Caribbean Food Fusion A Background
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The mix of cultures and peoples who live in the Caribbean have served to make it’s food a fusion of styles, textures and flavors that are enjoyed by all sorts of people around the world. This rich cultural history, makes eating and cooking Caribbean food an enjoyable experience whether done at home or eating out with friends.
If you have already been introduced to Caribbean food, then you are someone who knows how delicious it is, however perhaps you have not yet realized how easy it is to cook Caribbean recipes at home in your very own kitchen.
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.
The islands of the Caribbean have seen many immigrants of the centuries. South American indians who first inhabited the islands, Taino, Arawak and Caribs, eat from the fruits and vegetables indigenous to the islands. However with arrival of Europeans who in turn brought enslaved Africans, the fusion of styles, ingredients and methods of cooking lay the foundations of the types of Caribbean recipes that we enjoy today.
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.
Although this article is more about tempting you to try cooking Caribbean food at home, don’t worry about recipes you can find those on the net. As we said Caribbean food is about great ingredients, freshness and fusion, so don’t forget to add your own little bit of flair to the mix. It will help to make the recipes you may have got from someone else, more your own.
