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An Embarrassment of Mangoes: A Caribbean Interlude
An Embarrassment of Mangoes is a chronicle of leaving the type-A lifestyle behind -- and discovering the secrets of life in the Caribbean.
Who hasn’t fantasized about chucking the job, saying goodbye to the rat race, and escaping to some exotic destination in search of sun, sand, and a different way of life? Canadians Ann Vanderhoof and her husband, Steve did just that.
In the mid 1990s, they were driven, forty-something professionals who were desperate for a break from their deadline-dominated, career-defined lives. So they quit their jobs, rented out their house, moved onto a 42-foot sailboat called Receta (“recipe,” in Spanish), and set sail for the Caribbean on a two-year voyage of culinary and cultural discovery.
Exchanging business clothes for bare feet, they drop anchor in 16 countries -- 47 individual islands -- where they explore secluded beaches and shop local markets. Along the way, Ann records the delectable dishes they encounter -- from cracked conch in the Bahamas to curried lobster in Grenada, from Dominican papaya salsa to classic West Indian rum punch -- and incorporates these recipes into the text so that readers can participate in the adventure.
Who hasn’t fantasized about chucking the job, saying goodbye to the rat race, and escaping to some exotic destination in search of sun, sand, and a different way of life? Canadians Ann Vanderhoof and her husband, Steve did just that.
In the mid 1990s, they were driven, forty-something professionals who were desperate for a break from their deadline-dominated, career-defined lives. So they quit their jobs, rented out their house, moved onto a 42-foot sailboat called Receta (“recipe,” in Spanish), and set sail for the Caribbean on a two-year voyage of culinary and cultural discovery.
Exchanging business clothes for bare feet, they drop anchor in 16 countries -- 47 individual islands -- where they explore secluded beaches and shop local markets. Along the way, Ann records the delectable dishes they encounter -- from cracked conch in the Bahamas to curried lobster in Grenada, from Dominican papaya salsa to classic West Indian rum punch -- and incorporates these recipes into the text so that readers can participate in the adventure.
305 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2003
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June 11, 2013
I almost cried when I finished this book. There is such a sense of peace and contentment with life that is exuded from the pages of this book. It's not high literature, it doesn't contain fancy prose; it is just one damn fine book to read for the pure pleasure of reading. It is the book that is embodies what it means to lose oneself in a book. For myself, I know that as much as I would love to, I will probably never take two years off from my life and career and sail around the Caribbean. But does that mean I will never know what it feels like? Not necessarily. All I need to do is pick up An Embarrassment of Mangoes. Even without closing my eyes, I heard the crackling lightning and deafening thunder of the squalls; I can smell the lush green foliage, moist dirt, sweaty bodies, and sweet and sharp spices; I can taste the juicy mangoes, the fresh fish, and the rum, rum, rum.
I was constantly smiling reading this book. I was so perfectly content to immerse myself in a book where carpe diem and being zen were the main themes -- along with going with the flow (as much as I hate that phrase) and adjusting to island time, when "jus' now" means in three hours. The good-naturedness of the other cruisers and especially the islanders was a wonderful tonic to the rude, or otherwise unfriendly interactions to which I have resigned myself in this NYC metro area life. Why does it have to be such a shock when people are nice? Or friendly? Or generous? And all without you being so or doing so first? It's astonishing. Maybe it has to do with the climate. Warmth and sunshine always do me a world of good -- slogging through seasonal depression in the winter is the worst. Maybe it's the food, with the abundance and variety of fruits, vegetables, fish, spices, and seafood available. Sure, Whole Foods might stock breadfruit (do they even? the author said that they have to be harvested at just the right time, so maybe exporting them is inconvenient) but I wouldn't pay $20 for something that is guaranteed to taste half as good as it would be on the islands. Maybe it's simply the nature of the people, with their traditions of singing and dancing and feasting. And Carnival. Whatever it is, it's too bad that isn't found around the world.
The saving grace to finishing this book -- as if anything could be a balm for that kind of heartwrenching bitter end -- was trying some of the recipes. Food is nothing if not a balm to heal wounds and soothe souls. I made the papaya salsa from page 101, but I used mangoes instead. (I also chopped the red onion much finer, rather than leaving it in half-rings.) It was superb. On an icky rainy, chilly, and windy evening, I sat down to a meal of fresh hot fish off the stove and a cool and refreshing mango salsa. Undoubtedly my mangoes were mere shadowy imitations of those the author herself was able to enjoy, but it brought the islands that little bit closer. As the author and any seasoned traveler will attest to, the best way to experience a culture is through its food. The combination of food and adventures (sometimes one and the same) in this book make it a masterful escape from the ordinary realities through which we slog every day; but I also think that the same principles of carpe diem and contentment and enjoyment are universal and I know I would be well-served by trying to find a bit of jus' now -- and mango salsa -- in my life.
