Caribbean Cooking

Island cooking is perfect for this hot weather. There's nothing like the spices of the Caribbean to get you through a heat wave. They can stir you up, rousing you from a boring summer of mayonnaise sandwiches and iced tea.

The Caribbean encompasses the area from the Atlantic to the coast of Sounth America. The heritage is wildly varied.It was one of the first fusion cuisines, blending flavors and techniques from Europe , Africa. mid Asia and the islands themselves. The most notable contributors are the e Dutch , French and Spanish with the Brits and East Indians also lending a recipe or two. Jerk is one of the most popular island dishes. This is a fiery kind of spiced meat (mostly goat) that is redolent of chili peepers oregano and ginger. There is also callaloo , the island stew which has both crab and salt pork in it. Conch is another big meat on the lands. You can get tit in a fritter, or a chowder (similar to Manhattan clam chowder) everywhere.

Our barbecue comes from the islands where the native Arawak Indians used to grilled meat on sticks over open fires. The settlers, explorers and even pirates loved this an quickly incorporated it into their diets. It became a staple at dinners large and small.

Caribbean cooking is a great way to cope with the summer heat. Try some interesting recipes to liven up a dull meal or barbecue.