National cuisine of New Caledonia for gourmets. Authentic recipes, delicacies and specialties

Some say that New Caledonia’s cuisine is not really unique because the country has been a French overseas territory for many years. Because of that, European traditions dominate in the country, and cuisine is no exception. However, the presence of different nationals constantly living in New Caledonia has led to the incredible diversity in the menus of local restaurants. Visitors can easily find the best dishes from French, Italian, Japanese, African, and Indonesian cuisines. Tourists, who are particularly conservative when it comes to food and do not want to change their gastronomic preferences anywhere, will be genuinely pleased with their vacation in this French territory.

New Caledonia is surrounded by waters of the Pacific Ocean, and so it would be a mistake to claim that the country doesn’t have its own gastronomic traditions. Seafood is the main delicacy here. Even though seafood cooking methods are similar to European, there are still some differences that make local dishes taste differently. Clams and mussels, salads with fish and vegetables, and even shark meat – all seafood is incredibly fresh and caught by local fishermen. Every morning, fishermen’s boats return to the island with a new catch. New Caledonian blue prawns are popular and exported worldwide. In short, it is safe to say that even the most discerning and hard-to-please tourists will find food that fits their requirements and standards and will be satisfied.

The capital of New Caledonia, Noumea, is the only modern city on the islands. There are many bistros, cafes, and restaurants in the capital, so every tourist can enjoy delicious and quality food. Besides that, virtually every hotel has a restaurant, so the choice is not limited. Quite often, tourists come to local restaurants with prejudice that nothing can amaze or surprise them, order some incredibly delicious dish, and are so delighted that they write positive reviews on social media. For example, Marmite et Tire Bouchon restaurant offers a range of fish dishes, duck, and Caledonian deer that all connoisseurs of meat dishes never stop praising. By the way, vegetarian platters with their rich variety of tastes will never leave vegans hungry. Copyright www.orangesmile.com

When it comes to Caledonian deer, this is not just a name – the deer really live on the islands, so their meat is not imported. There is a deer farm not far from Noumea – Rusa. There is big livestock of deer that live almost in the wild except for veterinarian care and extra food delivery. Europeans brought the deer to New Caledonia yet in the 19th century, and animals quickly spread on the islands. Nowadays, the farm delivers fresh deer meat to local markets and restaurants, so people have a unique opportunity to try the meat of deer that live in the South Pacific. It is not possible to try this meat anywhere else, and this fact makes the dish authentic. Deer meat can be cooked in a number of ways – stewed, barbecue, with champignons, with vegetables and fruit – in short, there are enough varieties to try a new one every day during your vacation.

Some salads traditionally contain raw fish. If you are not sure that your digestive system can handle that, then it is better to order processed food. Local chefs are very respectful when it comes to keeping the food they make healthy and nutritious. They often cook food on steam or stew it – this food is easier to digest. As European traditions are strong in local cuisine, there are many ingredients that are typical for Europeans – vegetables, chicken eggs, and milk. By the way, many dishes that require milk come with coconut milk. Coconut milk is healthy and has a pleasant taste. Besides that, it is easier to get coconut milk than cow milk in the tropics.

Many tourists praise local desserts. Local ice cream and milkshakes are particularly popular. There are even shops that mostly specialize in milkshakes. Strawberry and vanilla flavors are usually the most popular choices. By the way, the islands have their own vanilla – it grows in Lifou Island and has a strong and vibrant taste. That is the reason why local vanilla ice cream is particularly delicious. Every café, even a small one, always has tropical fruit on the menu.

Bougna is an authentic dish in the national cuisine. This is an interesting combination of chicken, fish or lobster, banana, potato, and coconut milk. Meat wrapped in banana leaves is then slowly cooked on hot stones. This cooking method is traditional for Kanak people, the indigenous population of the islands. When reading the list of ingredients, it may look like they do not taste well together, but try to remember your everyday homemade food. Perhaps, it also contains unusual product combinations. That is why simply give Bougna a chance and try this popular local treat. By the way, there is a dish with a similar name in nearby Australia – Bunya. Bunya and Bougna sound the same in some languages, but these are two absolutely different dishes. The bunya pine, which grows in Australia, has eatable nuts, so this dish doesn’t contain any meat.