I was constantly smiling reading this book. I was so perfectly content to immerse myself in a book where carpe diem and being zen were the main themes -- along with going with the flow (as much as I hate that phrase) and adjusting to island time, when "jus' now" means in three hours. The good-naturedness of the other cruisers and especially the islanders was a wonderful tonic to the rude, or otherwise unfriendly interactions to which I have resigned myself in this NYC metro area life. Why does it have to be such a shock when people are nice? Or friendly? Or generous? And all without you being so or doing so first? It's astonishing. Maybe it has to do with the climate. Warmth and sunshine always do me a world of good -- slogging through seasonal depression in the winter is the worst. Maybe it's the food, with the abundance and variety of fruits, vegetables, fish, spices, and seafood available. Sure, Whole Foods might stock breadfruit (do they even? the author said that they have to be harvested at just the right time, so maybe exporting them is inconvenient) but I wouldn't pay $20 for something that is guaranteed to taste half as good as it would be on the islands. Maybe it's simply the nature of the people, with their traditions of singing and dancing and feasting. And Carnival. Whatever it is, it's too bad that isn't found around the world.
The saving grace to finishing this book -- as if anything could be a balm for that kind of heartwrenching bitter end -- was trying some of the recipes. Food is nothing if not a balm to heal wounds and soothe souls. I made the papaya salsa from page 101, but I used mangoes instead. (I also chopped the red onion much finer, rather than leaving it in half-rings.) It was superb. On an icky rainy, chilly, and windy evening, I sat down to a meal of fresh hot fish off the stove and a cool and refreshing mango salsa. Undoubtedly my mangoes were mere shadowy imitations of those the author herself was able to enjoy, but it brought the islands that little bit closer. As the author and any seasoned traveler will attest to, the best way to experience a culture is through its food. The combination of food and adventures (sometimes one and the same) in this book make it a masterful escape from the ordinary realities through which we slog every day; but I also think that the same principles of carpe diem and contentment and enjoyment are universal and I know I would be well-served by trying to find a bit of jus' now -- and mango salsa -- in my life.
July 5, 2020
This book appeals to me because Ann and Steve have done what I intend to do in a couple of years - sail from the North American mainland south through the Bahamas to the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands and on down to the real goal, the Lesser Antilles islands. Ann's account of their trip from Toronto to Trinidad is replete with good sailor's stories, but it is not so long on sailing detail to be off-putting to non-sailors. Ann waxes eloquent about her beloved Grenada, and I get it, having spent time on Nevis, Saba, and Montserrat, as well as the Bahamas out-islands; the places farthest from the cruise ship itineraries are still in many ways the "old Caribbean" where people are friendly and not jaded by dealing with the thousandth American tourist whining that things are not the same as at home. Such places are rarer and rarer, and I hope to visit Grenada in December, so if COVID doesn't wreck my plan, I'll see how much it has changed since Ann and Steve first made landfall in 1998.
Ann is an expert chef and food writer, and since my tastes in food incline toward the simplest possible meals, I skipped over some of the purely food related parts. I'm embarrassed to say that I have never fired up the oven on my boat, though it does make a great supplemental storage locker. My idea of haute cuisine in an underway meal is boiling water on the galley stovetop to put in a dehydrated pasta primavera back-packing meal, so most of Ann's cooking ideas are wasted on me.
Where I find common ground with her, and a lot of it, is regarding the joys of being in touch with nature at sea or in the coves and bays or a remote island. Doing a night passage during which small fish jump aboard your boat never fails to make me smile (this has happened to me every time I've crossed the Gulf Stream). Dolphins crossing and re-crossing the bow and following you for half an hour is a magical thing, and Ann describes such sea-faring lore with the kind of wonder it deserves. Her description of the people of the Windward Islands is likewise on target, at least in my experience. This off the beaten path Caribbean is so different from the places most Americans see when getting off a cruise ship that it's hard to explain to the Carnival Cruise guests what they are missing, and in reality, I'm happy for them not to go to these few remaining happy and hard-to-get-to places that are not yet selling gold chains and Rolexes by the cruise ship dock.
This was a quick read and worth the time I spent on it. It made me wish for a world without COVID so I can travel again and sail south; many of the Caribbean islands are still closed, including the one I most want to go back to. 2021 cannot come too soon.
Ann is an expert chef and food writer, and since my tastes in food incline toward the simplest possible meals, I skipped over some of the purely food related parts. I'm embarrassed to say that I have never fired up the oven on my boat, though it does make a great supplemental storage locker. My idea of haute cuisine in an underway meal is boiling water on the galley stovetop to put in a dehydrated pasta primavera back-packing meal, so most of Ann's cooking ideas are wasted on me.
Where I find common ground with her, and a lot of it, is regarding the joys of being in touch with nature at sea or in the coves and bays or a remote island. Doing a night passage during which small fish jump aboard your boat never fails to make me smile (this has happened to me every time I've crossed the Gulf Stream). Dolphins crossing and re-crossing the bow and following you for half an hour is a magical thing, and Ann describes such sea-faring lore with the kind of wonder it deserves. Her description of the people of the Windward Islands is likewise on target, at least in my experience. This off the beaten path Caribbean is so different from the places most Americans see when getting off a cruise ship that it's hard to explain to the Carnival Cruise guests what they are missing, and in reality, I'm happy for them not to go to these few remaining happy and hard-to-get-to places that are not yet selling gold chains and Rolexes by the cruise ship dock.
