Caribbean food is deliciously unique yet delightfully familiar! Let’s explore the exotic array of Caribbean Cuisine tracing back its origin through the influence of diverse culinary customs infused by the residents & visitors in different regions of the Caribbean Sea.

Caribbean History & Ingredients

The tribes of Arawaks (Taino Indian) & Caribs are believed to be the first residents of the Caribbean islands. Later on, numerous travelers passed by the Caribbean basin and left their mark on Caribbean Cuisine. These include the French, British, Spaniards, Africans, East Indians, & Arabs. In the 15th century, the Spaniards brought in ingredients like chickpeas, coconut, onion, garlic, eggplant. The Africans brought plantains, yams, okra, & cassava. The heavily spiced Caribbean delicacies savored in the current times are a result of African influences.

Caribbean food turns out to be extremely nutritious owing to the use of a wide range of ingredients. The renowned semi-sweet potato of Caribbean islands- Boniato, is considered to pre-date the arrival of Europeans. Colonial power is behind the import of ingredients like beef, flour, & rice. Fish & meat are the core ingredients of innumerable Caribbean recipes! Fish is enjoyed both as fresh & grilled while the meat is relished with a spicy sauce coating after grilling or roasting it. Caribbean people sip in lots of cocoa milk & fresh fruit juices to beat the tropical heat.

Flavors of Caribbean Cuisine

Every Caribbean region has its specialty dish that blends in different ingredients, seasonings, & cooking techniques!

Puerto Rico has incredibly luscious soups that merge in veggies & herbs which have evident Spanish Canary Island ancestry. The aromatically spiced, semi-thick soup called “sancocho” prepared with corn & veggies is Puerto Rico’s national dish. “Asopao” is a bold reddish Puerto Rican chicken soup including olives, veggies, rice, & ham.

Cuban dishes greatly draw from Spanish cuisine along with visible African, Taino, & local Caribbean food influences. “Arroz Con Leche”, popularly relished in Cuba, is a delectable dessert recipe where the rice is cooked with milk & cinnamon. The dish has Moorish origin and bears resemblance to the Spanish-style rice pudding.

Trinidad, Jamaica, & Tobago prepare their chicken in a curry base which is a rich spicy sauce drawn from India. The ancient Indian influences can also be tasted in the authentic Nicaragua dish called “Indio Viejo.” It is a beef recipe that uses both red & black beans along with fragrant spice seasoning.

Dominican Republic’s food fuses Spanish, African, as well as Taino Indian culinary practices. There’s the sauciness, use of fresh herbs, but the difference lies in their non-spicy effect. A staple dish of the area “La Bandera Dominicana” scrumptiously combines meat and rice with beans, lettuce, & fried bananas.

Caribbean Food Culture

The Caribbean Islands have their classic Friday night fests. Locals meet up for dinner before the festival and devour appetizing Caribbean food while listening to amazing music. Food fairs are a common occurrence where folks stuff themselves with tamarind-filled beef, fried fish, & pineapple pie while drinking beer or rum!