Caribbean FoodContents:1. General Facts2. The meal 2.1. Soup 2.2. Main Course 2.3. Sidedish 2.4. Dessert3. Beverages4. Sources

TU Chemnitz - Caribbean Food - Kristina Porsche

1. General Facts about Caribbean Food

• Many cultural influences on Caribbean cuisine, because of various nationalties settling there

• Arawaks, Caribs, European colonists, African slaves, Indians, Chinese, South American inluence

• Healthy food: abundance of fruit and vegetables, lots of fish and shellfish, wide range of spices

TU Chemnitz - Caribbean Food - Kristina Porsche

Cultural Sources for Caribbean Food

Arawaks Barbecue techniques, chili peppers, yams, sweet potatoes, cassava, maize

Caribs Spicing food with chili

European settlers Oranges, limes, mangoes, rice, coffee, sugar cane, coconut, ginger, tamarind

West African slaves Okra, pigeon peas, plantains, callaloo, taro, ackee, breadfr.

Indian Curries, chutney

South American influence Native potatoes, passion fr., papaya, avocado, cocoa

TU Chemnitz - Caribbean Food - Kristina Porsche

2. The Meal

1. Callaloo

2. Ackee and Saltfish

3. Rice and Peas

4. Duckanoo

TU Chemnitz - Caribbean Food - Kristina Porsche

2.1. Soup - Callaloo

• Traditional soup in the Caribbean

• Of West African origin

• National dish in Trinidad & Tobago

• Different recipes throughout the West Indies

• Compare: Leslie Mackley – Corwynn Darkholme

callaloo Dictionary cal·la·loo (kă'lə-lū', kă'lə-lū')

n. 1. The edible spinachlike leaves of the dasheen. 2. A soup or stew made of these leaves or other greens, okra, crabmeat, and seasonings.

[American Spanish calulú, plant of genus Xanthosoma whose leaves are used as greens, perhaps from Tupi caárurú, thick leaf.] Food Glossary Callaloo The large, edible green leaves of the taro root, popular in theCaribbean islands cooked as one would prepare turnip or

collardgreens. Mentioned In: callaloo is mentioned in the following topics:

Cuisine of Trinidad and Tobago coconut milk Afro-Mexican culture of Trinidad and Tobago Jamaican Creole Jamaican English O. Henry Awards soup

Source: http://www.answers.com/topic/callaloo

Callaloo Comments

TU Chemnitz - Caribbean Food - Kristina Porsche

Callaloo Comments 2•Callaloo: V. Burke – ‘A green leafy vegetable similar to spinach or kale. Also name of a stew in Trinidad‘ L. Mackley – ‘The leaves of two distinct plants, the taro plant and Chinese spinach, which are used interchangeably, though the taro plant is most widely used. Its tubers are also popular in Island cooking and may be known as coco or dasheen. Callaloo looks like spinach and is used in similar ways. It has given its name to the most famous of Caribbean soups.‘• Okra: L. Mackley – ‘Alternative names for okra include bamies, gumbo, and ladies‘ fingers. Green okra pods are prized for the slippery texture that they give to soups and stews.‘ Oxf. Adv. Learner‘s Dict.: ‘the green seed cases of the okra plant, eaten as a vegetable

TU Chemnitz - Caribbean Food - Kristina Porsche

Callaloo Comments 3

Callaloo Okra

My friend Joe from Port of Spain Met a girl time and again.Joe went home with her one day, So I hear the people say There she give him kallaloo Married Joe before he knew

Chorus: I don‘t want no kallaloo,

Source: www.b-v-i.com/Cooking/Callaloo/default.htm

TU Chemnitz - Caribbean Food - Kristina Porsche

2.2. Main course – Ackee & Saltfish

• National dish in Jamaica

• Usually for breakfast

• Recipes from Mackley and Walkerswood compared

TU Chemnitz - Caribbean Food - Kristina Porsche

Ackee & Saltfish - Comments• Ackee: Burke – ‘An unusual and delicate fruit, popular in Jamaica. Cooked and eaten as a savoury vegetable. Only the yellow part is used.‘ Mackley – ‘The edible part of the ackee fruit resembles scrambled egg in appearance, and has a delicate flavor; it is available canned. Ackees are an essential ingredient of the popular Jamaican dish, saltfish and ackees.‘•Saltfish: Burke – is salted cod; ‘As it is very dry and salty, it must be either soaked overnight or boiled two or three times (changing the water in between) until the desired level of saltiness has been reached Mackley – ‘Although fresh fish is readily available, salt codfish is still popular on all the islands. Salt codfish must be thoroughly soaked before cooking. Sometimes other fish are salted.‘