This was a quick read and worth the time I spent on it. It made me wish for a world without COVID so I can travel again and sail south; many of the Caribbean islands are still closed, including the one I most want to go back to. 2021 cannot come too soon.
December 3, 2013
There are sailing books about sailing and then there are sailing books about people and places. This is a sailing book about people, places and cooking – lots of cooking.
If you love food and travel, you will enjoy the heck out of this story for that alone, even if you couldn't give two hoots about boats. And if you love food, travel, rum, and the freedom of the open sea, you will love An Embarrassment of Mangoes.
Unlike sailing books that spin terrifying tales of storms and fatigue and jagged rocks and freezing cold and staying just one half-step ahead of death and calamity, this one weaves a pleasant and engaging story about a couple who take some time off from their careers to cruise the warm, clear waters of the Caribbean. Ann and Steve are (mostly) regular, normal folks doing something a lot of people dream about. They aren't trying to break world records or challenge King Neptune, they just wanted to get away for a little while, and do it on their own terms. Did I mention that there is cooking?
An Embarrassment of Mangoes follows their experiences as they sail from Toronto to Trinidad (just off the coast of Venezuela) and back again on board their 42-foot Tartan sloop, Receta (Spanish for "recipe," many of which you will find interspersed with the text) and their dinghy, Snack. Ann begins the story admittedly unsure of the whole deal, but soon finds herself an enthusiastic convert to the life of an oceanic vagabond.
Many sailing stories are written by people who are sailors first, and also just happen to be functionally capable of assembling sentences in a way that normally doesn't violate the most important rules of grammar, usage and style too egregiously. Ann Vanderhoof is an entirely different kind of sailing author: she was a magazine editor before she ever embarked on this trip. Her voice is confident and competent; her prose is strong and vivid.
An Embarrassment of Mangoes is a fine investment of your time, whether you are secretly dreaming of sailing away someday, or content to enjoy the salty wanderings of others from the comfort of your living room reading chair.
If you love food and travel, you will enjoy the heck out of this story for that alone, even if you couldn't give two hoots about boats. And if you love food, travel, rum, and the freedom of the open sea, you will love An Embarrassment of Mangoes.
Unlike sailing books that spin terrifying tales of storms and fatigue and jagged rocks and freezing cold and staying just one half-step ahead of death and calamity, this one weaves a pleasant and engaging story about a couple who take some time off from their careers to cruise the warm, clear waters of the Caribbean. Ann and Steve are (mostly) regular, normal folks doing something a lot of people dream about. They aren't trying to break world records or challenge King Neptune, they just wanted to get away for a little while, and do it on their own terms. Did I mention that there is cooking?
An Embarrassment of Mangoes follows their experiences as they sail from Toronto to Trinidad (just off the coast of Venezuela) and back again on board their 42-foot Tartan sloop, Receta (Spanish for "recipe," many of which you will find interspersed with the text) and their dinghy, Snack. Ann begins the story admittedly unsure of the whole deal, but soon finds herself an enthusiastic convert to the life of an oceanic vagabond.
Many sailing stories are written by people who are sailors first, and also just happen to be functionally capable of assembling sentences in a way that normally doesn't violate the most important rules of grammar, usage and style too egregiously. Ann Vanderhoof is an entirely different kind of sailing author: she was a magazine editor before she ever embarked on this trip. Her voice is confident and competent; her prose is strong and vivid.
An Embarrassment of Mangoes is a fine investment of your time, whether you are secretly dreaming of sailing away someday, or content to enjoy the salty wanderings of others from the comfort of your living room reading chair.
February 6, 2017
My Rating: 4 awesome stars!!
Book Name: An Embarrassment of Mangoes (A Caribbean Interlude)
Author: Ann Vanderhoof
Genre: Non Fiction/Travelogue/Culture&History/Caribbean food recipe guide
Before I start my review, here is some trivia. Did you know (because I didn't, before I read this book):
Receta means recipe in Spanish?
Conch is a popular seafood in the Bahamas?
Luperon is called a 'Hurricane Hole'?
Gugua - are not a strange species of insect but actually what the public minivans are called? Lol
Lambi is not lamb, but the Creole word for Conch?
Fig, is not Fig, but actually a Banana in the Caribbean - who knew!!
And many many more such little facts- if you've found this interesting, I would say, you don't even have to read the rest of the review, just read the book!! hahah
Ok, so as part of the 2017 book club reading challenge, we have a travel/tourist challenge where the moderator will select a place/region for each month as the topic, and we have to select a book that is either set in that place/location or whose author is from that location and read and review it for that month. So, for January, the location was Caribbean islands and after a lot of skimming over the internet on various options, I chose to read this book, just because the description and the author seemed very real to me and what better way to travel (if not really traveling) than by reading a good travelogue?! ;)
I don't read a lot of non fiction to be frank, so I wasn't sure how to rate this book. But I figured I did find the book interesting and amusing and I also did learn a whole lot of things, so this definitely qualifies for a 4 and above rating!
