Tomatoes

[nolagal]

We're from New Orleans where the first box of creole tomatoes are auctioned for charity. So tomatoes are a big deal but growing them onboard would be somewhere between difficult and impossible. However, buying tomatoes is another thing entirely.
We've sailed much of the Caribbean and found great tomatoes lots of places during much of the year. Go to the markets not the grocery stores.

Western Caribbean Guatemala to Mexico we found great markets in Fronteras, Guatemala and Southern Belize, especially Dangriga. Northern Belize sources mostly from Mexico and markets aren't as prevalent though Ambergas Caye isn't too bad.

Cuba depends on the season, Port Antonio, Jamaica has a great market with local produce from the island.
The Southern DR has good produce but markets are harder to find. Their produce is shipped to PR and further down island.

Eastern Caribbean
Look for the Rasta farmers' markets they have the best local, organic products. Even St Thomas has one.
Until 2015 and TS Erica you could really depend on the produce from Dominica. But since then the farms have been hurt and its more difficult.

Once you are finally in the Southern Bays of Grenada for hurricane season you can access "Jenny's Farmers Market" for great organic produce and products. She goes to the different marinas on different days of the week. Grenada has Rasta farms that send produce to the other Grenada markets and, of course, Trinidad has tons.

Eat locally, eat what's in season and you'll find tasty things everywhere.

[redhead]

Unfortunately, we won't be making the Caribbean for a year or two. Here in the PNW we have wonderful fruit and amazing corn, but the tomatos are not what we're used to.

[barnakiel]

Rasta Tomatoes never grew on me.

First time round I did not really get it except for noticing that a half kilo set of 5 units was priced at 5 times the price in 'neighbouring' Lider Price per kilo. Making a 24x profit sets those Rasta dealers a good match for only few first world business models.

Only later a friend of ours pointed at transactions done on the weed kept in baskets below their rotten tomatoes! EUREKA

Where we cannot buy fresh, we will shop for dried stuff kept in olive and sold in small jars. Mostly Italian and Greek stuff. I prefer these to what we stock in cans. More pricey but also better / more saturated taste.

Just imagine barges on Seine cruise with full greenhouse kit and get their own even twice a year. That's how one should retire!!!

Cheers,
b.