Caribbean Food, West Indian Food and Island food are names which are all used interchangeable. The food is the name used to describe the food from the islands in the Caribbean. In our experience, the name Caribbean food is generally use by people who are not from the Island.
Trinidad & Guyana
Take for example: Roti, a food mostly cooks in Trinidad & Guyana. Along with Flying fish is known in Barbados, arroz con pollo (rice with chicken) is known to Puerto Rico. While in Jamaica there’s Jerk Chicken and Curry Goat.
. These dishes are Caribbean food. During cooking, comes alive, all the natural spices in which these tropical islands are known for.
Misconception
We believe the biggest misconception about Caribbean food is that it’s all spicy / hot and that is not case. Caribbean food is cooked based on who you are cooking it for. While the food from the islands has developed a reputation that it must be spicy to be authentic.
The Truth
That is so far from the truth. As children when our granny, aunt and mother finish cooking. We eat did not need a glass of water in one hand the fork in the other hand. But no one could question our Granny that the food was not authentic.
She was born in Jamaica in 1906 and learned to cook from her mother who was born in 1875. As far as we are concern, it does not get any more authentic than that. While it cook with pepper to get the flavor, the pepper is removed at a certain point.
Caribbean household
Furthermore, in many Caribbean households, the adults usually eat their meals with pepper on the side and add the pepper as needed. I can go a step further and say, many Caribbean people make homemade pepper sauce and use as hot sauce.
We can recall our uncle sitting down eating and chewing a scotch bonnet pepper as if he was eating a carrots.
Island Culture
The Island culture love spicy food but the food does not have to be spicy hot to be authentic. Caribbean food should be cook so your family and customers can enjoy.
