Mauritius tourist information

Mauritius is a paradise of diversity, with uniquely beautiful landscapes and an exotic cuisine catering to most palates. Gastronomes will find a variety of flavors and tastes brought by immigrant cultures throughout Mauritian history. Culinary traditions from France, India, China and Africa have been passed on through generations. The story of a Mauritian starting the day with a Continental breakfast, followed by an Indian lunch and finishing off with a Chinese dinner is a common cliche.

Mauritius has had strong ties with French culture throughout its history and was left with a very French "savoir vivre". The popularity of French dishes like the daube, civet de lievre or coq au vin served with good wine show the prevalence of French culture in Mauritius even today. As years passed by, some have been adapted to the more exotic ingredients of the island to confer some unique flavor. Mauritius Spices.

During the nineteenth century, after the abolition of slavery, Indian workers who migrated to Mauritius brought their cuisine with them. Those indentured labourers came from different parts of India, each with their own culinary tradition, depending on the region. The extensive use of spices like saffron, cinnamon, cardamom and cloves are the common ingredients that provide some powerful, yet subtle, savour. There is also extensive use of dals, vegetables, beans, and pickles to accompany the dishes. Dholl puri and roti, originally an Indian delicacy, have become the fish and chips of the Mauritians. Biryani from Mughal origins is a dish prepared by the Muslim community, with meat mixed with spiced rice and potatoes.

The end of the 19th century saw the arrival of Chinese migrants, who came mostly from the south-eastern part of China. They originated mostly from the Cantonese region bearing the best reputation in Chinese cuisine for its variety and sophistication. Chinese dishes appeal to the senses through colour, shape, aroma and taste. This tradition of excellence has been preserved and, as such, has conquered the tables of all the other communities. Even if the Chinese community is one of the smallest, its cuisine is the most present in the restaurants around the island. Fried noodles or rice, chopsuey, spring rolls are eaten by everyone. Other such delicacies as the shark fin or abalone soup can only be found in specialised Chinese restaurants. Mauritius: Alouda

Along the years, each community has adapted and mixed each other's cuisine to their liking, which has resulted in a Mauritian cuisine. This can be seen in the Creole cuisine which is a blend of different ingredients and savours. The ever-present creole "rougaille" is served with a number of "achards" (pickles) or dals and rice from Indian origin. There have also been some changes during the last twenty years with the arrival of some fast foods: burgers, pizza and chips.

The mixed colonial past of Mauritius is reflected in its culture. For example, the cuisine of Mauritius is a blend of Indian Cuisine, Creole, Chinese and European. It is not uncommon for a combination of cuisines to form part of the same meal.

The "cari poule" or chicken curry, for example, is a very popular dish and eaten by all sections of the community. Mauritian Cuisine is a great leveller and brings together all sections of the community. Famous chefs on Mauritian Cuisine come from varied cultural backgrounds.

Among the most well known for traditional Mauritian Cuisine are Guy Felix, Lalita Sookhee, Philippe Lenoir, Raymond de Ravel, Madeleine Philippe and Zubeida Randera. Madeleine Philippe is well known for her promotion of Mauritian Cuisine on the internet. Most restaurants are owned by the Sino-Mauritian community, thus it is not surprising that well-known 'chinese' dishes have become Mauritian favourites. The "mine-frit" (Mauritian fried noodles) and "niouk nien" (dumplings) are loved by all and readily bought by the Mauritian community either in restaurants or on the sidewalks of main streets. Moreover, since the food stalls by the streets are mainly owned by the Muslim and Indo-Mauritian communities, the 'Alouda' (a milky drink with basil seeds) has become a typical mauritian drink and the 'dholl puri' is the favourite of all communities.

In 1847, Mauritius became the fifth country in the world to issue postage stamps. The two types of stamps issued then, known as the Red Penny and the Blue Penny are probably the most famous stamps in the world, being very rare and therefore also very expensive.

When discovered, the island of Mauritius was home to a previously unknown species of bird, which the Portuguese named the dodo (simpleton), as they appeared not too bright. However, by 1681, all dodos had been killed by settlers or their domesticated animals. Nevertheless, the dodo is prominently featured as a supporter of the national coat-of-arms.

Mauritius has from time to time also been chosen as setting for films, most of which are Bollywood productions from India. The latest Hindi film to feature Mauritius has been Garam Masala (2005).