The festival faithful of the Virgin Islands know where to go when Carnival, Crucian Christmas Festival, and St. John Celebration Village booths open. The Source caught up with some of the folks who fuel the fete with meals, soups, snacks, and drinks.
Booth No. 8 – Claudine’s Culinary Craft Shop
Claudine Scatliffe Daniels, along with daughter Athia Smith and son Kurt Marsh Jr., specializes in pates but also serves up fried chicken and johnny cakes. Mixmaster Marsh says Booth No. 8 also serves specialty cocktails made of native fruits like tamarind, soursop, and guava spiked with Cruzan Rum.
Booth No. 17 – Ms. B’s Place
Pate variety is Booth 17’s claim to fame, said crew member Genese Matthias. “We have shrimp, beef, saltfish; we have fried chicken, johnny cakes, Margarita buckets, jello shots — anything you can think of.”
Things have gotten so busy, the booth has added a mechanical dough roller this year. Operator Vera Powell says it’s one way to keep up with customer demand.
Booth No. 15 – Juju’s Booth
Abdel Hill is the roti master at Booth 15. “We do the curry whether it’s chicken, veggie or shrimp, and of course, we do the wrap from scratch,” he said. “We do it up on the flatbed here, and then we fill it up with your choice of filling.”
Booth No. 3 – A Taste of St. John
A Taste of St. John is a family enterprise overseen by matriarch Jane Johannes. Daughter Juanita Johannes says seafood is the specialty — lobster salad, crab and rice, conch in butter sauce, stewed whelks, seafood as well as traditional kallaloo. “Whatever seafood you can think of, you’ll find at Ms. Johannes’ booth,” Juanita said.
