Under the Tuscan Sun meets the wide-open sea… An Embarrassment of Mangoes is a delicious chronicle of leaving the type-A lifestyle behind — and discovering the seductive 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 … 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.
In lavish detail that will have you packing your swimsuit and dashing for the airport, Vanderhoof describes the sun-drenched landscapes, enchanting characters and mouthwatering tastes that season their new lifestyle. Come along for the ride and be seduced by Caribbean rhythms as she and Steve sip rum with their island neighbors, hike lush rain forests, pull their supper out of the sea, and adapt to life on “island time.”
Exchanging business clothes for bare feet, they drop anchor in 16 countries — 47 individual — where they explore secluded beaches and shop lively 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 enticing recipes into the text so that readers can participate in the adventure.
Almost as good as making the journey itself, An Embarrassment of Mangoes is an intimate account that conjures all the irresistible beauty and bounty from the Bahamas to Trinidad — and just may compel you to make a rash decision that will land you in paradise.
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This is a fabulous book. Written with tenderness for the people of the part of the Caribbean the rest of us never see, this is a tale of honest self-discovery as much as it is a series of great stories from the couple’s great adventure. I didn’t want the book to end as badly as Ann and Steve did not want their sailing adventure to end. I love …
Do you love the Caribbean? What a wonderful gem.
The story of a Cruiser couple from Canada that take two years off from work to cruise throughout the Caribbean and explore the people, music, lifestyle & food of the Caribbean. In addition to a delightful story, the author includes some of the favorite recipes that she expoing the trip! Having lived & worked in three different Caribbean islands, …
I loved traveling with this couple and I loved the idea of it. A couple from cold Canada decide to take their boat to the Bahamas and live on it for awhile. The descriptions of the actual journey are really interesting, and I absolutely loved the parts about what it’s like to buy fresh fruit or eat fresh fish. Just a fun, interesting book. A …
Felt like I just went on a vacation sailing the Caribbean with Ann. Pure pleasure.
This book is one of my all time favorites that I am recommending to all my friends this summer! I will reread this when I have the winter blues. The characters lived the dream that most people are to scared to pursue.
Average, I keep at it but it took me awhile
Very entertaining and I loved the mango crisp recipe it was delicious!
Love the very descriptive stories about each island visited. Makes you want to be a true live aboard!
This is a gem. Good laid-back pace, brings a taste of the Caribbean to my daily grind. I’ll re-read this one in snowy winter, it will be a good antidote. I don’t really think I’ll ever sail the Caribbean on my own boat, but this book sure makes me want to!
The recipes are cool, the cruising bits are fun, the island life stories are wonderful, …
Fun read. A couple adjusting to and living the life they had only dreamed about. The setting, descriptions and ease with which they adopt and incorporate the local customs is to be admired.
I truly enjoyed this book. A tale of sailing the Caribbean and enjoying food I could not put it down. I would not do any sailing myself I am terrified of the open seas but this is an excellent substitute for such wide adventures.
A fun beach read
It made me want to move to the Caribbean plus gave me tasty recipes!
Really took me along on their journey with great word pictures!
Anyone who has spent time sailing should read this informative, entertaining and often humorous book. IIf you have ever dreamed about retiring to live and sail the world on a boat, must read this
I felt like I took the trip with them
I loved this book. A sailing adventure for 2 years. A real life adventure into the caribbean islands. The author is also a good cook and shares the recipes she
uses while cooking on the boat.
This was a great read for anyone stuck in Vermont in the winter.
A Toronto couple buys a sailboat, quits their jobs and heads for the Caribbean. This is an excellent book about their adventures. There is a sequel, but this book is the better of the two.