Group 4: Local Food

Guide: Bonjour! Namaste, welcome to St Denis Reunion Island

All Tourists: thank you

Tourist 1: what do you have in store for us today?

Guide: Saint-Denis has an extraordinary historical heritage -

Tourist 2: (interrupts) what are we exploring first?

Tourist 3: oh wait!! My tummy's speaking to me. It says: Let's explore the food options first.

Tourist 2: what would you suggest Nicholas (tour guide)

Tourist 3: well, I am on a seafood diet. I see food and I need it.

(Everyone laughs.)

Guide: there's variety to choose from. What would you prefer? French, Chinese, Indian?

All tourists: we want to try something local.

In the restaurant

Tourists: Can you suggest some appetizers?

Guide: we can have the samosas or “bonbons piments”, “bouchons” and “piments farcis”.

Tourist 1: What are these?

Guide: bouchons are meat-based appetizers wrapped in pastry whereas bonbons piments are
miniature spiced doughnuts.

Tourist 3: what would you suggest for the main course?

Guide: The most common dishes are the “carris”, the local version of the Indian curry, the most
famous “rougail” of Reunion Island is “rougail saussice”, made with sausage and tomatoes cooked
with spices and green chili. It is preferably accompanied by white rice or Zembrocal.

Tourist 2: what's zembrocal?

Guide: It is rice cooked with turmeric. Red beans or Lima beans are also incorporated in it.

Tourist 3- Any side dishes which we will like?

Guide: vegetable pickles and broths made from leafy greens are also popular. Achards are made with
marinated or confits veggies. They're usually marinated in vinegar, salt or lemon, chili and
turmeric. Achards are served as a side dish or as a starter.
Tourist2 : what about those with a sweet tooth? Any novelty desserts?

Guide: The most commonly served desserts are seasonal fruit, there are also different cakes such as
potato cake, pies of seasonal fruits, banana fritters, etc.
Tourists: We are very excited to try these dishes!

Narrator: After the lunch the tourists meet the chef and thank him for the scrumptious meal.

Tourist 1: we would like to thank you for the delicious meal. Could you tell us something more about
it?

Chef: Of course!! Reunion Island’s Gastronomy is borrowed from three continents; the cuisine of the
island has a number of dishes combining elements taken from different parts of the world. You must
have noticed it is naturally spicy and relatively invigorating. I am to offer food lovers an amazing
culinary voyage through the island’s Creole flavours. Next time try Bichiques and If you're
adventurous and like to try unusual things go for Wasps (emphasis) larvae. Though an expensive
meal it's worth a try.

Tourists: (nod their heads to suggest a NO) Thank you for your time chef. Nicholas can now resume
our tour?

Tour guide: yep! Our next destination is the Vespula germanica –

Tourist 1: What's it famous for?

Guide: (laughs)... Wasps...

All tourists: in that case we better go to our hotel room and take some rest.