In many Grenadian homes, the word "tea" covers any hot breakfast drink, and "breakfast" can mean a full plate even on a weekday. A traditional morning might bring golden fried bakes, saltfish cooked down with tomatoes and onions, a slice of zaboca in season and a mug of cocoa tea made from a grated cocoa ball and fragrant with nutmeg and bay leaf. On weekends, the spread gets bigger and slower.
This guide covers the core breakfast dishes that Grenadian households make at home, with practical methods rather than strict recipes, and the shortcuts families use when there is school or work to get to. Quantities are loose on purpose, because every kitchen adjusts them to taste, to the size of the family and to what is already in the cupboard. All of the ingredients are easy to find at markets, bakeries and supermarkets across the island.
Bakes: fried and roast
Bakes are simple dough cakes made from flour, a little baking powder, salt, a pinch of sugar and sometimes a spoon of butter or margarine rubbed in, mixed with water or milk into a soft dough. For fried bakes, pinch off pieces the size of a small egg, flatten them into rounds about a finger thick and fry in hot oil, turning once, until puffed and golden. They should be light inside and crisp outside.
Roast bakes are the same idea cooked as a single larger round on a hot dry pan or in the oven, then cut into wedges. They use less oil and are often preferred for weekday breakfasts. Coconut bake, with grated coconut worked into the dough, is a richer version, especially popular in some households and on Carriacou.
The dough benefits from resting for fifteen to twenty minutes before shaping. Many cooks make it the night before and keep it in the fridge, then bring it out while the oil heats. Leftover bakes reheat well in a dry pan or toaster oven.
Saltfish: the classic partner
Saltfish, salted dried cod, has been part of Caribbean breakfasts for centuries. It must be desalted first: soak it overnight in cold water, changing the water once or twice, or boil it in fresh water, drain and repeat. Taste a small piece; it should be pleasantly salty, not harsh. Remove skin and bones and flake the flesh.
For a classic breakfast, fry sliced onion, garlic, sweet pepper and chopped tomato in a little oil until soft, add a spoon of green seasoning, then stir in the flaked saltfish with black pepper and a little hot pepper to taste. Cook for a few minutes so the flavours mingle. Some cooks finish it with a squeeze of lime or a sprinkling of chive.
Smoked herring is the other traditional cured fish, cooked in much the same way after soaking and flaking. It has a stronger, smokier flavour, and many households alternate between the two. Both pair naturally with bakes, bread, boiled green fig or provisions.
Cocoa tea from a cocoa ball
Cocoa tea is Grenada's signature breakfast drink, rich, slightly bitter and fragrant with the island's spices. A pot for four:
- Grate about half a cocoa ball or a few inches of cocoa stick, depending on size and strength. Local cocoa balls vary, so start with less and add more next time if needed.
- Bring about four cups of water to the boil with a cinnamon stick, a bay leaf and a few gratings of fresh nutmeg. Some cooks add a clove or a strip of orange peel.
- Add the grated cocoa and simmer gently for ten to fifteen minutes, stirring, so the cocoa dissolves and the spices infuse.
- Thicken slightly if you like with a teaspoon of cornstarch or flour mixed into cold water, stirred in and simmered a minute more.
- Add milk, either fresh, evaporated or condensed, and sugar to taste. Condensed milk sweetens and enriches at once.
- Strain if there are bits of spice, grate a little more nutmeg on top and serve hot.
Porridges for cooler mornings and busy days
Cornmeal porridge. Fine cornmeal whisked into simmering water or milk, cooked until smooth and thick, then sweetened with condensed milk and flavoured with nutmeg, cinnamon and vanilla. Whisk constantly at first to avoid lumps.
Oats porridge. Rolled oats cooked with water and milk, nutmeg, cinnamon and sugar. Quick and popular with children.
Green fig porridge. Grated green bananas cooked in milk and water with spices until thick and creamy. It is filling and uses one of the cheapest local foods. Wear gloves when grating green fig, as the sap stains.
