1. Culinary Information No matter the island, good home-cooked Caribbean food always starts with staple local ingredients: – Fresh fish – Vegetables – Tropical Fruits – Chicken – Island Spices & Herbs

2. Caribbean Cooking Distinctive flavor of the region comes alive with addition of: – Spices, coconut, mangoes, passion fruit, limes, papayas, guava, apples, breadfruit, yams, and peppers – Limes very popular to marinade fish & chicken

3. Caribbean Cooking Food for Thought! Tamarind, similar to Worcestershire sauce Allspice for jerk cooking Spicy peppers in chocolate cake Dipping sauces use hot peppers + sweet fruit Coconut milk the base for stews & sauces Most favorite ingredient for marinades, desserts, sauces, and soups…..

4. RUM!

5. Cooking Methods Barbeque – Slowly cooking spiced meat over open fire pit – Absorbs flavors and cooks for 2-4 hours Jerk Cooking – Pork, Chicken, and Beef – Hot chili powder & herb rub before cooking – Cooked bare on open flame for 15-20 minutes Boil and Fry – Vegetables, plantains – Sauté in pan with oil for 15-20 minutes Roasting – Large cuts of meat, vegetables, nuts, fruit – Marinate meat and cook in oven for 50 minutes – Surround with side items to absorb flavor

6. Meal Manners Start eating only after the host says something like “Please begin!” or “Let’s eat!” Always hot pepper sauce nearby! Often served buffet style Courteous to try a bit of everything Informal meals, but still use European or continental style Polite to finish everything on your plate When at home, it is considered bad to leave the table at any time 10% tip sufficient in restaurants