We love to travel and we love to eat. Every Tuesday, as long as my memory holds up, I will reminisce about some of the memorable food we have eaten while on our travels.
Conch Fritters and Gazpacho at Top of the Baths
In 1999, I had planned to spend a week aboard the tall ship Sir Francis Drake cruising the British Virgin Islands. A week before I was due to arrive, a late season hurricane sank the Sir Francis Drake. I was heartbroken. I was the lone member of my family that had not sailed the Drake. Since my airfare was already paid for, I called down to the BVI and booked the week at Rhymer’s on Cane Garden Bay for a whopping $24 a night.
One of the day trips I took during my stay was to The Baths on the island of Virgin Gorda. The Baths is a set of beaches highlighted by huge granite boulders and rocks that form grottos and caves. Along with sunbathing on the gorgeous beaches, you can swim and snorkel among the rocks. To get to the beaches, you must climb stairs down a steep incline and hike through the boulders.
At the top is a restaurant appropriately named Top of the Baths. It was here that I took a lunch break. Trying to keep lunch light after a morning of sunning and swimming, I ordered conch fritters and a bowl of gazpacho.
Conch fritters are a must have if you are visiting the Caribbean. These were some of the best. Being from Texas, I was used to gazpacho that was full of chunks of tomatoes, cucumbers, celery and bell pepper. They prepared their gazpacho by pureeing it and adding a dollop of sour cream. The taste and consistency was perfect.
After 12 years, my lunch at the Top of the Baths is the only meal I remember from the trip. It was that memorable.
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