!

Nate Olive of Ridge to Reef Farm at the VI Sustainable Farm Institute describes the food that Chef Tahira is dishing up. They ended up with First Place in the “Local Fare” category!

Local bok choy (one of my favorite veggies) was used in dishes served up by caterer Shanti Shawa

Schooner Bay Market entered twice as “Schooner Bay Every Day” representing their great Christiansted market and as “Schooner Bay Catering”. I met up with them as they sent food to the judges tent. Looked yummy!

It was now time to hit the beachside Captain Morgan lounge and begin my quest to find the swashbuckling hottie who I’d spent so much time with in college. That guy got me in a lot of trouble back then!

I didn’t find the Captain yet, but I did find some really tasting Captain Morgan spiced rum punch!

Local restaurants and caterers continued lining up to present to the judges

Local celebrity Chef Joseph Stiles, an ambassador for the event, chats with
visiting celeb Chefs Eric Greenspan and Chef Roberto Trevino

Guests were starting to head in and the People’s Choice ballot box was open… so it was time to start tasting some food!

The Galleon Restaurant ended up taking First Place for their entree!

West Indies Corp was pouring luscious wines from
2011 Winery of the Year recipient Williamette Valley Vineyards

Bluewater Terrace, famous for Lori’s downhome country fried chicken was serving that and
a really decadent neapolitan of lobster, ham and other yummy goodness.

Bumping into good friends at fun events is Reason #127 why I love St Croix

The events of the St Croix Food & Wine Experience offer a great opportunity for the youth in local high school culinary programs to spread their wings. The kids from St Croix Complex High School’s “Good to Chew’ catering class made a really great showing with their prawn and scallop dish. The St. Croix Central High School Culinary Arts Class took Second Place in the Dessert category and The Afterschool Cooking Class took First place in the Vegetarian dish category. I’m happy to say there’s no shortage of great up and coming chefs in our island’s future!

Local radio personality and restaurateur, Kim Jones, was keeping her tawdry crew in line as they served up some might tasty margaritas and AMAZING hand-made pork and local pumpkin tamales. In fact, Pirate’s Tavern won Second Place Best Appetizer and First Place in the dessert category. (I missed that – dang!)

Eat@Cane Bay‘s owner and chef Frank Pugliese served up some delicious sliders

And really decadent dessert!

Cruzan Rum was well represented with their “Love Potion #9” featuring Cruzan 9 spiced rum.

The wine kept flowing as the sun went down!

Stafish Patisserie didn’t disappoint, offering up cake bites with flavors like mango, guava and keylime.

Juggling all of this food and wine can be tough work, but event admission includes these handy plates with a spot for your glass.

Art Farm was serving up an INCREDIBLE dairy free icecream that was like a cross between sorbet and gelato with a coconut milk base. They sell it at their weekly farm stand. I can’t wait to bring some home!

Another of my favorite restaurants, Savant, known for their Asian/Mexican/Caribbean fusion and super fresh fish was offering a Thai style soup …

… And rockstar chef “Dreads” dished up scallops with fried wontons and a to-die-for wasabi cream sauce.
(Tip: try their casava crusted fish of the day at Savant, it never disappoints!)

Then it was time to head over to the (soon-to-open in the old STIXX location)
John Eddie’s Low Life Bar & Refuge to find out what bartender Jesse Card was concocting.

His hand smoked “Bonfire Old Fashioned” ended up taking First Place in the Beverage Category!

Joe & Vic of Tavern 1844 were defending their “Best Burger”‘s 2011 First place win in the Entree category. They didn’t take first this year, but they place 2nd with their now named “Second Best” Burger: a delicious combination of fried goat cheese, whiskey-glazed apples, caramelized onions & truffle honey on a hand-crafted Tavern burger. Decadent!! Oh, and they serve it with a side of duck-fat fries.

I had a few more bites left in me, so I headed over to yet another favorite joint on the island….

I knew Rowdy Joe’s would be serving up some of their “Good Mood Food”.
The lamb empanada was scrumptious. Rowdy’s took second place in the Vegetarian category.

Boardwalk favorite RumRunner’s once again claimed the “People’s Choice” award, BUT this year,
they shared it in a tie with The Carambola Golf Club!

I finally caught up with Captain Morgan and his Morganettes. He’s always leading the party!

The party in the Captain’s lounge was in full swing and I got a chance to catch up with Gov. DeJongh for an interview. He – along with Captain Morgan – was excited for the grand opening the following Monday, of the Captain Morgan Experience Center on St Croix.

Somehow I made room for one more delicious bite – my friends at Ziggy’s Market
were serving up the perfect late-night snack – Cubanos!

After the long, grueling day of tasting and reporting, I needed a shot of caffeine and knew
I’d find it at The Bistro’s table. Proprietor Clint Simon was still serving it piping hot with a smile!

On our way back to the lobby to cover the award announcements, I stopped by Tutto Bene’s table and I was so glad I did! They had an adorable ducky pond incorporated with their famous antipasto. They ended up taking first place for “Best Presentation”.

Bellies were full and the crowd was anxiously awaiting the award results. It was an amazing evening that wasn’t over – following the Awards Ceremony guests and participants danced it all off in Divi’s Starlight lounge at the Moet After-Party.

For a full list of 2012 results visit A Taste of St Croix’s website.

If I’ve convinced you that you can’t possibly miss the 2013 Taste of St Croix – visit the St Croix Food & Wine Experience website for updates on 2013 events and travel packages!

Tell us about your favorite St Croix dining Experience!