The book is written by Ann Vanderhoof, about how she and her partner, Steve, decided and planned to take a 2 year break from their daily 9-9 jobs in Canada and go sailing in their own sailing boat across the Caribbean islands. It talks about her fears, her anxiety in the beginning since she has never sailed that long before in open ocean, her amazement and pure joys of trying out all the local fruits, vegetables and seafood that they catch fresh out of the water, her loving interactions with the locals, her huge list of recipes (that I really want to try but can't because I don't have most of those ingredients or cooking tools available with me yet), her test of strength and grit during the storm nights manning the sailboat, her joys of finding delight in the nature and in minimalism and her disappointment when the journey is over.
I've never sailed, nor have I visited any of the Caribbean islands, but reading this book, I felt like I was on a virtual tour there and now I've added a visit to the Caribbean - at least to one of the islands to my list of travel destinations now..lol! :D
So, I'd recommend this book if you like reading travelogues that are real, filled with real stories, humor and lots of facts on sailing, fishing, history, culture, and my favorite touch to the book - the recipes at the end of each chapter :)
Book Name: An Embarrassment of Mangoes (A Caribbean Interlude)
Author: Ann Vanderhoof
Genre: Non Fiction/Travelogue/Culture&History/Caribbean food recipe guide
Before I start my review, here is some trivia. Did you know (because I didn't, before I read this book):
Receta means recipe in Spanish?
Conch is a popular seafood in the Bahamas?
Luperon is called a 'Hurricane Hole'?
Gugua - are not a strange species of insect but actually what the public minivans are called? Lol
Lambi is not lamb, but the Creole word for Conch?
Fig, is not Fig, but actually a Banana in the Caribbean - who knew!!
And many many more such little facts- if you've found this interesting, I would say, you don't even have to read the rest of the review, just read the book!! hahah
Ok, so as part of the 2017 book club reading challenge, we have a travel/tourist challenge where the moderator will select a place/region for each month as the topic, and we have to select a book that is either set in that place/location or whose author is from that location and read and review it for that month. So, for January, the location was Caribbean islands and after a lot of skimming over the internet on various options, I chose to read this book, just because the description and the author seemed very real to me and what better way to travel (if not really traveling) than by reading a good travelogue?! ;)
I don't read a lot of non fiction to be frank, so I wasn't sure how to rate this book. But I figured I did find the book interesting and amusing and I also did learn a whole lot of things, so this definitely qualifies for a 4 and above rating!
The book is written by Ann Vanderhoof, about how she and her partner, Steve, decided and planned to take a 2 year break from their daily 9-9 jobs in Canada and go sailing in their own sailing boat across the Caribbean islands. It talks about her fears, her anxiety in the beginning since she has never sailed that long before in open ocean, her amazement and pure joys of trying out all the local fruits, vegetables and seafood that they catch fresh out of the water, her loving interactions with the locals, her huge list of recipes (that I really want to try but can't because I don't have most of those ingredients or cooking tools available with me yet), her test of strength and grit during the storm nights manning the sailboat, her joys of finding delight in the nature and in minimalism and her disappointment when the journey is over.
I've never sailed, nor have I visited any of the Caribbean islands, but reading this book, I felt like I was on a virtual tour there and now I've added a visit to the Caribbean - at least to one of the islands to my list of travel destinations now..lol! :D
So, I'd recommend this book if you like reading travelogues that are real, filled with real stories, humor and lots of facts on sailing, fishing, history, culture, and my favorite touch to the book - the recipes at the end of each chapter :)
October 17, 2023
Happy 2018 everybody!
Actually, I finished this book a couple of days ago, but haven't gotten a chance to write a review yet. I wanted to start 2018 with a light, breezy and fun book, which has been on my to-read shelf for quite some time.
An Embarrassment of Mangoes was the perfect book for me. It is a mix of traveling, sailing and cooking! Ann and Steve are two Canadian professionals who decided to leave their work for two years and sail through the Caribbean - a dream! But there's reality too. Ann and Steve prepared themselves for five years (to save up money, pay the mortgage of their house, which they will rent out to have a monthly income during their travels).
I'm not really into sailing and some of the technical aspects of sailing in this book made it sound very complicated. But I did appreciate reading about this different life and their adjustment. It wasn't always smooth sailing! Most of the time, they spent studying the weather and if they need to buy groceries, it takes a full day. Also you can't just go from one island to another. There needs to be preparation and communication.
What I loved was Ann and Steve's love for local food and customs. They especially left an imprint in Grenada, closely befriending a local family. After each chapter, we get one to three recipes. They all sounded amazing, unfortunately I cannot find a fresh lobster where I live to try the recipe out! But the recipes were really lovely. I appreciate reading the adventure of Ann and Steve. They are wonderful, positive, passionate and hardworking people. I highly recommend this book.
Actually, I finished this book a couple of days ago, but haven't gotten a chance to write a review yet. I wanted to start 2018 with a light, breezy and fun book, which has been on my to-read shelf for quite some time.
An Embarrassment of Mangoes was the perfect book for me. It is a mix of traveling, sailing and cooking! Ann and Steve are two Canadian professionals who decided to leave their work for two years and sail through the Caribbean - a dream! But there's reality too. Ann and Steve prepared themselves for five years (to save up money, pay the mortgage of their house, which they will rent out to have a monthly income during their travels).
