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Jamaica

Jamaica, a Caribbean island, pulses with reggae—thanks to Bob Marley—and Kingston’s vibrant, gritty streets as its capital. Known for jerk chicken, rum, and Usain Bolt, its economy leans on tourism, bauxite, and remittances, with Montego Bay’s resorts shining. Its Blue Mountains grow prized coffee, while Rastafari culture adds spiritual depth. Jamaica’s laid-back vibe belies its fierce pride.

Jamaica

Featured Dishes from Jamaica

Ackee and saltfish

Ackee and saltfish

Ackee and saltfish is the Jamaican national dish prepared with sautéed ackee and salted codfish. The ackee fruit is the national fruit of Jamaica. It was brought to the Caribbean from Ghana before 1725 as 'Ackee' or 'Aki', another name for the Akan people, Akyem. The fruit's scientific name honours Captain William Bligh who took the fruit from Jamaica to the Royal Botanic Gardens in Kew, England in 1793 and introduced it to science. Because parts of the fruit are toxic, such as the arils prior to the opening of the husk at the ripening stage, there are shipping restrictions when being imported to countries such as the United States. Salted codfish, on the other hand, was introduced to Jamaica for enslaved people as a long-lasting and inexpensive protein source. In west Africa, ackee is mainly used as medicine or an ingredient for soap and is not consumed as food. To prepare the dish, salt cod is sautéed with boiled ackee, onions, Scotch bonnet peppers, tomatoes, then seasoned with spices like pepper and paprika. It can be garnished with bacon and tomatoes, and is usually served as breakfast alongside breadfruit, hard dough bread, dumplings, or boiled green bananas.

Bakes

Bakes

Fried bake is a Caribbean dish. Many West Indian nations including Trinidad and Tobago, Guyana, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Dominica and Grenada eat this dish. The main ingredient in fried bake is flour. It can be served in a multitude of ways. This dish is usually served with salt fish and steamed vegetables.

Bammy

Bammy

Bammy is a traditional Jamaican cassava flatbread descended from the simple flatbread called casabe, eaten by the Arawaks / Taínos, Jamaica's indigenous people. Variations of bammy exist throughout the Americas. It is produced in many rural communities and sold in stores and by street vendors in Jamaica and abroad. Bammies have existed since pre-Columbian times, and they originated from the native Arawak / Taíno people. They are made with cassava indigenous to Mesoamerica, and was a staple crop of the Arawaks / Taínos, which they cultivated in conucos. Cassava was also integral to their existence, as it featured prominently in their worship. Yúcahu, a major Taíno god, whose name has been translated to ‘spirit of the cassava’, was the god of cassava and the sea. A minor Taíno god related to growing cassava, the process of life, creation and death, Baibrama, was worshipped for his assistance in growing cassava and curing people from its poisonous juice. According to the curator of the Jamaica National Heritage Trust, Ann-Marie Howard Brown, the Arawaks / Taínos used a small, sharp, flat stone (celt) to peel and cut the cassava, which they would then grate on a guaio / guayo, a wooden frame embedded with small stones and pieces of coral or a stone grater, until it was reduced to a pulp. They would then place the pulp in a large funnel-shaped basket called a matapi, which was hung from a tree for extraction of the juice. Once the desired consistency was achieved, the mixture was placed on a stone structure called a metate, and a smaller ground stone called a mano, was used like a modern rolling pin to grind to the consistency of cassava flour. This would then be moulded to circles in the desired size, and baked on earthenware griddles called buréns.

Banana bread

Banana bread

Banana bread is a type of sweet bread or cake made from mashed bananas. It is often a moist and sweet quick bread but some recipes are yeast raised. Bananas appeared in the US in the 1870s, but it took a while for them to appear as ingredients in desserts. Banana bread recipes emerged in cookbooks across North America when baking powder became available in grocery stores in the 1930s. Some food historians believe banana bread was a byproduct of the Great Depression as resourceful housewives did not wish to throw away overripe bananas. Others believe that banana bread was developed in corporate kitchens to promote flour and baking soda products. Banana bread experienced a resurgence in popularity in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns. In the Philippines, banana bread is usually called "banana cake." It was introduced during the American colonial period of the Philippines as the Philippines became a top banana supplier.

Banana porridge

Banana porridge

Green banana porridge with spices, may also be made with green plantains

Breadfruit

Breadfruit

Breadfruit is a species of flowering tree in the mulberry and jackfruit family (Moraceae) believed to be a domesticated descendant of Artocarpus camansi originating in New Guinea, the Maluku Islands, and the Philippines. It was initially spread to Oceania via the Austronesian expansion. It was further spread to other tropical regions of the world during the Colonial Era. British and French navigators introduced a few Polynesian seedless varieties to Caribbean islands during the late 18th century. Today it is grown in 90 countries throughout South and Southeast Asia, the Pacific Ocean, the Caribbean, Central America and Africa. Its name is derived from the texture of the moderately ripe fruit when cooked, similar to freshly baked bread and having a potato-like flavor. The trees have been widely planted in tropical regions, including lowland Central America, northern South America, and the Caribbean. In addition to the fruit serving as a staple food in many cultures, the light, sturdy timber of breadfruit has been used for outriggers, ships, and houses in the tropics.

