Every culture has their own unusual ‘delicacies’ and Belizeans are no exception. Maybe due to the mix of cultures that settled here; the escaped Africans slaves as well as the German Mennonites, Maya (and more) over the years who brought their own customs and traditions. Mash that into one melting pot and you have a plethora of bizarre!
1. Meet the Gibnut or Paca, also affectionately known as the Royal Rat (since served to Queen Elizabeth II on her Belize visit some years ago). Many Belizeans will tell you its a must-try delicacy. Check out Travel Channel’s Andrew Zimmern gibnut feast here.
2. Split pea soup with Pig tails or Pig Snouts – served with handmade flour dumplings over white rice, this Belizean comfort food is dear to our hearts.
3. It’s no secret that Belizeans love game meat and the Peccary is no exception. Stewed, roasted, smoked or any other variation – it’s an exotic dish that begs to be tried.
4. Armadillo – also known to the Maya as “Wech” is often roasted and served in tacos (with a twist of lime, yum!), as sal-picon (a roasted meat ceviche) and a variety of other ways .
5. Cow-foot or Cow-tongue soup – a famous Belizean response to a hangover is exactly what it says it is.
6. Hickatee or River Turtle is prized meat – already an endangered specie and with a limited hunting season in Belize, consider yourself lucky if you get to try it.
7. Bamboo Chicken or Iguanas – Definitely an acquired taste and mostly consumed in rural areas, but if your taste buds crave the rare and exotic – this is a must try! (Don’t worry, our resident iguanas are perfectly safe from our kitchen!)
8. Bukut or Stinking-Toe (Cassia Grandis) – Not all the bizarre food in Belize are animals; this lovely tree that showers Ka’ana’s guests with its tender pink petals as they’re shown to their rooms, produces pods with sticky, jam-like sections surrounding the seeds. The odor leaves much to be desired (hence its Belizean name) but it’s well known for its medicinal and nutritional values.
The jade head was discovered at in the Belize District’s Mayan site of Altun Ha in 1968 by Dr. David Pendergast of the Royal Ontario Museum of Canada. The head, along with forty other objects, had been placed within a large tomb that was located below the stairblock on the Temple of the Masonry Altars. At the center of the tomb were the remains of an elderly adult male. This elite person was likely an important ruler of the site during his lifetime and may have commissioned an artist to produce the large carved object. We do not know the exact date that the head was carved, but analysis of cultural remains within the tomb suggests that the burial, and accompanying grave goods, were deposited in the structure sometime between 600 and 650 A.D.
Weighing 9.75 pounds and standing almost 6 inches high, the jade head remains the single largest carved jade object yet discovered in the Maya area. Its crossed eyes, fang-like elements on either side of the mouth, and the ahau glyph on the forehead all identify the head as a representation of the Maya sun god Kinich Ahau. Along with Chac (rain god) and Yum Kax (corn god), Kinich Ahau was among the most important deities in the Maya pantheon.
The Kinich Ahau head is truly a remarkable object and exquisite work of art. It is the only one of its kind in all of Mesoamerica. Because it was carved with nothing more than stone tools, we know that it may have taken many months, if not years, to produce. It was also carved from one large solid piece of jade that was imported from the Motagua River Valley region of Guatemala. Jade was also the most precious of stones to the Maya. Beside its exotic origins, its green colour reflected that of water and the corn plant, the two most precious, life sustaining substances to the ancient Maya of northern Belize.
As it undoubtedly was to the prehistoric inhabitants of Altun Ha, the jade head continues to be a most important icon to the people of Belize today. It is prominently displayed on all Belize currency and has become an important symbol of our nation.
I stayed at Ka’ana in early March 2013, between work commitments in San Ignacio area. What a fantastic stay! From the room to the spa to the restaurant food, everything was delightful. I have been in this area before and had exhausted most of the common tours, so the manager Jennifer was happy to find some different things for me to do. She arranged a horseback ride to unexcavated ruins (amazing!) and also a Maya cooking class with the mother and aunt of the chef at the hotel (fantastic and so fun!). The restaurant here is exceptional, really by far the best food I have eaten in Belize. Chef really knows what he is doing! The spa was lovely, I had a scrub and massage which were perfect after riding a horse and being a bit sore. Gorgeous pool, and very relaxed atmosphere. Also, great WiFi and TV connection / reception.
