Micronesian Cuisine

Micronesian cuisine, across the scattered islands of the Federated States, is wholesome, simple Pacific island food drawn from the abundant sea and the tropical land. Fresh reef fish, tuna and seafood are the mainstay, eaten grilled, raw or in coconut, while the starchy staples of taro, breadfruit, yam, cassava and swamp taro accompany nearly every meal, alongside plantain and an abundance of tropical fruit. Coconut, in its milk and flesh, enriches many dishes, and food for gatherings is traditionally cooked in an earth oven of hot stones. On Pohnpei, the ceremonial drink sakau, or kava, pounded from a pepper root, is central to social and cultural life.

What you actually see

• The fresh reef fish - the grilled and coconut-cooked seafood.
• Taro and breadfruit - the starchy island staples.
• The earth-oven feast - the food cooked on hot stones.
• Sakau - the ceremonial kava drink of Pohnpei.

When to go

Year-round; local markets, villages and simple eateries serve fresh fish, taro, breadfruit and coconut dishes, and the freshest seafood, straight from the surrounding reefs, is the highlight. On Pohnpei, experiencing a sakau ceremony, where the earthy, mildly sedating drink is shared, offers a window into local culture as well as cuisine.

Honest expectations

Micronesian food is simple, fresh island cooking centred on fish, root crops and coconut rather than a varied or refined cuisine, so its appeal is freshness and the communal, cultural aspects such as the earth oven and sakau rather than culinary complexity, and everyday eating, especially in the towns, can lean heavily on imported and processed foods. For fresh reef fish, tropical produce and the cultural ritual of sakau, though, eaten with island simplicity, it is a wholesome taste of the western Pacific.

Nearby

The markets and villages of Pohnpei, Chuuk, Yap and Kosrae are the places to eat.