What Foods & Spices Are Native to the Caribbean?
Caribbean foods include seafood, meats, and poultry all spicily embellished and garnished with colorful fruits and vegetables of the islands. Food is an important part of Caribbean life, so great care and time is taken in its preparation. Does this Spark an idea?
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Influences
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Caribbean food incorporates the culture of the Caribbean people and the rich vegetation of the island. Influences come from the Spanish, the native Indians, the British, the Dutch, and the Chinese.
Fruit
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Ackee is the red-yellow fruit of an evergreen tree. The inner yellow flesh has a taste similar to scrambled eggs. Coconuts abound and the milk is used in cooking; the meat of the coconut is also eaten raw. Carambola, or star fruit, is juicy and used in salads and desserts.
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Potatoes and Vegetables
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The bonsiato is a white semi-sweet potato. The calabaza is a sweet squash. The yucca is a long slim tuber ground for bread; it is also used to make syrups and as a thickening agent.
Jerk
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Jerk is a process of rubbing spices into meats. Jerk seasonings include scallions, thyme, allspice, hot peppers, onion, and garlic. Some jerk seasonings also use citrus juice, molasses, and vinegar.
Sofrito and Salsa
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Sofrito is a seasoning that combines cilantro, bell peppers, onion, garlic, tomato, herbs, salt pork and annatto for coloring. Salsas add a punch to any dish with their special mixture of fruits, vegetables, spices, herbs, and chili peppers.
Seafood
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Escabeche is pan-fried or poached seafood marinated in citrus, vinegar, and herbs. Stamp and Go are codfish patties. Saltfish is saltwater fish salted and dried. Ceviche is seafood cooked with citrus juice acids and flavored with onions and herbs.
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