TU Chemnitz - Caribbean Food - Kristina Porsche

Ackee & Saltfish – Comments 2

• Plantain: Burke – ‘Looks like a big banana but should be fried, baked or boiled.‘ Mackley – ‘A large member of the banana family, plantains must be cooked before being eaten. Plantains are used green and unripe, or when ripened until the skin turns black. They have mild, squash-like flavor and are widely used in West Indian cooking fror both sweet and savory dishes.‘

TU Chemnitz - Caribbean Food - Kristina Porsche

Ackee & Saltfish – Comments 3

Ackee

Saltfish

TU Chemnitz - Caribbean Food - Kristina Porsche

2.3. Side dish – Rice & Peas

• “Sunday dinner would never be the same without this dish“ (Walkerswood, p.69)

• Popular in all islands, but under various names

• The recipes compared (Mackley – Walkerswood)

TU Chemnitz - Caribbean Food - Kristina Porsche

Rice & Peas – Comments

• Gungo Peas: ‘Gungo peas, which are also known as pigeon peas, are popular in West Indian cooking and are used fresh, dried, and canned.‘ (Mackley)•Red peas: ‘Caribbean name for kidney beans. Very popular in rice and peas.‘ (Burke)

Gungo Peas Red Peas

TU Chemnitz - Caribbean Food - Kristina Porsche

2.4. Dessert - Duckanoo

• Traditional dessert

• Origins in West Africa

• Recipe found in Internet different from explanation in Burke‘s Caribbean Kitchen

• Try my duckanoos

TU Chemnitz - Caribbean Food - Kristina Porsche

3. Beverages

• Three beverages:Rum Punch - alcoholicGinger Beer – either orCoconut Juice – no alcohol• Rum is probably best-

known Caribbean drink• Ginger Beer – distinctive• Coconut juice and

Coconut milk

TU Chemnitz - Caribbean Food - Kristina Porsche

Beverages 2

Rum Punch: • Rum is said to be brought to the West Indies by Columbus• Many islands produce their own rum• Rum is distilled from sugarcane• traditional punch has: 1 “sour“ ounce of lime juice 2 “sweet“ teaspoons of honey 3 “strong“ ounces of dark rum 4 “weak“ ounces of crushed ice plus a grating of nutmeg

Ginger Beer:• Alcoholic and non-alcoholic versions (like lemonade)• taste is sth. you really have to get used to• tried a recipe myself (Burke)

TU Chemnitz - Caribbean Food - Kristina Porsche

Beverages 3

Ginger beer recipe (really easy): serves 6•125g/4oz fresh root ginger, peeled and grated•2.5l/10 cups water•2 limes, juiced•1kg/4 cups sugar•2 whole cloves (Gewürznelke)

•Place all ingredients in a large, non-reactive saucepan.•Bring to the boil and boil fror 5 mins.•Remove from the heat and allow to stand overnight.•Strain through a sieve and check the sweetness.•Pour into bottles and allow to stand fror 5 days before drinking.* Chill before serving.

TU Chemnitz - Caribbean Food - Kristina Porsche

Beverages 4

Coconut juice: = the clear liquid inside the coconut, also called coconut water

Coconut milk: = rich milk from grated flesh of mature coconuts

TU Chemnitz - Caribbean Food - Kristina Porsche

Sources:

Burke, Virginia (2000). Walkerswood: Caribbean Kitchen. London: Simon & Schuster.Mackley, Lesley (2000). The Book of Caribbean Cooking. New York: HP Books.<http://www.b-v-i.com/Dining/cuisine.htm> 15/05/05<http://www.b-v-i.com/Cooking/Callaloo/default.htm> 15/05/05<http://soup.allrecipes.com/az/CallalooSoup.asp> 15/05/05<http://www.answers.com/topic/callaloo> 15/05/05<http://www.bbc.co.uk/dann/h2g2/pda/A634664?s_id=4&s_split=1> 22/06/05<http://images.google.de/images?biw=&q=plantain&hl=de> 22/06/05<http://www.recipes4us.co.uk/Desserts%20and%20Puddings/Duckanoo% 20%20%20%20Veg%20%20HT%20%20DP%20%20West%20Indian%20%20%20 50mins.htm> 18/06/05<http://www.sodapopstop.com/products/browse.cfm?link=4> 22/06/05<http://www.asiafood.org/glossary_2.cfm?wordid=2518> 22/06/05

Thanks...

...for your patience