A food tour through historic Falmouth
Q: For the travelers who have not taken a Culinary Tour before please give us an idea on what to expect if they were interested in taking your tour.
A: Our food tours are designed to introduce visitors to the food of our country as well as the story behind the food. The tours are themed and our inaugural tour – The Falmouth Food Tour goes under the theme ‘When Sugar was King”. In this tour we take the guests through the historic town of Falmouth which was built in the heyday of the sugar plantation era, and boasts some of the finest Georgian architecture from that period. Through various food and beverage tastings, we give our guests an insight as to what Jamaicans eat, why we eat it and how it is prepared. They get the history of how the food/dish they are tasting came about and lots of interesting stories and facts about it. The tour takes guests through the streets of Falmouth and they will have a chance to view important heritage sites, meet and interact with our local food partners and even see some food preparation. The tour is between two and a half and three hours depending on the pace that the group wants to take. The groups are kept small and intimate so that we can interact with our guests. It begins and terminates on the Falmouth Pier.
Q: One of the most interesting things that a traveler expects to experience is tasting other countries' food. What's the most popular dish that any visitor whether they've taken your tour or not, likes the most in the island of Jamaica?
A: It is hard to tell because tastes are so varied! However we have found that the patty is a great favourite with many visitors who love the crust and the flavor of the meat. It is something that they will not necessarily taste in a hotel.
Response to the Tour has been excellent. The Tour has moved steadily up the rankings of Falmouth attractions and is currently ranked as number 2 on Trip Advisor, with reviewers awarding the culinary tour a top 5 star ranking. Guest comments reveal their enthusiasm and lingering excitement, with some guests describing it as a ‘culinary wow’ and even rating the culinary experience as the highpoint of their entire vacation. One reviewer captured the essence of the tour in this way: “Back home, you will soon forget all those surf and turf you ate on the ship, but you will remember that glorious yam and salt fish combo, the street market where you ate it, the person who made it for you, the way it was explained to you, and all the sight and sound around you…”
The Tour has so far attracted mostly cruise ship passengers docking in the town of Falmouth, but visitors from farther afield have also patronized it. The appeal of this culinary adventure spans a wide cross section of ages, ranging from senior citizens to enthusiastic ‘little foodies’.
For more information on the food tour go to www.jamaicaculinarytours.com