Callaloo

Callaloo

Callaloo is a plant used in popular dishes in many Caribbean countries, while for other Caribbean countries, a stew made with the plant is called callaloo. Cuisines, including the plant callaloo or dishes called callaloo, vary throughout the Caribbean. In countries such as Trinidad and Tobago or Grenada, the dish itself is called callaloo and uses taro leaves (known by many local names such as 'dasheen bush', 'callaloo bush', or 'bush') or Xanthosoma leaves (known by many names, including cocoyam and tannia). Since the leaf vegetable used in some regions differs, some confusion can arise among the vegetables with the dish itself. This, as is the case with many other Caribbean dishes, is a remnant of West African and Taino cuisine. There are two possible etymological origins for the word. The first deriving from Tupi caárurú, meaning thick leaf. The other being from Kimbundu kalulú referring to okra, similar to the present use of the word in Haitian Creole and São Tomean Portuguese.

Callaloo fritters

Callaloo fritters

Fritters with greens, vegetables, chili peppers

Cocoa tea

Cocoa tea

Hot chocolate with spices such as nutmeg, cinnamon, cloves

Conch soup

Conch soup

Conch soup and conch chowder are soup dishes made with conch that are traditional in various Caribbean island cuisines as well as the cuisine of Honduras. Conch chowder is also a traditional food of the Florida Keys.

Cornmeal porridge

Cornmeal porridge

Ugali, also known as posho, nsima, papa, pap, sadza, isitshwala, akume, amawe, ewokple, akple, and other names, is a type of corn meal made from maize or corn flour in several African countries: Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Lesotho, Eswatini, Angola, Mozambique, Namibia, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Malawi, Botswana and South Africa, and in West Africa by the Ewes of Togo, Ghana, Benin, Nigeria and Cote D'Ivoire. It is cooked in boiling water or milk until it reaches a stiff or firm dough-like consistency. In 2017, the dish was added to the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, one of a few foods in the list. This dish is eaten widely across Africa, where it has different local names:

Dumplings

Dumplings

Dumplings are a broad class of dishes that consist of pieces of cooked dough , often wrapped around a filling. The dough can be based on bread, wheat or other flours, or potatoes, and it may be filled with meat, fish, tofu, cheese, vegetables, or a combination. Dumplings may be prepared using a variety of cooking methods and are found in many world cuisines. One of the earliest mentions of dumplings comes from the Chinese scholar Shu Xi who mentions them in a poem 1,700 years ago. In addition, archaeologically preserved dumplings have been found in Turfan, Xinjiang, China dating back over 1,000 years.

Fried plantains

Fried plantains

Fried plantain is a dish cooked wherever plantains grow, from West Africa to East Africa as well as Central America, the tropical region of northern South America and the Caribbean countries like Haiti to Cuba and in many parts of Southeast Asia and Oceania, where fried snacks are widely popular. In Indonesia it is called gorengan. It is called dodo in Yoruba in South West Nigeria, otherwise known as simply fried plantain in other parts of Nigeria. Kelewele is a fried spicy plantain or can be fried as a side dish for Red Red and fish stew in Ghana. Fried plantain is also eaten in some countries in South America or the Caribbean where African influence is present. For example, in the Dominican Republic, Nicaragua, Puerto Rico, and to a lesser extent Cuba. it is common to cut plantains in slices, fry them until they are yellow, smash them between two plates and fry them again. Puerto Rico has mofongo, a dish consisting of fried and pounded plantains with chicharrón, spices, fat (butter, lard or olive oil) and usually in a broth or served with meat, seafood on top or on the side. This is also a common dish in Haiti, referred to as bannann peze, and throughout Central America, referred to as patacones in Costa Rica, Panama, Colombia and Ecuador, and as tostones in Nicaragua and the Spanish-speaking Caribbean. In Honduras and Venezuela they are referred to as tajadas. Puerto Rico also has arañitas (spiders), where green and yellow plantains are shredded together, seasoned shaped into patties, then fried until crisp. Other traditional fried plantain dishes in Puerto Rico include alcapurria, pionono, ralleno de amarillo (similar to papa rellena but made with yellow plantain), and bolitas de plantain (plantain dumpling).Fue creado en África Fried plantain may be served as a snack, a starter or as a side dish to the main course, such as with Jollof rice, spicy barbecued meat, tomato stew or beans. It is made in different ways: salted or unsalted, cut into "ears", "fingers", can be diced, or fried whole.

