myTobago – your questions, review and comment about Tobago

Is there any type of store or a mini mart to buy breakfast items, such as eggs, fruit, bread and maybe some cheese and snacks within walking distance from Castara? If not within walking distance what would be the closest, thank you.

Hi Cindy

There are a few small stores in Castara where you will get basic supplies. However, in general you must forget dairy products. Despite the hundreds of hens wandering the streets, you will not be able to get eggs in the village; I asked this same question of a Castarian earlier this year and he told me the nearest place to get fresh eggs is Moriah (15-20 minute drive away). You will find a limited choice of cheese (mainly what we call 'plastic' cheese) in the main supermarkets but highly doubtful in Castara.

ok so sounds like we should stock up an ice chest before heading up that way from crown point, which store is best for groceries in the crown point area we will be leaving from Douglas Apartments?

You pass Penny Savers in Accord/Canaan on your way up, so make a stop there, it´s the biggets grocery in the south

thanks look like it is hot there for the next 10 days that is great, mytobago.com weather says 84 weather.com says 90s?

DJ's Mini Mart (Ralphs) is a veggie stand on Bay Rd. right near the Northside Rd. He usually has some eggs in his fridge. Also, I remember buying the white semi-hard local cheese in past years at the L&H (Is that still the name of the little mini mart on Bay Rd. next to the fishermen's co-op?). As for milk, UHT (boxed long-life) is available at the little shops. In fact, as I remember, the only fresh milk available at Penny Savers comes in from the dairy on Barbados on Thursdays; otherwise your only option is either the UHT or powdered milk. So yes, buy what you can at the Penny Savers by the airport before you come!!

that's good to know about the milk, eggs and cheese, luckily we don't need milk we bring our own powdered creamer for coffee.

also is passion fruit available on this island? my husband is obsessed with it and would be very happy to hear where we can get some.

We live in Castara part of the year so can give some advice.
There are probably 6 to 8 places selling eggs at any given time, some of the eggs are local rather than the 'farm' eggs from the South!
Coming into the village:
Roachie's, Miss Merline, then the little shop in between her and the corner, DJ on the corner opposite Marvyn's D'Lime Bar, The post office even has eggs but NEVER stamps!, Never seen Max at L&H sell eggs but you do get your plastic bag for $1 to put your fish in! Buy one first............
Bingy & Hazel''s fruit stand on Dangerous Corner has grown into a great little grocery which saves a trek down the hill and they are open all hours as is the smaller shop next door. Then there is a little shop up on the right from where Big Fish used to be!

Hazel now bakes really good bread to order as does Rebecca at Blue Mango, Shirma at Hams bakes most days as well.

Rarely have we ever been without an egg, sometimes there are no local ones because of the moon(?)who knows.

If you ask somebody will know whose hens are laying..............The last 2 spring seasons we have managed to be almost self sufficient in eggs taken from the 'yardies' who use my pizza/bread oven or hide out under the house!
I mark the first one then remove the next eggs so the hen keeps on laying. They do give me the evil eye sometimes.....
The indomitable Kathy has had duck eggs before now as well as duck and rabbit 'on the hoof' from her smallholding!.
That is her little place by the fishermen with Junior selling fruit and veg next door. A lot of his produce is 'Ital(?)which he gets from local Rasta. No chemicals or unnatural fertiliser used.

Roachie has 3 big "Iceland" type freezers full of meat. A bit of a hike up the road but he has BACON and other goodies like seasoned wedges!The same ones you get with BBQ pigtail by Ham on Friday night!

Really just because something is not on show does not mean an it is not there. good to ask.
Fresh milk only at Pennysavers or Mooreshead. We have had goats milk but that took some hunting for!

I stand corrected! (Pity that not all locals know this useful info)

glad i asked, alibaba's said to get stuff down south at penny saver's but sometimes it is fun to ask and hunt around, kinda like a scavenger hunt and an adventure and that's the fun of it. will still get some stuff at penny saver's though it seems just in case. I can't wait to get the fresh bread.

You still need to do your "big shop" at Pennysavers.
I.E. For Florida OJ, fresh milk, any cheese other than 'yellow' hate to call it Cheddar;! Also boxed wine is a good deal. Yoghout, pasta sauces, olive oil, parma ham, olives McVities Digestives etc.
All the basics are available in the village
3litrs Pinot grigio 135TT Bottle 74c/ltrs same price! Keep it in the fridge.
Reds really do not work in the Caribbean!If you do then keep it chilled. "Room" temperature will be 85F+!
However the rum is cheap!And the fish, well you cannot not get it any fresher...........
As for Passion fruit they are seasonal, we had a glut of them early on last year then none.

Hi Chris

Hope you are keeping well. I thought there were eggs in Castara. If there's chickens there must be eggs

I am back out next June for 4 weeks so I hope you are around so we can stand in the sea and have lots more pointless conversations

Regards

Dear Paul
Always ready for some pointless conversation standing in the sea, beer in hand of course?
Surrounded by diving pelicans at dusk attempting to put the world to right. That's why we go to Castara is it not?

Too right Chris ... sorry I forgot about the beer.

Regards

Paul forgot the beer!? Must be premature senility setting in
David

Premature senility, hmmm.... yeah I get a bit of that these days. Hi David and all. It's been 3 long years (or is it 4... you see what I mean?) since Janette and I visited Castara. Not sure that my legs would be up to the gradients these days but still dream of returning... sigh.
Old hippy love to y'all. xxx

Hello Tony,hope you and Jeanette are well.Look forward to seeing you in Paradise sometime again
David

We are as well as can be expected stuck in this seemingly never-ending UK winter. And you? Are you still managing to get to Tobago regularly? Gawd... wish I was there now, shopping in the Castara mini-marts ( just slipped that in so that Steve doesn't think I have taken the thread off in a wrong direction).

Feel free to wander off topic to your heart's content, Tony. The rules can be relaxed for the afflicted.