Caribbean Diet

While many of the basic dishes commonly prepared in Caribbean countries as part of a regular diet are also included in the cuisine common to other countries, they are prepared with different seasonings, and often with sauces or gravies. Country areas grow and butcher pigs and goats for meat in the diet, and these meats are also sold in local stores. When meats are cooked in various ways, the fat and skin are included to provide rich flavor and gravy typical of the Caribbean diet.

Chicken is a common ingredient in the diet of Caribbean people and is commonly prepared by splitting the pieces so the bone marrow is exposed and cooked in the stew or soup being served. A common food item is the roti, which is a rolled sandwich filled with a meat, potatoes and vegetables, a very hearty and tasty item in the diet. A visitor biting into a roti for the first time may be surprised with a mouthful of chicken bone. It is interesting to discover many rich and "heavy" foods included in a diet enjoyed by people in the tropics, which those living in temperate regions might consider to be essentially elements in a cold weather diet. These include rich soups made with salted meats and fish, including pea soup and fish soup.

Common fruits in the Caribbean diet include mango, papaya, plums, citrus fruits, golden apple. Some apples,pears, grapes and other fruits are imported and found in supermarkets. Pumpkins are commonly included in Caribbean dishes and, prepared with a little onion, garlic and ginger make a delicious addition to the diet.

A local dish called "oildown" is often prepared to serve a large family or friends and neighbors. This dish, a diet favorite, is very traditional and preparation almost a ritual. This cultural dish, important in the Caribbean diet, and contains an assortment of local foods such as chicken, pork, salt pork, and assorted vegetables including potatoes and the heavy, starchy breadfruit which is used regularly in the Caribbean diet. The ingredients are cooked for a long time, with callaloo leaves covering the top of the huge pot of food.

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