by rey perezosoIn the sun-soaked Caribbean, Old and New World collided to form a vibrant cuisine out of a variety of influences, from the original Arawak and Taíno inhabitants, to European colonizers, African slaves and East Asian immigrants.
Rice, cornmeal porridge and starchy root vegetables form the foundation of many of the Caribbean region’s meals, while fresh vegetables and tropical fruits add flavor and nutrients to dishes. Chicken, pork, goat and seafood are the favored proteins in most of island nations around Caribbean.
Cuisines and Recipes of the Caribbean
Soak up some of the sunny recipes of the countries of the Caribbean Basin.
-
Caribbean Island Recipes and Cuisine
The word creole, taken in its meaning of “mixture,” fits most Caribbean cooking. Pre-Columbian Arawak and Taino people subsisted on the fruits of the sea and starchy cassava root
-
Cuba: Recipes and Cuisine
Cuban cuisine is built around rice, beans, vegetables, chicken, pork and tropical fruits. La cocina cubana has been influenced by a variety of sources — Spanish, African, Taino, even Chinese.
-
Dominican Republic: Recipes and Cuisine
While the food of la republica dominicana is similar to that of its nearby Latin island neighbors, Dominican cooking has many unique aspects and dishes that set it apart.
-
Haiti: Recipes and Cuisine
Haitian cuisine is kréyol cuisine, a mixture of French, African, Spanish and indigenous cooking methods, ingredients and dishes.
-
Jamaica: Recipes and Cuisine
Ackee, pawpaw, jerk, stamp-and-go — the cuisine of Jamaica is as fun to say as it is to eat! Jamaican cooking is spicy, nourishing food with a powerful punch of flavor.
-
Puerto Rico: Recipes and Cuisine
Puerto Rico is home to a rich culinary tradition known as cocina criolla. The popularity of Puerto Rican cooking reaches beyond its shores to Boricua immigrant populations in New York and other American cities.