Popular Food Culture in the Caribbean

Caribbean Cuisine and Food Culture

The Caribbean islands and countries include Cuba, Curacao, Dominica, Dominican Republic, French Antilles, Guadeloupe and Martinique, Haiti, Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago, and The Virgin Islands. The regions common food is basically seafood, chicken and coconut. The most served recipes like jerk and callaloo unite these islands into a heterogeneous culinary paradise. Caribbean Cuisine takes its influences from African, Indian, Chinese and European communities.

Caribbean Cooking uses lots of herbs and spices that are blended together to form a marinade for meats, whilst vegetables are steamed or roasted with a minimum of flavorings depending on the dish being prepared. Caribbean Islands bring a unique ethnic collection of foods blended with herbs and spices. These recipes have evolved through the years because of the various cultural influences including the Arawak Indians and the Maroons. The Caribbean Dishes are subtle in taste, subtle in flavor, reflecting years of cross cultural influences.

Beverages Coconut Eggnog Jamaican Rum Punch Mojito Mojito 2 Puerto Rican Coquito Puerto Rican Egg Nog

Main Dish Poultry Puerto Rican Chicken and Rice Stew Caribbean Honey-Spiced Chicken with Mango Sancocho Chicken and Vegetable Stew Jamaican Stewed Chicken Caribbean Chicken and Rice Chicken in Almond Sauce

Caribbean Food, Spices, Ingredients & Special Recipes

The essence of Caribbean cooking is found in the use of fresh foods which are enhanced by island spices and herbs. Caribbean Cooking offers distinctive flavors through the spices and other ingredients like mangoes, coconut, lime, cassava, papaya, yam, guava, and peppers. Lime is one of the most popular ways of marinating fish and a popular dish is Ceviche, which is seafood cooked with the aid of citric juices and seasoned with herbs and onions.  Caribbean cooking is not merely delicious it is also unique from one island to another. Each Caribbean Island has developed its own technique and style of cooking food.

The food in the Caribbean is as wide-ranging from the entire island like, the Bahamas is known for the conch recipes. Cuba is famous for black beans and rice. Jamaica is the home of jerk cooking and seasoning. Barbados means fried fish and cou cou. Puerto Rico comes closer to home with chicken and rice. The French Caribbean Carole Dishes is similar to the French cooking methods. Caribbean Curries are found in the Trinidad. In Caribbean cooking, coconut milk is the basis of several stews and sauces. Most favorite ingredient of Caribbean cooking that is used in marinades, desserts, sauces, and soups - rum.

Main Dish Seafood Curried Fish Steaks Marinated Shrimp Salad Shrimp Curry, Caribbean Style Jamaican Codfish Fritters

Sauces, Rubs and Condiments Adobo 1 Adobo 2 Adobo 3 Jamaican Jerk Paste Jamaican Jerk Sauce Mango Preserves Piri Piri Sofrito Sofrito Trinidadian Curry Powder

Caribbean Specialty Cookwares and Kitchen Supplies

Caribbean cuisine doesn’t require any special cooking equipment. The following specialty pots, pans and utensils will helps preparing favorite recipes anytime. The Caribbean Cookwares are the homemade hand-fashioned kitchen utensils. Just after the European influence in this part of the world these people started using entirely different sets of cookwares like the copper utensils. The Caribbean Crockery items includes ceramic containers, pottery utensils, clay crock pots, are the style of cookery that is often flavorful and inviting.

Main Dish Meats Caribbean Jerk Pork Chops Cuban Roasted Pork Havana Pork Tenderloin Jamaican Beef Patties Mango-Marinated Beef Kabobs Masitas de Cerdo Puerto Rican Beef Stew Puerto Rican Pork Roast Roast Pork a la Criolla Vaca Frita Haitian Bread Pork with Rice and Olives Caribbean Jerk Pork Chops Chicken and Vegetable Stew Cuban Roasted Pork Cuban Tamales Jamaican Beef Patties Jamaican Stewed Chicken Mango-Marinated Beef Eggplant Caribbean Honey-Spiced Chicken with Mango Tail on Fire Oxtail Stew Masitas de Cerdo Puerto Rican Beef Stew Sancocho Citrus-Marinated Pork Roast Cuban Sandwich

Side Dishes Baked Stuffed Papayas Conkies Corn with Okra and Tomatoes Hearts of Palm in Tomato Sauce Fried Plantains Fried Ripe Plantains Jamaican Rice and Peas Maduro en Gloria Mango Preserves Mofongo Mofongo 2 Puerto Rican Cheese Fritters Rice and Pigeon Peas

Quick and Yeast Breads Sweet Potato Bread Cuban Tamales jamaican Banana coffee bread Jamaican Buns Banana Bread Coconut Corn Bread Cuban Bread Jamaican Banana Bread Coconut Corn Bread Haitian Bread

Desserts Baked Stuffed Limoncello Caribbean Pineapple Pie Conkies Coconut Bread Pudding Guava Cake Lime Meringue Pie Bananas Baked with Cream Cheese Tropical Fruit with Chocolate Sauce Maduro en Gloria