Food & Drinking Culture

The cuisine of Mauritius blends Indian, Chinese, African, and French influences. Among the best-known dishes is Dholl Puri, a thin flatbread filled with ground yellow split peas and served with curry and chutney. A fresh, dry juice rum pairs well with it, since its grassy note picks up the spice without overpowering it.

Gâteau piment are small deep-fried balls made from split peas, chili, and herbs. Vindaye is pickled fish with mustard seed, turmeric, and vinegar. Both bring heat or acidity, and a juice rum is dry enough to stand up to them.

Rougaille, a sauce of tomatoes, onions, garlic, and thyme, accompanies fish, sausages, or shrimp. Its acidity pairs well with a young white rum, while a barrel-aged rum suits braised meat dishes with a darker sauce better.

Sweetness belongs with the vanilla infusion. Gâteau patate is a pastry made from sweet potato and coconut, and the vanilla in the rum picks up its sweetness without overwhelming it. Where a rhum arrangé is served, it usually comes at the end of the meal. Vanilla also has a place in Mauritian cooking; the Saint Aubin estate grows it between its cane fields and uses it for its rum infusion. Those who enjoy sweet dishes will find the bridge from food to glass right there.

The Rhumerie de Chamarel is among the stops on excursions in the southwest, which also take in the Seven Coloured Earths and the waterfall. For drinks, a juice rum with lime juice, a little cane juice, and mint works well, similar to a caipirinha. At home, it's worth looking into the basic rules of cocktail-making.