My First Roti

I was sitting in front of the Chandlery on Front Street when a couple arrived searching for a part for their yacht.  They sat down to have a cold drink and we got chatting.

Their names were Derek and Betty, and they were anchored off the Frangipani in Admiralty Bay.  They were full-time “cruisers” from Canada, retirees  enjoying their exploration of the Caribbean Islands.  Derek and Betty liked Bequia and were planning to spend a couple of months, perhaps more.

As often happened back then, the conversation drifted to the topic of food.  The stores on the Island were pretty dismal, and I had been eating a lot of cheese and bread until I started to learn how to cook the local way.  We discussed the best ways to prepare fish, chicken and beef, and I was proudly feeling like an expert until Betty asked me how I prepare my rotis.  I was forced to admit that I had never heard of rotis, and they were horrified.  How could anyone Iiving in the Caribbean not know what a roti is??  They promptly invited me to Daphne’s the next day for lunch, they were going to treat me to my very first roti.

Daphne Cooks It was a little hole-in-the-wall restaurant down a side street in Port Elizabeth.  It was a two-story building, with the restaurant on the ground floor and Daphne’s clothing store on the upper level.  Daphne herself was a round jolly woman with a big heart, always with a warm, welcoming smile for her guests.  She was a super cook, and was happiest when she got special requests for the evening meal.  If you called her the day before and requested a particular dish she would prepare it, and it was always delicious. She did not offer wine, but you were welcome to bring your own and there was no corkage fee. The iron chairs were very uncomfortable, cushions would have been nice!

I arrived at the restaurant to find Derek and Betty already seated.  They had placed the order for three rotis and they soon appeared, tightly wrapped in waxed paper.  When I unfolded my parcel the aroma wafting up from the roti made me salivate, and when I took my first bite I groaned with pleasure.  It was wonderful!  The roti was actually the wrapping to hold the filling, an unleavened dough rolled and lightly fried.  I learned that there were several ways to make roti, Daphne’s was a simple one.  The filling was a tasty curry made with beef and breadfruit, well-seasoned with onions and garlic.

I made little snuffling noises as I polished off my roti and would happily have eaten another had it been offered!   Thanks to Derek and Betty I was able to add roti to my growing list of favorite local foods.