Expert: Leo Salazar - 4/18/2003

Question
I am doing a presentation on caribbean cooking for my senior exhibition and I was wondering if you knew any of the history on caribbean cooking or where I could find any information on the history of their cooking?  If you have any information please let me know.  Thank you

Answer
Hi Sara

Latin American cooking began in 1492 as America was discovered and the first spaniards settled and mingled with the local populations.

In addition, when african slaves were brought, they too begun having an influence on foodstufs and recipies, after all, the did the actual cooking for higher ranking people.

Caribbean cooking is based on seafood (shrimp, lobster, sea bass, pompano, snapper, etc.)and pork, chicken and goat.

The basic ingredients are: peppers, onion, oregano and cilantro.

Side dishes: rice, beans (red, black and white), plaintains, the local sweet potato and several roots and tubers (yuca, yautia, name, etc.)

I don't know of any site on the net that will go to deep into "the history of caribeean cooking" but on general terms the sequence is as follows:

Pre-columbian (before 1492) = local populations boil, roast or eat raw most sealife, fruits, vegetables and birds. There were no chickens then, no rice, no beans, no pork. Manatee was consumed when caught as were some rodents of the Capromydae family and iguanas.
Columbian (1492-1850) = The time of the "Discovery" and the settlement, spaniards brought some of their food and begun trying the local foodstufs like corn, potatoes, iguanas (they were nearly exctinct due to over hunting)and the local sea food. Social and political changes occur where spaniards no loger rule and locals develop the actual nations and habits of their countries.
Modern/contemporary= Actual Latin America, variations of customs and well established national identities and personalities. Differences in country specific cookinmg styles and prefernces well defined, examples:
Argentina : Excelent meats, love grills and BBQ's
Brazil: Heavy on stews the national dish is : Feijoada, a stew with beans. The also have their meats being fond of Rodizio the local grilling method.
Mejico: Corn based hot dishes
Caribbean (Cuba, Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, Jamaica, etc.): Rice and beans with creole beef or chicken, seafood.

Some links for you to explore:
http://www.thedominicanrepublic.net/CaribbeanFood.html
http://members.tripod.com/berdina/cookbook.htm
http://www.nationaldirectory.com/Home/Cooking/World_Cuisines/Caribbean

I don't endorse any of the links above and can't say weather recipies are either good or bad.

For your presentation I would suggest you cook something for the class, why not fried plaintains or TOSTONES:

If you can get green plaintains, each plaintain will give you 5 or 6 pieces,

Peel plaintain with a knife
Cut 5 or 6 pieces "drum like"
Deep fry 3 minutes
Bring out of the oil and let stand for 2 minutes
press with a small dish each piece to about 1/4 inch flat and fry until golden
Sprinkle with salt -ketchup is alowed on top-

Hope I could be of some help and that you do well with your presentation.

Regards

Leo