A taste of the Caribbean culinary history

BY: CHEF NOEL CUNNINGHAM 

The Caribbean islands are known for its beautiful sand and sea but most of all its rich multi-national gastronomy. The month of February is celebrated as Black History Month or African History Month, what better time, to take a look at what food other Caribbean islands eat or what culture influenced their cuisine.

Caribbean cuisine is a mélange of African, European, Latin American, Chinese, East and North Indian food. The slaves who came to the different islands brought their own food and spices which remain as a part of our rich culinary traditions.

African food and cooking techniques are popular throughout every island. Our love for plantain, okra, peas, callaloo, breadfruit, cornmeal, and ackee just to name a few all came to the Caribbean in the 1600s during the African slave trade. However, Cuba and Puerto Rico have a rich Spanish influence. Islands such as Martinique and Guadeloupe are French-owned; their native cuisine has obvious ties to France while islands such as Jamaica has a rich African culture.

As you know we are separated by the Caribbean Sea but are joined together by our rich culture. Out of many, we are one. Here is a list of each island’s national dish.

Anguilla – Pigeon peas & rice
Aruba – Keshi yena. This culinary dish consists of spicy shredded beef, chicken or goat. The meat is somewhat compressed with edam cheese or gouda and then baked

Antigua and Barbuda – Fungie & pepper pot. “Fungie” is a dish made from cornmeal similar to polenta

British Virgin Islands – Fish and fungi. Similar to Antiguan’s fungi made with okra along with fish on the side

Bahamas – Crack conch with peas and rice. Crack conch is basically conch in batter.

Barbados – Flying fish and cou-cou
Cayman Islands – Turtle

Cuba – Ropa Vieja. Ropa vieja is a mixture of shredded beef, cooked with a tomato base infused with herbs, served with yellow rice with black beans and fried plantain.

Dominica – Mountain chicken. Mountain chicken is frog legs which is usually seasoned and fried and served as a main entree with rice and peas.

Dominica Republic – Sancocho. Sancocho is a stew consisting of a variety of meats (chicken, beef, etc.…) and a combination of root vegetables such as Yam, yucca potatoes.

Grenada – Oil down. Oil down is a stew of breadfruit, salted meat or chicken with coconut milk and spices.

Guadeloupe – Porc colombo. Porc columbo is pork curry

Guyana -Pepper pot
Haiti – Griots with rice and beans, pronounced gree-oh.

Jamaica – Ackee, and saltfish
Martinique – Grilled snapper with sauce au chien. Sauce au chien is made of chives, parsley, tomato, pepper and other variety of spices.

Montserrat – Goat water. Goat water is a thick, stew made from goat meat. The meat is seasoned and simmered.

Puerto Rico – Arroz con gandules. Arroz con gandules means rice with pigeon peas, made with chorizo, a shoulder of pork served and sofrito.

St Kitts and Nevis – Stewed fish, plantain, coconut dumpling and breadfruit.

St Lucia – Saltfish and green figs. Green figs are green bananas which is a favourite.

Saint Martin/Saint Maarten – Callaloo soup, conch and dumpling

St Vincent and the Grenadines – Roasted breadfruit and jackfish
Trinidad and Tobago – Crab and callaloo
Turks and Caicos – Conch