Many people are pleasantly surprised when they have their first Caribbean Dish. The tastes are brilliant. Favourite meals such as Curry Goat, Rice & Peas, Plantain, Fried Chicken, Jerk Chicken, Oxtail Stew, Dumplings, Roti and Patties are welcome varieties to any dining table.
Caribbean cooks add special touches to accompaniments such as Coleslaw, Potato Salad, or Green Salad. You'll be dreaming about the meal for a long time to come.
Caribbean Foods which are widely available in supermarkets tend to be a few fruit and vegetables, such as mangoes, coconut, melons, pinapples, papaya, bananas, oranges, ginger and sweet potatoes. Various condiments such as hot pepper sauces and seasonings are also frequently seen on the supermarket shelves. There are manufacturers producing ready prepared meals, but retailers have been slow to make these available to consumers.
The variety of Drinks available is well worth an afternoon tasting session. Both the soft drinks and the alcoholic offerings are delightful. Soursop punch - oh please, pineapple punch, peanut punch, tropical fruit punch - oh pl-eeze. The dazzling array of beautiful juices is something to write home about. The variety of alcoholic drinks, will have many dancing for joy. Some specialities are still only available in the Caribbean, but we are working on that.
The health benefit of Caribbean herbs is well documented. Our grandparents had cures for everthing growing on their land. Non-processed organic foods enabled older generations to live strong into old age. The vitality offered by fresh fruit and vegetables, and herbal (bush) teas cannot be underestimated.
Talk about extra with the seasonings - that's Caribbean Cuisine. The thought of just putting chicken to cook without any seasoning, or just using salt and pepper would send us stir crazy. After washing the meat many times over, and using vinegar or lemon to wash further, then a long list of seasonings is added. After allowing time to marinate, preferrably overnight, the meat is cooked to perfection. Don't make the mistake of thinking rice and peas, is just rice and peas. It's the additional spices and seasonings which take you out of this world. (and its not green peas either)
The long list of seasonings used in Caribbean Cuisine can include any of the following (and more). Allspice (pimento), annatto seeds, bay leaves, black pepper, chives, chilies, cilantro, cinnamon bark, coconut, cooking butter, curry powder, garlic, ginger, lemon, mace, nutmeg, onion, oregano, scotch bonnet peppers, sugar, thyme, coconut, lime, orange, skellion, tamarind, tomato paste, vanilla, white pepper.
Caribbean Cuisine has a wide range of flavours and tastes. Each island in the West Indies have their own national dishes, and methods for cooking. Some dishes are hot, others not. Jerk seasoning is hot, but if used sparingly, you can give the spicy flavour without the dish being too pepper. Most Caribbeans do cook moderately, then add hot pepper sauce to the table, so that adults can spice up the food even more. Some have been known to take a bottle of hot pepper sauce with them when they are going out to eat. Some use it like kids use tomato ketchup. Ketchup on everything for some kids - the same for some adults. Pepper on everything.
A few dishes are designed to be eaten as accompaniments - ie with something else, for they would be quite bland on their own. Like eating a plate of white rice on its own. Give someone a plate of sliced boiled yam, and they will wonder what the fuss is about. Serve it with a well-seasoned fish or meat dish, then you have a meal.
It can be safely assumed that you will like many Caribbean dishes but a few dishes will not tickle your fancy. There is something for everybody. Who does not like fried plantains, or a pattie, a crab salad, or guinness punch? I can only encourage you to taste and see.
We at Caribbean Food Emporium would like to encourage you to:
Enjoy Caribbean Food and Drinks as often as you can.
Have Caribbean Cuisine at your celebration, wedding, party, function. If you cannot prepare it use a Caribbean Caterer, or hire a Caribbean Chef.
Support your local Caribbean Food Restaurant or Take Away. Encourage them.
Request Caribbean Cuisine from your favourite restaurant, pub, hotel, club. This is a good excuse for a themed night, or themed weekend. Hire a steel band or reggae band to round off the event.
Tell your supermarket you want a good selection of Caribbean Food and, in addition to Indian, Chinese, Italian, English, Jewish, Mexican.