I'm not really into sailing and some of the technical aspects of sailing in this book made it sound very complicated. But I did appreciate reading about this different life and their adjustment. It wasn't always smooth sailing! Most of the time, they spent studying the weather and if they need to buy groceries, it takes a full day. Also you can't just go from one island to another. There needs to be preparation and communication.
What I loved was Ann and Steve's love for local food and customs. They especially left an imprint in Grenada, closely befriending a local family. After each chapter, we get one to three recipes. They all sounded amazing, unfortunately I cannot find a fresh lobster where I live to try the recipe out! But the recipes were really lovely. I appreciate reading the adventure of Ann and Steve. They are wonderful, positive, passionate and hardworking people. I highly recommend this book.
May 5, 2008
As the book blurb states, "An Embarassment of Mangoes" is remniscent of "Under the Tuscan Sun" in that it is a travel memoir about a women who steps away from her "real life" of working her job and the dealing with other everyday stresses. The author and her husband take 2 years off from their work and set sail from Toronto to the Caribbean.
The book really made me want to do the same...especially now when I am bogged down with deadlines and too much work at the office. I NEED A VACATION!!!
The author did a great job of recounting their experiences sailing and describing the character, charms and food of each island they visited. The end of each chapter had several recipes of food that she made on that leg of the journey.
The book really made me want to do the same...especially now when I am bogged down with deadlines and too much work at the office. I NEED A VACATION!!!
The author did a great job of recounting their experiences sailing and describing the character, charms and food of each island they visited. The end of each chapter had several recipes of food that she made on that leg of the journey.
February 4, 2014
I really enjoyed "An Embarrassment of Mangoes", but it didn't quite rise to the standards of 4 stars. It was a solid 3.5 and a couple of chapters made it to 5 stars, but it was just a bit too inconsistent to make the 4 star rank. The basic premise is that this couple from Toronto take the plunge, quit their jobs and head off for a two year adventure down the coast of the US through the Caribbean to Trinidad before returning to Canada. I applaud the hutzzpah that it took to quit their jobs and rent out their house while they were still young enough to enjoy their trip. Would that my spouse would agree and I would be on the path.
But the relating of the story, while entertaining, just wasn't captivating. The author was a magazine editor, but it is clear that while she is a talented author, she isn't in the same category as Bill Bryson, Tony Horowitz, or William Least Heat Moon. The stories about the trip were educational and full of lots of interesting details, but didn't leave you laughing, crying, cringing, or scarred.
The book is just a very well documented travelogue as if you were reading the diary of a decent author. If you love sailing or the Caribbean then you should read the book.But, be prepared for most of the book to take place in four locations with little fillers to explain the rest of the trip. I think the author must have spent at least 1/4 of her trip anchored in Grenada.
Still great gusto just to do it and take the trip and for that I applaud her and her husband. Now when will they head for the South Pacific so she can write, "An Embarrassment of Coconuts".
But the relating of the story, while entertaining, just wasn't captivating. The author was a magazine editor, but it is clear that while she is a talented author, she isn't in the same category as Bill Bryson, Tony Horowitz, or William Least Heat Moon. The stories about the trip were educational and full of lots of interesting details, but didn't leave you laughing, crying, cringing, or scarred.
The book is just a very well documented travelogue as if you were reading the diary of a decent author. If you love sailing or the Caribbean then you should read the book.But, be prepared for most of the book to take place in four locations with little fillers to explain the rest of the trip. I think the author must have spent at least 1/4 of her trip anchored in Grenada.
Still great gusto just to do it and take the trip and for that I applaud her and her husband. Now when will they head for the South Pacific so she can write, "An Embarrassment of Coconuts".
February 10, 2017
The quintessential quit-your-job-and-sail-off-to the-Caribbean book, perfect for the bleak mid-winter blues. Ann and Steve were intrepid sailors and their story was thrilling and honest. A solid 3.5 stars with uptick for luscious recipes and map detailing their sailing route.
December 13, 2020
I’m more a sit by the water enjoying a book and an umbrella drink, but reading about sailing the Caribbean with recipes of local favorites felt like a vacation to me. In these housebound Covid times this was a much needed escape.
March 29, 2021
Two years on a small boat, together 24/7 when one of you starts as a not-very-comfortable sailor... a situation in which I imagine you would learn about about yourself and your partner.
However, Vanderhoof stays away from disclosing anything about herself, her husband and how the voyage changed them and their relationship, maybe even their relationship with others. She sticks to good descriptions of places and people, and there are some nice recipes
However, Vanderhoof stays away from disclosing anything about herself, her husband and how the voyage changed them and their relationship, maybe even their relationship with others. She sticks to good descriptions of places and people, and there are some nice recipes
March 4, 2016
3.0 stars (liked).
"The water is placid, soft, blazingly turquoise---a pool of melted gemstones..."
"...blinding forks of lightning are sizzling down from the night sky and stabbing the surface of the sea around us."
From moments of tranquility to moments of treachery, it is an adventure for the reader to vicariously hop onboard Receta, a 42-foot sailboat, and embark on a two-year, round-trip journey through the Caribbean with Toronto couple, Ann and Steve. After admiring them at the beginning of the story for having the courage to leave their jobs, their family/friends, and their home to set sail on a southern course, the admiration for the couple jumps to new heights when witnessing the two of them sailing for hours in darkness and inclimate weather as well as attending to the many responsibilities involved in ensuring such a journey (and their relationship!) remains secure and enjoyable.
