If you have ever sampled the delights of Caribbean cuisine, then you know that it is infused with delightful herbs and spices and flavors found in different parts of the world. This is because the history of the Caribbean is inflected with different cultures, East and West.
If you have made a trip to the Caribbean, then perhaps you are someone who is looking for Caribbean recipes that you can cook at home. If you are then you have probably searched for Internet for authentic Caribbean dishes such as Roti, Jamaican Jerk Chicken, or a nice plate of Flying Fish. Perhaps you are a regular visitor to your local Caribbean restaurant or you've tried to cook Island food at home using recipes you have managed to glean from a cook book or from the chef at your local Caribbean Takeaway.
Whatever the reason, sampling Caribbean dishes changes your world. The enjoyment factor when you get a little taste of the caribbean in dishes using authentic flavors, makes life that little more enjoyable.
Why is Caribbean cooking fusion cooking? The original south American indian tribes that inhabited the islands of the Caribbean, the Arawaks, Taino and Caribs cooked using the fruits and vegetables found on the islands. As more people from around the world arrived, the Europeans, who brought enslaved Africans, techniques, flavors and ingredients began to change.
As the Africans eat what was left from their slave masters, they coupled their own cooking techniques with the new ingredients and made from them delicious slow cooked stews and energy sustaining meals. They added herbs and spices to flavor the meat, and added vegetables to make the meals stretch. Later the influx of Chinese and Asian workers from Asia, added to the culinary mix.
If you enjoy home cooking and you like trying different cooking styles, try out some Caribbean recipes at home. Use the best ingredients that you can find and make sure that they are fresh. This will add to the intensity of the flavor and the success of the dishes.
One aspect of Caribbean cooking that is prevalent, especially with mean dishes is marinading. Meats are covered in herbs and spices, commonly referred to as seasoning and left to marinade for at least 2-3 hours before cooking. Many people leave their meats to marinade overnight in a refrigerator. This helps the meat to tenderize, as well as infusing it with the flavors of the spices and herbs, giving each dish it's authentic flavor. You can always tell when you're not eating authentic Caribbean food at a restaurant as the meat will be flavoursome on the surface but those flavours diminish as you bite deeper.
Cooking meat slowly is another feature of Caribbean food. Remember the islands are a relaxing place. So should the method by which you cook island food. Slow cooking helps meat to develop flavor and tenderness if cooked over a low fire.
I hope this article has given you a little taste of the Caribbean and has even, possibly got you in the mood to try out some Caribbean recipes for yourself. As said before, Caribbean food is really a fusion style of cooking. The inhabitants of the Islands took what was available to them and created dishes that are still with us today.
If you have made a trip to the Caribbean, then perhaps you are someone who is looking for Caribbean recipes that you can cook at home. If you are then you have probably searched for Internet for authentic Caribbean dishes such as Roti, Jamaican Jerk Chicken, or a nice plate of Flying Fish. Perhaps you are a regular visitor to your local Caribbean restaurant or you've tried to cook Island food at home using recipes you have managed to glean from a cook book or from the chef at your local Caribbean Takeaway.
Whatever the reason, sampling Caribbean dishes changes your world. The enjoyment factor when you get a little taste of the caribbean in dishes using authentic flavors, makes life that little more enjoyable.
Why is Caribbean cooking fusion cooking? The original south American indian tribes that inhabited the islands of the Caribbean, the Arawaks, Taino and Caribs cooked using the fruits and vegetables found on the islands. As more people from around the world arrived, the Europeans, who brought enslaved Africans, techniques, flavors and ingredients began to change.
As the Africans eat what was left from their slave masters, they coupled their own cooking techniques with the new ingredients and made from them delicious slow cooked stews and energy sustaining meals. They added herbs and spices to flavor the meat, and added vegetables to make the meals stretch. Later the influx of Chinese and Asian workers from Asia, added to the culinary mix.
If you enjoy home cooking and you like trying different cooking styles, try out some Caribbean recipes at home. Use the best ingredients that you can find and make sure that they are fresh. This will add to the intensity of the flavor and the success of the dishes.
One aspect of Caribbean cooking that is prevalent, especially with mean dishes is marinading. Meats are covered in herbs and spices, commonly referred to as seasoning and left to marinade for at least 2-3 hours before cooking. Many people leave their meats to marinade overnight in a refrigerator. This helps the meat to tenderize, as well as infusing it with the flavors of the spices and herbs, giving each dish it's authentic flavor. You can always tell when you're not eating authentic Caribbean food at a restaurant as the meat will be flavoursome on the surface but those flavours diminish as you bite deeper.
Cooking meat slowly is another feature of Caribbean food. Remember the islands are a relaxing place. So should the method by which you cook island food. Slow cooking helps meat to develop flavor and tenderness if cooked over a low fire.
I hope this article has given you a little taste of the Caribbean and has even, possibly got you in the mood to try out some Caribbean recipes for yourself. As said before, Caribbean food is really a fusion style of cooking. The inhabitants of the Islands took what was available to them and created dishes that are still with us today.
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