Belize is home to a melting pot of cultural and contemporary culinary delights. Tantalizing mixtures of Caribbean spices, African vegetables and even Central American cooking styles can be found throughout the country. Even while living abroad, Belizeans find a way to highlight their culture. Check out what these proud Belizeans are cooking up in Los Angeles and what the LA Times has to say about their food in their “Little Belize” review.
An important etho at Ka’ana is to be eco-conscious. This, of course, finds it’s way into our design aesthetic. Typically, we like to recycle objects in new ways and use the what we have on the grounds as much as possible (Have you seen our Organic Garden?) We are big on details; they make all the difference, right? See more below or read more about our Accommodations.
1. Fresh flowers in every room picked from the grounds.
2. Palmetto sticks are used throughout the resort, providing great texture and color.
3. Antique explorer objects: compasses, telescopes (Some found nearby!) and others from our owners’ collection to evoke a sense of adventures past.
4. Bamboo, cut and joined together, used for headboards and lamp fixtures.
5. Refurbished wood frames of villa door.
6. Antiqued custom-made metal doors for our Private Villas.
7. Hammocks.
8. Antique Spanish books.
9. Ikat – Typical Central American patterned Fabrics.
Sweeten up your weekend with our Banana-Hazel Martini!
Banana-Hazel Martini: Banana, Frangelico Liqueur and Vodka served Martini style.
Ingredients
1 Oz. Frangelico Liqueur
½ Banana (Ripened)
2 Oz. Vodka
3 Cubes Ice
Preparation
Add ¼ Banana into mixer and liquify. Add 1 Oz. Banana, Frangelico Liqueur, Ice and Vodka into shaker; shake thoroughly – and pour into Martini glass. Garnish with Banana slices or Cherry, Enjoy!
NYtimes article on travelers seeking bespoke itineraries, “There is a surge of people looking for the meaningful experience..” Be sure to check out our meaningful experiences and how you can participate here .
Here at Ka’ana, we grow all kinds of fruits and vegetables including broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, lettuce, arugula, bell peppers, tomatoes and potatoes, as well as hot chiles and spicy herbs. Our fruits are of the tropical variety including bananas, papayas, watermelon, pineapple and local exotic fruits such as mammy apples and dragon fruit.
Most of our fruits and vegetables grow all year round. Carrots grow between August and January while broccoli and cauliflower grow between May and August.
We create our own jams and infusions using the fruits and also pickle the vegetables in-house. Produce from our organic garden is incorporated in all of our recipes at La Ceiba to ensure that our guests are always eating healthily and organically.
Imagine you’re hiking back from a waterfall. You swam a little, and now need a disco nap… Luckily your backpack comes with a secret compartment and a hammock in it. Crisis averted!
Get your VSTR Nomadic Pack By Partners & Spade here.
Location: Big Rock Falls is 45minutes away from Ka’ana, see where else you can hike here.
Here’s the lowdown on what we are having today. It’s a crowd favorite here and a traditional Belize breakfast dish you can find in our restaurant La Ceiba. This tasty platter is built up with layers of handmade tortillas, fried organic eggs, American cheese and re-fried beans. It’s drizzled with a fresh homemade sauce made from tomatoes, basil, onions and garnished with chopped cilantro - all grown here in Ka’ana’s organic garden. So Tasty!
Belize City was established by English settlers in the seventeenth century, mainly due to the extraction of mahogany and chicle. Houses were mainly built of wood with a lower story of brick; polished mahogany was used profusely for the doors and paneling, and often included “gingerbread” details. Some of the public buildings were built of bricks, which came as balusters in cargo ships or were directly imported for that purpose. A clear example is St. John’s Cathedral, which was the first church built in the colony of British Honduras. It was constructed in 1812, although it has undergone numerous alterations over the years. The exterior of the church is of brick; the interior is fitted out mahogany and sapodilla. It is a historical landmark of Belize from the colonial influence of the country’s past.
An event that defined the architecture and development in Belize City was Hurricane Hattie in October 31 1961. After this hurricane entire families packed whatever was left of their possessions and left the country for the USA and other places. Those who stayed had no choice but to move inland and the development of new areas of the city began. The city continues to expand very slowly.
Since the 1980s we have seen less use of wood as the main material in the construction of residences in Belize. Reinforced concrete is now the preferred construction material whilst wood is mainly used for finishing. Many older structures are at risk of disappearance due to the lack of maintenance, no interest from the government or institutions to preserve them, as well as fire, hurricanes, and termites. These colonial structures are ever-decreasing in number and need to be, if not preserved, at least documented to preserve their historic importance. Most of these buildings can be found in the downtown area and some on the south side of the city, Southern Foreshore, Regent Street, Albert Street, and in the Fort George areas of the City.
Personally, I would like to define the colonial architecture of the city as “Belizean Victorian Architecture.” It was mostly influenced by the Caribbean architecture of the region. A great example of the Victorian colonial architecture of Belize is Government House, now the Belize House of Culture. The house dates back to 1815, and since it was built it has survived two major hurricanes, one in 1931 and Hattie in 1961. It has had periodic renovations, the most recent of which was 2003. Another good example is the former colonial secretary building next to Government House, which was completely renovated and restored in 2003.
Belizean Victorian Architecture was recently included in the 2012 World Monument Watch and this is a big step in the right direction to preserve these magnificent structures
We are all a bit of cocktail nerds here at Ka’ana and even love to infuse our own alcohol (you saw our post about what we like to make in house here http://tinyurl.com/99lk2q2)
You can take a cocktail class with one of our master mixologist, learn about local alcohols or how to improve your own cocktail repertoire. Or hang in our newly renovated Freize lounge and try our variety of bespoke Belize inspired cocktails.
