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Bisque de Cribiches

Contributed by: NAPSA

What's Cooking In Martinique: A Marriage Of French And Creole Cuisines

(NAPSA) - Cooking in the French Caribbean island of Martinique is an art practiced by wizardly chefs who can take something very ordinary, like spiny sea urchins, do secret things to them, and-with just a whisper of "open sesame" to the oven door-bring forth a souffle that is positively spellbinding.

Martinique shows its Frenchness very noticeably through its love affair with good food. Many shops close from noon to 2:30 for the sacrosanct tradition of a copious and leisurely lunch, while dinner is often a gastronomic adventure lasting all evening. Since local people dine out as a matter of course, visitors to Martinique have one of the widest choices of restaurants in the Caribbean-more than 365, one per every day of the year. To get there, American Airlines and Air France could be good places to start researching travel information.

Hotels and better-known spots have menus in English, but many little places do not, so it is wise to bring along a French phrase book and pocket dictionary. Many dining rooms offer both French cuisine and Creole dishes, a wondrous mix of African, Indian, European and Caribbean flavors. Others serve recipes that combine the best from both kitchen traditions.

On every menu, fish is king and daily specialties vary according to the morning's catch. Typical offerings are red snapper, kingfish, sunfish, soudons (small clams), cribiches (freshwater crayfish), lambi (conch), oursin (sea urchin) and langouste (clawless Caribbean lobster). Sometimes the fish is prepared in traditional Creole fashion using piquant spices and herbs; at other times it is served in the more lightly seasoned French style, and often it is a delicious marriage of the two.

Here's an example of the kind of dishes you may find at any of Martinique's fine eateries:

Ingredients:

• 4 Tbsp. butter
• 2 lbs. crayfish, cleaned and shelled
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 fennel sprig (optional)
• 1 small pepper, hot (left whole)
• 4 cups water
• 1 cup coconut milk
• 2 egg yolks
• Salt, to taste

Serving Size: Makes 6 Portions