Food in the Caribbean reflects both the best and worst of the Caribbean's history. Within this context, students and other readers will understand the diverse island societies and ethnicities through their food cultures.
This compelling collection of original essays explores food and identity in the Caribbean, focusing on contemporary political and economic changes which impact upon culinary identities.
Since 1492, the distinct cultures, peoples, and languages of four continents have met in the Caribbean and intermingled in wave after wave of post-Columbian encounters, with foods and their styles of preparation being among the most consumable of the converging cultural elements. This book traces the pathways of migrants and travellers and the mixing of their cultures in the Caribbean from the Atlantic slave trade to the modern tourism economy. As an object of cultural exchange and global trade, food offers an intriguing window into this world. The many topics covered in the book include foodways, Atlantic history, the slave trade, the importance of sugar, the place of food in African-derived religion, resistance, sexuality and the Caribbean kitchen, contemporary Caribbean identity, and the politics of the new globalisation. The author draws on archival sources and European written descriptions to reconstruct African foodways in the diaspora and places them in the context of archaeology and oral traditions, performance arts, ritual, proverbs, folktales, and the children's song game "Congotay." Enriching the presentation are sixteen recipes located in special boxes throughout the book.
The Best Caribbean Foods to Combat Chronic Diseases is a factual, easy-to-understand summary of which real Caribbean foods can not only solve nutrition problems but reverse them!
"Expertly drawn together through the ingredients that the island have in common, this wide-ranging collection, peppered throughout with personal anecdotes, reveals an update on traditional recipes using Jerk, Rioja and Rundown as well as more modern dishes, including Escoveitch Chicken Salad and Soursop Cream"--Back cover.
A lush, modern vegetarian cookbook celebrating the bold flavors and unique ingredients of the Caribbean In Provisions, Michelle and Suzanne Rousseau share 150 recipes that pay homage to the meals and market produce that have been farmed, sold, and prepared by Caribbean people -- particularly the women -- for centuries. Caribbean food is often thought of as rustic and unrefined, but these vibrant vegetarian dishes will change the way we think about this diverse, exciting, and nourishing cuisine. The pages are spiced with the sisters' fond food memories and fascinating glimpses of the islands' histories, bringing the region's culinary past together with creative recipes that represent the best of Caribbean food today. With a modern twist on traditional island ingredients and flavors, Provisions reinvents classic dishes and presents innovative new favorites, like Ripe Plantain Gratin, Ackee Tacos with Island Guacamole, Haitian Riz Djon Djon Risotto, Oven-Roasted Pumpkin Flatbread, and Caramelized Fennel and Grilled Green Guava with Mint. Stunning full-color photographs showcase the variety of these dishes: hearty stews, easy one-pot meals, crunchy salads, flavorful pickles, preserves, and hot sauces, sumptuous desserts, cocktails, and more. At once elegant, authoritative, and accessible, Suzanne and Michelle's recipes and stories invite you to bring fresh Caribbean flavors to your table.
Academic discussions of ethnic food have tended to focus on the attitudes of consumers, rather than the creators and producers. In this ground-breaking new book, Krishnendu Ray reverses this trend by exploring the culinary world from the perspective of the ethnic restaurateur. Focusing on New York City, he examines the lived experience, work, memories, and aspirations of immigrants working in the food industry. He shows how migrants become established in new places, creating a taste of home and playing a key role in influencing food cultures as a result of transactions between producers, consumers and commentators. Based on extensive interviews with immigrant restaurateurs and students, chefs and alumni at the Culinary Institute of America, ethnographic observation at immigrant eateries and haute institutional kitchens as well as historical sources such as the US census, newspaper coverage of restaurants, reviews, menus, recipes, and guidebooks, Ray reveals changing tastes in a major American city between the late 19th and through the 20th century. Written by one of the most outstanding scholars in the field, The Ethnic Restaurateur is an essential read for students and academics in food studies, culinary arts, sociology, urban studies and indeed anyone interested in popular culture and cooking in the United States.
Spice up your life with over 200 authentic Caribbean recipes—veganized! Welcome to the Caribbean, home to an incredibly rich cooking tradition. Here, African, French, Asian, and Spanish influences combine with the local flavors of Barbados, Saint Lucia, Trinidad and Tobago, Jamaica, and more. You’ll discover: Sweet and Savory Breakfasts: Cassava Pancakes, Herbed Sada Roti Traditional Mains: Jerk “Sausages,” Pelau, Trinidadian Doubles Smoothies and Nourishing Bowls: Bajan Booster Shake, Papaya Chia Smoothie Bowl, Caribbean Macro Bowl Modern Delights: Rasta Pasta, Plantain Wellington, Caribbean Sushi Teas and Sweet and Savory Treats: Moringa Bread, Lemongrass Agave Tisane, Sweetened Hibiscus Tea, Ginger-Kissed Jam-Filled Beignets Plus Drinks and Cocktails, Desserts, and everything in between! In this expanded, full-color second edition of Caribbean Vegan, Barbadian chef Taymer Mason shares 75 all-new recipes, including Caribbean Sushi, Brule Jol (avocado salad), and Breadfruit Ravioli with Calabaza Squash Filling. Plus, she explains the key kitchen skills she learned growing up: how to cut breadfruit, make your own cassava flour, choose a ripe coconut, and more. The islands await you . . .
Melissa Fuster thinks expansively about the multiple meanings of comida, food, from something as simple as a meal to something as complex as one's identity. She listens intently to the voices of New York City residents with Cuban, Dominican, or Puerto Rican backgrounds, as well as to those of the nutritionists and health professionals who serve them. She argues with sensitivity that the migrants' health depends not only on food culture but also on important structural factors that underlie their access to food, employment, and high-quality healthcare. People in Hispanic Caribbean communities in the United States present high rates of obesity, diabetes, and other diet-related diseases, conditions painfully highlighted during the COVID-19 pandemic. Both eaters and dietitians may blame these diseases on the shedding of traditional diets in favor of highly processed foods. Or, conversely, they may blame these on the traditional diets of fatty meat, starchy root vegetables, and rice. Applying a much needed intersectional approach, Fuster shows that nutritionists and eaters often misrepresent, and even racialize or pathologize, a cuisine's healthfulness or unhealthfulness if they overlook the kinds of economic and racial inequities that exist within the global migration experience.
In the 2009 BBC2 programme, Caribbean Food Made Easy, Levi Roots travelled around the UK and the Caribbean and revealed how delicious Caribbean food can be prepared at home with easy-to-prepare, mouth-watering recipes using fresh, healthy and readily-available ingredients. This accompanying cookbook includes 100 delicious Caribbean recipes, including all of those that appeared on the TV programme.