you'd think that being a chef, i'd want to escape the toils of the kitchen while on holiday   but the opposite is true i jump at the chance to experience new flavours and gather fresh inspiration and where better to tickle your tastebuds than in glorious grenada? the island is known for its zesty spices and self sufficiency   the only food it imports is milk heading west: rosemary spent a week on grenada, where fresh foodstuffs like cocoa fruit are easily available  meat and fish are plentiful and, because the soil is very fertile, the vegetables, fruit and salads are the glossiest you'll ever see grenada's seasons are similar to our own, which means cauliflower, broccoli and pumpkins in spring exotic fruit   mangoes, star fruit, passion fruit, melon and skin up, which is like a lychee — are the stars of the summer autumn heralds guavas, sweetsop (sugar apples) and soursop (similar to pawpaw), and then there is the temptingly named mammee apple, which is a caribbean version of a peach sumptuous sands: grenada is home to splendid beaches   such as the glorious arc of grand anse  i am staying in the southwest of the island at mount cinnamon on grand anse beach, near the charming town of st george it offers well equipped self catering villas, each with its own terrace and wonderful views of the bay you can cook your own supper, but the bubbling restaurant scene is difficult to resist beach bars abound i especially liked the beach cabana at mount cinnamon, where they serve fabulously strong cocktails made with local rum at all hours of the day and night people come across from nearby islands to enjoy the weekly bonfire on the beach, at which local musicians play this is the caribbean at its best just beware of those generous drinks measures the restaurant yolo (which is text speakfor 'you only live once') specialises in sushi and asian cuisine i order plums, mangoes, cherries and avocados, all picked that day the fish is as fresh as can be   so the tuna tartare, its signature dish, almost leaps off the plate come dine with me: grenada is an island awash with fresh produce and intriguing local recipes  the next day, i watch a fish cookery demonstration at mount cinnamon: a traditional dish of kingfish marinated in coconut, ginger, lime, spices, peppers and chives, wrapped in banana leaves and cooked over a wood fire, and served with delicious breadfruit chips if you want to mingle with grenadans, there is nowhere better than a rambunctious food market st george's market brims with local spices and everything else that is grown on the island in a 17th century working plantation   a colonial house and estate   you can witness the crops of fruit, exotic flowers and spices in their regimented glory here, i learn to cook the grenadan national dish, oil down this is a hearty, one pot meal with salted meat, chicken, breadfruit, callaloo   which is like spinach   and dumplings the whole lot is stewed in coconut milk delicious! the food odyssey continues in the evening when i visit bb's crabback caribbean restaurant, overlooking the harbour my favourite place to eat on the beach is la sagesse, on its own strip of sand from which you can swim in a bath temperature sea a place to cool your heels: rosemary stayed at grenada's elegant mount cinnamon resort  no tour of the island would be complete without a visit to the river antione rum distillery   the last one in the caribbean to make the drink from cane sugar, as they did in the 18th century rum is not to my taste, but it's interesting to see the process behind it belmont in the grand etang area is more to my liking it's a fully functioning plantation and organic farm we taste goat's cheese and salt fish fritters, a popular local dish even the governor grows her own vegetables her excellency dame cecile la grenade is the first woman governor on the island she received an obe from the queen for the food business started by her mother her extensive gardens are full of exotic vegetables, fruit and spices — a dream to any aspiring cook even the paths are made of crushed nutmeg shells a fitting tribute to this fragrant and friendly island british airways (0844 493 0787, wwwbacom) flies to grenada from £562 return a one bedroom suite at the mount cinnamon hotel resort & beach club (001 473 439 4400, wwwmountcinnamongrenadahotelcom) starts from £265 b&b per night
grenada the 'island of spice' telephotographs irreconciliable irrepealably
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