Although the first third of the book (Part One) moved rather slowly since most of the time was spent at sea, I did find it interesting to read about the daily logistics of the trip from regular dives below to scrape barnacles off of the hull, to the filling of notebooks with copious weather observations received via radio, to creatively shoehorning a couple more bottles of wine into the boat's limited storage. The author also shared a few interesting historical foodie tidbits, including the mention that the only two written copies of the secret formula for Angostura Bitters (a unique blend of herbs and spices developed in 1824) are rumored to exist, one in a New York bank vault and one in Trinidad. The activity and interest picked up in the remainder of the book (Part Two and Three) as the couple spent more time on land bonding with other "cruisers" who happened to also be at port as well as meeting welcoming natives in various countries who introduced them to a rainbow of Caribbean delacacies from fresh fruit to seafood which were then transformed into delicious-sounding recipes ranging from curried lobster to pina colada cheesecake.
I would recommend this book as an enjoyable read to others who like Caribbean food and sailing.
"The water is placid, soft, blazingly turquoise---a pool of melted gemstones..."
"...blinding forks of lightning are sizzling down from the night sky and stabbing the surface of the sea around us."
From moments of tranquility to moments of treachery, it is an adventure for the reader to vicariously hop onboard Receta, a 42-foot sailboat, and embark on a two-year, round-trip journey through the Caribbean with Toronto couple, Ann and Steve. After admiring them at the beginning of the story for having the courage to leave their jobs, their family/friends, and their home to set sail on a southern course, the admiration for the couple jumps to new heights when witnessing the two of them sailing for hours in darkness and inclimate weather as well as attending to the many responsibilities involved in ensuring such a journey (and their relationship!) remains secure and enjoyable.
Although the first third of the book (Part One) moved rather slowly since most of the time was spent at sea, I did find it interesting to read about the daily logistics of the trip from regular dives below to scrape barnacles off of the hull, to the filling of notebooks with copious weather observations received via radio, to creatively shoehorning a couple more bottles of wine into the boat's limited storage. The author also shared a few interesting historical foodie tidbits, including the mention that the only two written copies of the secret formula for Angostura Bitters (a unique blend of herbs and spices developed in 1824) are rumored to exist, one in a New York bank vault and one in Trinidad. The activity and interest picked up in the remainder of the book (Part Two and Three) as the couple spent more time on land bonding with other "cruisers" who happened to also be at port as well as meeting welcoming natives in various countries who introduced them to a rainbow of Caribbean delacacies from fresh fruit to seafood which were then transformed into delicious-sounding recipes ranging from curried lobster to pina colada cheesecake.
I would recommend this book as an enjoyable read to others who like Caribbean food and sailing.
April 6, 2015
Ann and Steve Vanderhoof won't need to look back someday and regret not living out their dreams. Twenty years ago, approaching middle age, they took a two-year hiatus from their busy, stress-filled lives in Toronto, packed up some essentials and sailed their 42-foot sailboat to the Caribbean and back, lingering among the islands as the spirit moved them, making friends among the islanders and other cruisers along the way, and otherwise immersing themselves in tropical culture and life. They had a marvelous, life-changing time, and while their tale isn't filled with calamities and high drama, Ann manages to enthrall the reader with her travelogue, making us feel like we are sailing right along with them and living a less complicated life, too. I had brought this book along with me on a cruise last month but didn't get around to reading it until returning home. Coincidentally, we visited several of the same less-frequented islands that the Vanderhoofs did (Grenada, St. Lucia, Mayreau, Bequia), and reading about their experiences allowed me to relive the brief time we spent there again, which was wonderful. Many of Ann's favorite memories are of a culinary nature -- learning to adapt to and cook unfamiliar foods, based on what's available in each port, and gleaning recipes from the locals -- so she shared dozens of those with us, adding a different dimension to the story. All in all, this is a great book for arm-chair travelers. I enjoyed every page.
November 3, 2017
Mix 2 cups travelogue, 3 desert spoons cooking book and a teaspoon of how-to sailing guide and the result is the delightfully light and fluffy An Embarrassment of Mangoes: A Caribbean Interlude.
The book details Ann and Steve Vanderhoof's journey aboard their 42-foot yacht Receta as they take a two year break from their professional careers to sail down the east coast of North America to the West Indies. Travelling more than 7,000 miles via 16 countries, this is a story that definitely requires cautionary labels as its guaranteed to make you wonder whether taking a similar sojourn yourself is required!
An Embarrassment of Mangoes is an entertaining read loaded with stories of their sailing experiences and the people they meet - both locals and cruisers alike as they navigate hurricanes, erupting volcanoes, carnivals and more than the odd rum distillery. Vanderhoof provides a flavour of the culture of each island that they visit and intertwines this with her culinary escapades as she immerses herself in the local people and their cuisine. The finished products are then written up as recipes at the back of each chapter for our consumption.