Arrowroot and other starches. Some older Grenadians remember arrowroot porridge, made from the starch of a plant once grown widely for export. It is gentler and is still given to children and people recovering from illness.
Other breakfast favourites
Bread from the bakery is a staple for quick breakfasts: a slice of fresh bakery bread with butter, cheese, a fried egg or a slice of zaboca in season. Coconut bread and sweet buns are popular with tea. Fried plantain, fried or boiled eggs, and sausages or hot dogs appear on fuller weekend plates.
Weekend breakfasts often lean towards savoury, slow dishes: buljol-style saltfish with plenty of tomato, fish cakes made from flaked saltfish bound with flour and seasoning and fried, smoked herring with provisions, and souse for those who like it on a Saturday. Leftover Sunday rice and peas sometimes reappears at Monday breakfast.
Hot drinks besides cocoa tea include bush teas brewed from leaves such as lemongrass, soursop leaf or mint, which many families grow in the yard, and green tea or coffee for those who prefer it.
Weekday shortcuts
Make dough at night. A bowl of bake dough in the fridge turns into breakfast in ten minutes the next morning.
Desalt saltfish in batches. Soak and boil a larger quantity at the weekend, flake it, and freeze it in portions ready for quick weekday cooking.
Pre-grate cocoa. Grate a whole cocoa ball at once and keep it in a sealed jar, so a cup of cocoa tea takes minutes.
Batch porridge. Cornmeal and oats porridge reheat well with a splash of milk.
Use the toaster oven. Reheating bakes, bread and fish cakes in a small toaster oven uses less electricity than heating the full oven.
Keep a flask. A pot of cocoa tea made early stays hot in a vacuum flask for the whole family as they leave at different times, and avoids reheating on the gas stove.
Buying the ingredients
Most breakfast ingredients are everyday items in Grenadian shops. Saltfish is sold in sealed packets in supermarkets and by weight in some shops, either boneless, which is easier, or bone-in, which is usually cheaper and has more flavour. Smoked herring comes in packets or loose. Cocoa balls and cocoa sticks are made by small local producers and sold at markets, by spice vendors and in many shops; quality and spice content vary, and the darker, more aromatic ones tend to make the best tea.
Bakery bread is best bought early in the morning, when it is fresh from the oven, and coconut bread and sweet buns often sell out by midday. Fresh nutmeg and cinnamon sticks from the market are cheaper and more fragrant than imported ground spices in jars. Flour, cornmeal, oats and condensed or evaporated milk are best bought in quantity during supermarket offers and stored in sealed containers away from ants. With these in the cupboard, a full Grenadian breakfast needs only a quick trip for bread or fresh fruit.
Frequently asked questions
What do Grenadians eat for breakfast?
Common breakfasts include fried or roast bakes with saltfish or smoked herring, bread with eggs, cheese or avocado, cocoa tea made from local cocoa balls, porridges made from cornmeal, oats or green fig, and fried plantain. Weekend breakfasts are often bigger and include fish cakes or souse.
What is the difference between fried bakes and roast bakes?
Both use the same simple dough of flour, baking powder, salt and a little sugar. Fried bakes are small rounds fried in oil until puffed and golden. Roast bakes are cooked as a larger round on a dry pan or in the oven, then cut into wedges, using much less oil.
How do you make cocoa tea with a cocoa ball?
Grate part of a cocoa ball into boiling water with cinnamon, bay leaf and nutmeg, simmer for ten to fifteen minutes, optionally thicken with a little cornstarch, then add milk and sugar to taste. Strain if needed and top with extra grated nutmeg before serving.
Where are cocoa balls sold in Grenada?
Cocoa balls and cocoa sticks are sold at markets including Market Square in St George's, by roadside and spice vendors, and in many shops and supermarkets. Quality and spice content vary between makers, so try a few until you find one you like.
Is saltfish healthy?
Saltfish is a good source of protein, but it is very high in salt before desalting. Soaking and boiling it properly removes most of the salt. Cooking it with plenty of tomatoes, onions and peppers, and serving it with provisions or bakes, makes a balanced traditional breakfast.