Leave a comment below by Wednesday May 30th and you’ll be entered to win a signed copy of St. Croix Food & Wine Experience: A Culinary Guide to the Island Featuring More Than 100 Recipes from Island and Celebrity Chefs. Pages have been autographed by event founders Katherine Pugliese & Kelly Odom, and local and celebrity chefs like Govind Armstrong, Ana Sortun, Roberto Trevino, and more!

Winner will be selected by random drawing on May 30th and announced on our Facebook Page. When posting a comment, your email will be submitted to us and we’ll contact the winner for shipping details! All comments are moderated and approved by the editor before being posted online.

The St Croix Food & Wine Experience

April 25, 2012 by Cindy @ MyStCroix.VI Leave a Comment

There are no shortage of events and festivals on St Croix, but each year the one I eagerly anticipate the most is the St Croix Food & Wine Experience. Held each April and rated in 2009 by Forbes Magazine as one of the Ten Best International Food and Wine Festivals by Forbes Travel, over the past 12 years it has grown from a one-night event to a weeklong series of educational opportunities and culinary celebrations.

Founded in 2001 by local Restaurateurs and friends Katherine Pugliese {eat @ cane bay} and Kelly Odom {Tutto Bene} as a way to bring the restaurant community together, it started with the anchor event A Taste of St Croix and grew from there. And boy, has it grown! From one night of friendly local competition to a week long series of culinary celebrations and educational opportunities, the St Croix Food & Wine Experience has raised over $500,000 for the St Croix Foundation who then invest the money in local non-profit organizations and island-wide improvement initiatives.

The 2012 week-long list of events heavily tapped into the skills of visiting celebrity chefs. Their participation ranged from judging the culinary competition at A Taste of St Croix to showing off their kitchen skills and acclaimed dishes at various exclusive wine-pairing dinners to teaching and mentoring up and coming chefs in our local high school culinary programs. There were also wine symposiums and events including the Sunset BBQ in Frederiksted, Wine in the Warehouse and Cuisine on the Green. For a full list of events Click Here.

2012 participating chefs and sommeliers included:

Govind Armstrong – Owner of Post and Beam and 8oz Burger Bar. Author of Small Bites, Big Nights: Seductive Little Plates for Intimate Occasions and Lavish Parties. He’s been featured on The Oprah Winfrey Show, Iron Chef America, The Today Show, Top Chef, Top Chef Masters and in Bon Appetit, Gourmet, O Magazine, and People’s 50 Most Beautiful People issue.
Anthony Giglio – Journalist, sommelier, and educator. Author of the 2009, 2010 and 2011 Food & Wine Wine Guide, Mr. Boston Summer Cocktails and Mr. Boston Official Bartender’s Guide (Mr. Boston: Official Bartender’s & Party Guide) and more.
Eric Greenspan – Owner of The Foundry and The Roof in LA and co-host of A&E’s “Fix This Kitchen”. Chef Eric has been featured on “Best Thing I Ever Ate”, “The Traveler’s Guide to Life”, “The Next Iron Chef”n “Bar Rescue”, “Hell’s Kitchen”, “Extreme Chef” and “Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution” and beat Bobby Flay on “Iron Chef America”.
Roberto Trevino – Owner of Budatai and Casa Lola in Puerto Rico. Chef Trevino has been featured in Condé Nast Traveler, The New York Times, and Bon Appétit. He competed on the Food Network’s Iron Chef America and rumor has it he’s working on his own television show with Telemundo.
Ana Sortun – Owner of Oleana and Sofra Bakery in Cambridge, MA. Chef Sortun was voted “Best Chef in the Northeast” 2005 by the James Beard Foundation
Evelyn Paul – A successful private chef in Atlanta, GA, Chef Paul was born on St. Lucia, but grew up here on St Croix! She has been featured in Jezebel Magazine, The Atlanta Journal Constitution, Daily Candy, CBS Atlanta, Points North and is the contributing food editor for Cotton Candy Magazine
Merlin Verrier – Executive Chef and Director of Operations for Graham Elliot in Chicago. Named “Hottest Chef in Chicago” 2011.
Sue Zemanick – Executive Chef at Gautreau’s Restaurant in New Orleans. Chef Zemanick was a 2009, 2010, and 2011 James Beard Award Finalist “Rising Star” and one of Food & Wine”s “Top 10 Best New Chefs” 2008. She also competed on Bravo’s Top Chef Masters Series in 2011.
Theo Gumbs – Personal Chef. Chef Theo is known for his fusion of Thai and Caribbean cuisine. He’s developed these into a line of sauces and spice blends which you can find on Theo’s Caribbean Foods. He has also recently launched a new 7-episode televison series The Virgin Gourmet

Celebrities pose for a picture with event co-founders Kelly Odom & Katherine Pugliese

A Taste of St Croix, the event that started it all. You can’t imagine a better Caribbean culinary experience!

A Taste of St Croix is held each year, beachside at the Divi Carina Bay Resort.

Great wine, amazing food, celebrity chefs, dancing and the beach. What more can you ask for?

The events feature an opportunity to taste and explore wines from around the world presented by
local purveyors and often the vintner’s themselves.

One of the things I heard throughout the week from most of the chefs was how impressed they were
by the abundance and quality of locally grown produce here on St Croix.

Visit St Croix and you can enjoy home-grown produce year-round at many of our local restaurants,
at weekly farmer’s markets and sold at roadside farm stands.
Buy Local! It’s fresher, healthier and supports our local economy.

Coming up … Part 2 – A Taste of St Croix

To purchase the books mentioned in this article, click the images below.