Much like their own sailing experiences the book succeeds by not reaching too far. Content in what it is they are looking to achieve, we are left with an enjoyable read that is consumed with gusto and best served with a nicely aged rum accompanied by fresh breezes.
The book details Ann and Steve Vanderhoof's journey aboard their 42-foot yacht Receta as they take a two year break from their professional careers to sail down the east coast of North America to the West Indies. Travelling more than 7,000 miles via 16 countries, this is a story that definitely requires cautionary labels as its guaranteed to make you wonder whether taking a similar sojourn yourself is required!
An Embarrassment of Mangoes is an entertaining read loaded with stories of their sailing experiences and the people they meet - both locals and cruisers alike as they navigate hurricanes, erupting volcanoes, carnivals and more than the odd rum distillery. Vanderhoof provides a flavour of the culture of each island that they visit and intertwines this with her culinary escapades as she immerses herself in the local people and their cuisine. The finished products are then written up as recipes at the back of each chapter for our consumption.
Much like their own sailing experiences the book succeeds by not reaching too far. Content in what it is they are looking to achieve, we are left with an enjoyable read that is consumed with gusto and best served with a nicely aged rum accompanied by fresh breezes.
March 25, 2017
"An Embarrassment of Mangoes: A Caribbean Interlude" is the first in a duet of memoirs by Ann Vanderhoof (the second is titled "The Spice Necklace"). This is the story of 2 late 30s-early 40s Canadians who quit their jobs and spend 2 years sailing first down the coast of North America to the Bahamas and then on through the Caribbean. Ann and her significant other, Steve, are no more than novice sailors. Steve, more experienced, but barely, the sum total of his experience having been on Lake Ontario and Ann not at all. This book is all about their adventures, the other cruisers they meet, and the mostly wonderful people of the islands that they visit and the food. Unlike a lot of North American cruisers, Ann and Steve decide to eat mostly local dishes wherever they are, instead of cooking their own home-like food. The book includes a couple of recipes at the end of every chapter and her descriptions of dishes made my mouth water. I enjoyed this book very much and look forward to reading "The Spice Necklace", the second in this series.
December 21, 2015
This is a book about food and travel. But not any kind of travel, its about sailing. Having made a few sailing trips I could relate to this book. I thoroughly enjoyed this read and have passed it onto sailing friends. The book includes details about the trip and the stops to the various islands. But more importantly, it includes wonderful details about food in these islands. The book also includes many wonderful recipes that can be made in a tiny boat kitchen or even at home. I have picked up the authors second book, roughly about the same concepts but more heavy on the food, and I'm saving it for an upcoming sailing trip. Sounds like a perfect combo.
July 17, 2007
This book is a must read for all travellers, travel enthusiasts or people who just like to day dream about getting away. The book is about a couple's year long adventure sailing the Carribean in their Sailboat. They encounter culture, crazy weather and awesome food. I loved that the mix of memoir, travelogue, cookbook, sailing guide all rolled into one. This book will make you want to quit your day job and leave for an adventure.
May 17, 2007
If this book doesn't make you want to learn to sail, nothing will! A fun trip through the Caribbean and some tasty recipes to boot!
April 15, 2022
"Staying had begun to seem as terrifying as leaving. Better to take the risk and go, we decided, than forever regret not going. There would never be a time that would be absolutely right, and if we waited for it, we would wait forever."
A very enjoyable read that takes you on a two-year cruiser (42-ft sailing yacht named 'Receta') adventure from Toronto to Trinidad and back. While the author writes a bit about each of the places they anchor, she has a special place in her heart for Grenada (where I spent the month of May 2021) and it was great reading about her time there. The curisosity that leads them (the author Ann and her husband) to delve deeper into the culture, music, cuisine, and people of each island also rang particularly true to me, something I now do without even thinking in all of my travels. Each chapter also ends with excellent recipes (recetas) of the food and drinks that they prepare, eat, and are introduced to in each of the islands and ports of call. Worth a read, especially if you love the Caribbean or are interested in developing a love affair with this fascinatingly diverse and beautiful region.
Looking forward to reading her book The Spice Necklace: A Food-Lover's Caribbean Adventure soon! Check out the author's website: https://www.spicenecklace.com/
An Embarrassment of Mangoes: A Caribbean Interlude - Read in Roseau, Dominica (April 2022)
A very enjoyable read that takes you on a two-year cruiser (42-ft sailing yacht named 'Receta') adventure from Toronto to Trinidad and back. While the author writes a bit about each of the places they anchor, she has a special place in her heart for Grenada (where I spent the month of May 2021) and it was great reading about her time there. The curisosity that leads them (the author Ann and her husband) to delve deeper into the culture, music, cuisine, and people of each island also rang particularly true to me, something I now do without even thinking in all of my travels. Each chapter also ends with excellent recipes (recetas) of the food and drinks that they prepare, eat, and are introduced to in each of the islands and ports of call. Worth a read, especially if you love the Caribbean or are interested in developing a love affair with this fascinatingly diverse and beautiful region.