Carlota, Candy and Mirsa are our most pleasant (not to mention the loveliest) of our servers here at Ka’ana. I dodged them while they took a well-deserved break out by the fire deck. They were as always, happy to speak with me and definitely willing to pose for the camera
Do you have any specials you personally prefer from our menu?
Carlota: I love the glazed pork chops – the way these guys prepare it so juicy and tender makes your mouth water – its really good!
Candy: I love lobster – when its in season I will definitely always have it and recommend it.
Mirsa: I definitely love the shrimp-chorizo wrap, when I eat here this has always been a favorite and I always recommend to guests as well.
What do you guys love most about your job here at Ka’ana and what inspires you?
Carlota: well to tell the truth, I honestly love the natural beauty of the place. I love going about my work and hearing the birds singing early in the morning, the trees and nature in general; knowing that guests are enjoying it.
Candy: I love interacting with guests. I love serving them new things and seeing them enjoy it and knowing that I contribute to their happiness.
Mirsa: I love seeing guests happy as well,showing them what I can about my country and helping them to get the best experience ever really makes me happy.
The Belize Barrier Reef is a series of coral reefs straddling the coast of Belize, roughly 300 meters (980 ft) offshore in the north and 40 kilometers (25 mi) in the south within the country limits. It is Belize’s top tourist destination, popular for scuba diving and snorkeling and attracting almost half of its 260,000 visitors, and is vital to its fishing industry.
Charles Darwin described it as “the most remarkable reef in the West Indies” in 1842.
Where is Belize? That is the question most people ask when first hearing about Belize. Contrary to what some people think, Belize is not in South America, nor Africa. It is, however, situated in the heart of Central America.
Most people don’t know that this Caribbean wonder is just a hop, skip and a jump from the U.S. Right under Mexico, next to Guatemala, welcoming the waves of the Caribbean Sea in the East. But that is part of it’s charm.
For the most part, only a small portion of the world’s tourist population has been to Belize; that has kept Belize’s Barrier Reef, Maya ruins and pristine rain forest “unspoiled” for all to enjoy.
Armando Cocom is an up-and-coming young chef in our kitchen. A local “boy” from the nearby Maya village of Succotz, only a couple miles down the road – he has been with Ka’ana almost from the onset. I caught up with him as he was preparing one of the new in-house specials and asked him a bit about what makes him tick.
How long have you been here at Ka’ana and how did you come about to your current position?
Well, I started out as a dishwasher when Ka’ana just opened in 2007, left for a short while, then returned and have been here ever since. To tell the truth I was just a regular kid that lived to play football in my village, I never really thought about what I wanted to do in life, but I realized I was growing up and had to find a job; this was actually my first job.
So how did you come about cooking?
Well, being here for a bit, I started observing what was going on around me – I noticed the other chefs and the preparation going on and I thought it was like “art” to see the food plated the way it was using all the ingredients grown right here in our organic garden – something that is not common at other resorts. Hearing the feedback from our guests was also very exciting and inspirational to me, so I started paying more attention. Pretty soon I was assisting and getting more involved.
What’s the most exciting part about your job?
The most exciting part about my job, honestly, (smiling shyly) is that I love what I do 101%! I never knew that I would find my life’s calling; I love being in the kitchen and being creative even when I am learning a new skill or technique. I am constantly training and learning – these days with Chef Jeff and its really great to work with him.
Is there anything that you personally helped to create that’s on our menu?
Actually I helped to come up with the concept of the layered tortillas recipe that I know is a crowd favorite.
Any advice to others who would like to follow in your footsteps?
Well of course, I would tell that if they find out that they really like to do what I do then to show their interest and go the extra mile to learn for themselves and train whenever possible and not to let anyone distract them from their dream. A special thanks to my bosses for taking an interest in this “village boy” and giving him an opportunity to excel!
The 85th Annual Holy Saturday Cross Country Cycling classic, a highlight of Easter in Belize shot off this morning. Who will take away the garland this year – Belizeans or International participants?
