Caribbean

By: Chaun, Sara, Shacole

and Megan

 Caribbean cuisine blends fruits and rice,

seafood and spice, to create flavors as vibrant

as the colors of the islands. Each island has its
favorite dishes and you can tell a lot about the
islands history by whats favored. Ethnic
heritages combine with local bounty to produce
unique tastes

Taboo or Ritual Foods

Jamaica
If children eat chicken before they talk, they will
never learn to speak
Eating only half an egg will make a child grow into a
thief
Drinking milk from a baby bottle will make children
grow into an alcoholic

Weather and climate

Islands: cuba, Dominican republic, Jamaica,
Puerto rico, Trinidad, Barbados, Haiti etc.
May- October rainy season
Wet climate
Alantic ocean and Caribbean sea are warm
year round
Tempuratures between 100 degrees & 60
degrees (F)
Bad weather: hurricanes

Agriculture
Sugarcane
Bananas
Coffee
Tobacco
Cacao
Rice
coconuts

Native crops
Callaloo: Bananas & plantains
Avocado
Ackee: Jamaica
Eggplant
Breadfruit
Cassava
Okra
Chickpeas

Animals for food supply

Fish: flying fish, saltfish, shark, shrimp, etc.
Pork
Beef
chicken
goat

Culinary habits
A lot of grains and legumes, cassava, coconut,
peppers, plantains
Coffee & fruit based drinks
Fried foods
Spicy for some places
Riced based plates: rice for many meals
Stews

Common Cooking Methods

Coal pot: Similar to a Dutch Oven but with grill grates, coals on
the bottom
-Slow cooking method, produces a smoky flavor and very tender
food
Barbacoa: Old fashioned form of barbecuing
-Largely outdated now, traditional method
Banana Leaves: considered very versatile, used to wrap many
things before
cooking, store food, or set coconut drops

Fruits
Tropical fruits: coconuts, mangoes, papayas,
bananas
Oranges, apples, figs, and pomegranate
Several other fruits are too delicate to package
and ship, so they are really only known in the
Caribbean islands
Sopadilla, soursop, loquat, monstera,
cherimoya, and mamey sapote

Vegetables
Starchy root vegetables and gourds: sweet potatoes,
yams, pumpkins, calabaza, chayote
Okra, tomatoes, pepper, cucumbers, onions, and a
variety of beans.

Snacks
Roadside vendors are very popular in Jamaica
Fish tea (broth), pepperpot soup, buttered roast yams with
saltfish
"Bun and cheese," sweet bun sold with a slice of cheese.
Ackee with saltfish is a common snack
Best-known snack is patties, flaky pastries filled with spicy
minced meat or seafood.

Spices
Nutmeg

Chillies
Thyme
Ginger

Used in drinks

Cloves
Cinnamon
AllSpice
Whole or
Ground

Must have

Scotch bonnet

The Popular Jerk Seasoning

Scotch bonnet
Cloves
Cinnamon
Scallions
Nutmeg
Thyme
Garlic
Brown Sugar

Serving and Meals

Ettiquette is relatively informal, depending on the occasion, and generally
similar to America.
Wait to be invited to sit or told where to sit.
Continental table manners: the fork in the left hand and the knife in the right.
Meals are often served buffet-style.
Wait for the host before you start to eat.
Taste some of everything.
Eat with utensils.
It is considered polite to finish everything on your plate
Overall, the emphasis on meals is more on being social than formal