Caribbean Cooking Spices Things Up

Part of what makes Caribbean cooking so unforgettable is that it is such a melting pot of cooking techniques. Caribbean cooking takes what is good about a variety of cuisines and puts them together into one fabulous style of cooking. Traditionally speaking, what has set Caribbean cooking apart is their creative use of herbs. This was because originally the Caribbean nations did not have a wide range of food options available to them, and they used their native island spices to give their taste buds something new to taste.

The island dishes begin with fresh fish, fruits, vegetables, and chicken, all of which can be obtained locally. Coconut milk features heavily into many Caribbean dishes, as well as lime. In fact, lime marinades are some of the most popular among these recipes. Caribbean cuisine also features other exotic flavors such as mangoes, cassava, papaya, yam, guava, and peppers. Nutmeg is also a spice that is used frequently in Caribbean cooking, rather than just in desserts as in common in the United States. The jerk chicken that is famous in Caribbean cuisine is seasoned with allspice.

Actually, most of the individual islands have specialized a style of cooking that is unique as well. For instance, if you are in the mood for black beans and rice then you are looking for Cuban recipes. If, instead, you are interested in sampling some conch dishes then you are looking for the Bahamas. Caribbean cuisine as a whole, however, is known for taking simple staples and dressing them up in surprising ways to excite your taste buds.