Looking forward to reading her book The Spice Necklace: A Food-Lover's Caribbean Adventure soon! Check out the author's website: https://www.spicenecklace.com/
An Embarrassment of Mangoes: A Caribbean Interlude - Read in Roseau, Dominica (April 2022)
Read
June 3, 2024A rather pleasant read. I had no idea that this book was going to be a travel memoir so I was a bit disappointed because non fiction just isn't my preference. But, I gave it a try and found it quite interesting. It was a book from which I learned many things and that makes me feel content. It was quite the journey leaving the cold of Toronto to travel down the Atlantic sea coast to the islands in a sailboat. My experience sailing is going to Annapolis and taking a lovely, peaceful, calm ride. This book showed the reality of sailing, some of it downright scary. But, it was enjoyable learning about the islands, their culture, food etc. I thought it nice that recipes were included. The only thing that I would have liked is photos. But, this trip was taken in the 1990s and probably before the ease of mobile phone photography. It just would have been more personal and interesting to see the places and people that were mentioned in the book. Otherwise, a fairly enjoyable read in which I felt the downer of returning to real life as the authors did.
August 4, 2024
Read this book to my husband on our own sailing trip and absolutely loved it, we both almost cried when we finished it. We love to cook too and reading about all the amazing food with local ingredients made us drool and want to take our sailboat south ASAP. I can’t wait to try some of the recipes that were included. I also really appreciated Ann talking about her confidence growing throughout the trip, gives me some hope for myself. This book was funny, inspirational, wholesome, honest - just an amazing book, even if you don’t sail, I would still highly recommend.
September 9, 2024
Truly one of the best cruising memoirs ever written. It captures the sailing, but also the navigation, weather forecasting, social life, emotional journey, repairs, emergencies, surprises, relationships, and of course, the food and drink.
The writing is superb. I cried when they returned to Toronto at the end.
The writing is superb. I cried when they returned to Toronto at the end.
October 26, 2023
We were recommmended this book by fellow bareboat sailors whilst sailing on the Caribbean a few years ago. It is nearly a personal account a a big party of the locations we also sailed in. Informal and honest account of sailing in the Caribbean sea.
June 9, 2024
A very enjoyable sailing journey throughout the Caribbean with the author and her husband over the course of a couple years.
Made me really want to visit the islands and taste all the amazing cuisines.
Also…made me NEVER want a sailboat! ;-)
Made me really want to visit the islands and taste all the amazing cuisines.
Also…made me NEVER want a sailboat! ;-)
February 19, 2022
3.5 ⭐️ I am being optimistic that if I had tried the recipes it would be been worth rounding up.
Perfect for a covid Canadian winter. Travelling by boat through the Caribbean. Much ado about beer and rum and boats.
Something about Ann (the author) rubbed me the wrong way so this took a while to read.
No big messages other than regret to return to regular life.
—-
Thought about it and adjusted down to 3 ⭐️
Perfect for a covid Canadian winter. Travelling by boat through the Caribbean. Much ado about beer and rum and boats.
Something about Ann (the author) rubbed me the wrong way so this took a while to read.
No big messages other than regret to return to regular life.
—-
Thought about it and adjusted down to 3 ⭐️
August 12, 2025
This book has been on my bookshelf for the last 10 years and I decided to finally read it. It had some interesting parts, especially about the culture, food and people of the Caribbean, it had way too many parts relating to boating that I struggled to get through. At least I can say, I read it.
March 23, 2017
This was a super fun book to read about cruising the Caribbean. She doesn't get lost in the technical details of sailing and focuses on food, music and culture. She is pretty funny. The book makes you hungry and wanting to be in the islands.
September 13, 2018
3.5 stars. Fun to daydream about checking out for two years for an adventure. The book is worth the recipes alone.
Read
February 26, 2024DNF, More a tale of eating your way through the islands and I was hoping for more of the sailing aspect.
March 17, 2020
I read this over a trip to St. Croix. It was so much more interesting because of the context I had to relate to it. I also have friends that own a sailboat. They speak about it often and I've been on the boat. Hearing about the island culture and speaking about the food and drink, it was all so relatable. I had tried Carib, the local beer. It was super sweet and I did not like it. We almost bought conch out of a truck on the side of the road. We didn't because we had no idea how to cook it. Come to find out, it's incredibly hard to clean and cook. Oddly enough, we did not drink any rum while at St Croix. There was a new brewery, Leatherback Brewery, and a new vodka distillery, Mutiny, and both were being pushed HARD in the marketing and take over of local restaurants. On our boat cruise, we were told we would get rum punch. Well, it recently got switched to Mutiny punch.
This was more about my trip than a review of the book. Sorry.
More about the book. I liked the writing style of the book. It was pretty fast paced. The parts about the concerts and music I found oddly dull. It mildly made me want to quit my life and buy a boat to go through the Caribbean but I feel like it's too much work.
This was more about my trip than a review of the book. Sorry.
More about the book. I liked the writing style of the book. It was pretty fast paced. The parts about the concerts and music I found oddly dull. It mildly made me want to quit my life and buy a boat to go through the Caribbean but I feel like it's too much work.
May 3, 2020
A cute, beautifully written book about sailing the Caribbean. As a vegetarian, I couldn’t fully enjoy her recipes and food descriptions, which made up a large chunk of the book and was focused around fish. But a wonderful account of a few years sailing and a great escape from a gloomy March in Canada.
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