still needed laborers, however, and indentured workers
were brought from China and India to work in the fields.
Sugar cane, and its by-products, molasses and rum,
brought great prosperity to the settlers. However, not
wanting to depend solely on sugar, they began to grow
yams, maize, cloves, nutmeg, cinnamon, coconuts, and
pineapples on a very large scale. Coffee also began to
flourish. Many of the islands had wild pigs and cattle on
them, and spiced, smoked meat became part of the diet.
Today, jerk meat is a specialty.Description
Foods of the Islands
The foods of the Caribbean are marked by a wide
variety of fruits, vegetables, meats, grains, and spices,
all of which contribute to the area’s unique cuisine.
Foods of Creole, Chinese, African, Indian, Hispanic,
and European origin blend harmoniously to produce
mouth-watering dishes.
Fruits and Vegetables. There are many fruits and
vegetables found in the various Caribbean Islands, and
because many of them have been exported to North
America and Europe, people have become familiar with
them. This exotic array of fruits and vegetables in
vibrant colors forms the heart of island cooking.
Chayote, also called Christophene or Cho-cho, is
a firm pear-shaped squash used in soups and stews.
The Chinese vegetable bokchoy (or pakchoy) has
become widely used on the islands. Plantains, which
resemble bananas, are roasted, saute ́ed, fried, and
added to stews and soups. The breadfruit grows pro-
fusely, and is either boiled or baked, sliced, and eaten
hot, or ground into flour. The breadfruit blossoms
make a very good preserve.
Yucca, also known as cassava or manioc, is a
slender tuber with bark-like skin and a very starchy
flesh that must be cooked and served like a potato, or
it can be made into cassava bread. Mangoes can be
picked from the tree and eaten by peeling the skin andslicing the flesh off the large pit. They are used in salads,
desserts, frozen drinks, and salsa. Papaya, which has a
cantaloupe-like flavor, contains the enzyme papain,
which aids in digestion. To be eaten, the black seeds
must be removed and the flesh scooped out.
The soursop is a large, oval, dark-green fruit with
a thick skin that is soft to the touch when it ripens. The
fruit has a creamy flesh with a sweet, tart flavor. Its
rich custard-like flavor can be made into a sherbet, ice
cream, or refreshing drink.
Spices and Condiments. The food of the Caribbean
can be highly spiced. The Scotch bonnet, a colorful
pepper with a hot aroma, is widely used in soups,
salads, sauces, and marinades. Some other important
spices are annatto, curry, pimento, cinnamon, and gin-
ger. Annatto seeds are often steeped in oil and used to
flavor soups, stews, and fish dishes. Curry powder is
made from a variety of freshly grounded spices. Curry
dishes and hot sauces, which are used regularly in cook-
ing, were brought to the islands by Indian settlers.
Pimento, also known as allspice, is used in pickles,
marinades, soups, and stews and is an important
ingredient in jerking, a method of cooking meat and
poultry over an open fire. To bring out the flavor of
meat and chicken, they are marinated in a mixture of
scallions, garlic, thyme, onion, lemon juice, and salt.
The spices and the method of slow cooking over a fire
give jerk meat its distinctive flavor.
Proteinsources. Although fish, conch (a pink shell-
fish), goat meat, pork, and beef are used throughout the
Caribbean, legumes make up a fair percentage of the
region’s protein intake. Kidney and lima beans, chick-
peas, lentils, black-eyed peas, and other legumes are used
in soups, stews, and rice dishes. Accra fritters, made from
soaked black-eyed peas thatare mashed, seasoned with
pepper, and then fried, is a dish of West African origin
similar to the Middle Eastern falafel. Sancocho is a hearty
Caribbean stew made with vegetables, tubers, and meats.
Cooking Methods. A ‘‘cook-up’’ dish is one made
with whatever ingredients an individual has on hand,
and is an opportunity to be creative. Such a dish will
often include rice, vegetables, and possibly meat. By
adding coconut milk, this could turn into an enticing
coconut-scented pilaf. Burning sugar to color stews is
another technique used in island cooking. This process
begins by heating oil, then adding sugar, and stirring
until the sugar becomes an amber color.
The roti is a griddle-baked flour wrapping that is
filled with curried meat, chicken, or potatoes. Coucou,
or fungi, is a cornmeal mush that is served with meat,
poultry, fish, or vegetable dishes.KEY TERMS
Absorption—Uptake by the digestive tract.
Asthma—A respiratory disorder marked by wheezing,
shortness of breath, and mucus production.
Malnutrition—Chronic lack of sufficient nutrients to
maintain health.
Tuber—swollen plant stem below the ground.Caribbean Islander diet