Harvesting sugar cane on Marie-Galante

Dwight and Stevie with the 60lb. kingfish Dwight speared

The anchorage at Terre de Haut, the largest of Les Iles des Saintes (Receta is the sloop with navy-blue canvas in the center)

One of Terre de Haut's beaches

I met Dingis Naryan on our first trip to the Caribbean on Receta in 1998. This shot was taken nine years later, on the day we visited her 90-year old dad, who lives in the mountainous north end of Grenada, where he farmed nutmeg and cocoa. The story is in The Spice Necklace (Chapter 1: "The Nutmeg Gatherers").

Dingis Naryan with her 90-year old dad

Greta Joseph farms seamoss (a type of seaweed) in a bay on St. Lucia's windward coast, dries it, and turns it into "energy drinks" – which are known as island Viagra. I bought some dried seamoss and made my own; the story is in The Spice Necklace (Chapter 13: "In Search of Passion")

Our fisherman friends Dwight (left) and Stevie, keep Receta well supplied with seafood when we're anchored off Grenada's Hog Island. In return, I keep them well supplied with fresh baking and other dishes from Receta's galley. They approve of my efforts – mostly; the story is in The Spice Necklace (Chapter 6: "Food Critics Visit the Easy-Bake Boat")

Steve with a soon-to-be sushi he's just reeled in (a 6 lb. blackfin tuna)

Tuna, caught by a pro (in the market in Portsmouth, Dominica)

Our boat-made sushi

Hot out of the oil lambi (conch) fritters

Our fisherman friend Stevie, with a seacat (octopus)

The assortment of herbal bush rums behind the bar at Islet view, in Castle Bruce, Dominica

Moses James's kitchen, near Delices, Dominica

Moses has grown or foraged all the ingredients that go into the stew

The cooking fire in Moses' kitchen

Moses showed me the techniques of "ital" cooking, practiced by Rastafarians