Hominy

Hominy

Grits are a type of porridge made from coarsely ground dried maize or hominy, the latter being maize that has been treated with an alkali in a process called nixtamalization, with the pericarp removed. Grits are cooked in warm salted water or milk. They are often served with flavorings as a breakfast dish. Grits can be savory or sweet, with savory seasonings being more common. Grits are similar to other thick maize-based porridges from around the world, such as polenta, mieliepap, and mămăligă. The dish originated in the Southern United States but is now available nationwide. Grits are often part of the dinner entrée shrimp and grits, served primarily in the Southern United States. The word "grits" is derived from the Old English word grytt, meaning "coarse meal". In the Charleston, South Carolina area, cooked hominy grits were primarily referred to as "hominy" until the 1980s. The dish originated with the Native American Muscogee tribe using maize. American colonists learned to make the dish from the Native Americans, and it quickly became an American staple.

Johnnycake

Johnnycake

Johnnycake, also known as journey cake, johnny bread, hoecake, shawnee cake or spider cornbread, is a cornmeal flatbread, a type of batter bread. An early American staple food, it is prepared on the Atlantic coast from Newfoundland to Jamaica. The food originates from the indigenous people of North America. It is still eaten in the Bahamas, Belize, Nicaragua, Bermuda, Canada, Colombia, Curaçao, Dominican Republic, Jamaica, Puerto Rico, Saint Croix, Sint Maarten, Antigua, and the United States. The modern johnnycake is found in the cuisine of New England and is often claimed as originating in Rhode Island. A modern johnnycake is fried cornmeal gruel, which is made from yellow or white cornmeal mixed with salt and hot water or milk, and sometimes sweetened. In the Southern United States, the term used is hoecake, although this can also refer to cornbread fried in a pan. The earliest attestation of the term "johnny cake" is from 1739 ; the spelling "journey cake" is attested only from 1775 on the Gulf Coast, but may be the earlier form.

Oats porridge

Oats porridge

Jamaican oats porridge is a nutritious breakfast made by cooking rolled oats in water or milk, often flavored with spices like cinnamon and nutmeg, and sweetened with condensed milk or sugar. It's a quick and easy dish that provides a filling and healthy start to the day.

Peanut porridge

Peanut porridge

Oat and peanut porridge, made with vanilla, nutmeg, condensed milk, coconut milk

Plantain

Plantain

Cooking bananas are a group of banana cultivars in the genus Musa whose fruits are generally used in cooking. They are not eaten raw and are generally starchy. Many cooking bananas are referred to as plantains or 'green bananas'. In botanical usage, the term "plantain" is used only for true plantains, while other starchy cultivars used for cooking are called "cooking bananas". True plantains are cooking cultivars belonging to the AAB group, while cooking bananas are any cooking cultivar belonging to the AAB, AAA, ABB, or BBB groups. The currently accepted scientific name for all such cultivars in these groups is Musa × paradisiaca. Fe'i bananas from the Pacific Islands are often eaten roasted or boiled, and are thus informally referred to as "mountain plantains", but they do not belong to any of the species from which all modern banana cultivars are descended. Cooking bananas are a major food staple in West and Central Africa, the Caribbean islands, Central America, and northern South America. Members of the genus Musa are indigenous to the tropical regions of Southeast Asia and Oceania. Bananas fruit all year round, making them a reliable all-season staple food.

Rundown

Rundown

Run down, also referred to as rundown, run dun, rondón, fling-me-far, and fling mi for, is a stew dish in Jamaican cuisine and Tobago cuisine. The traditional Jamaican dish is eaten in several Latin American countries that share a coast with the Caribbean Sea. It consists of a soup made up of reduced coconut milk, with different types of seafood , plantain, yam, tomato, onion, and seasonings. Mackerel and salted mackerel are often used in the dish. Other fish are also used, including locally caught fish, cod, salt cod, shad, other oily fish, red snapper, swordfish, pickled fish, bull pizzle, and cassava. Traditionally, the dish is served with side dishes of dumplings or baked breadfruit. Run down is typically available in Jamaican restaurants, and is also a traditional Jamaican breakfast dish. It is a common dish in the Antilles, insular Colombia, Honduras, Panama, Costa Rica, Nicaragua and Venezuela, also.

Saltfish fritters

Saltfish fritters

Stamp and Go is a fish fritter made with salt fish in Jamaican cuisine. It is part of a Jamaican breakfast. It is referred to as one of the original fast foods in Jamaica. The unusual name is supposed to have derived from the 18th-century British sailing ships. If an officer wanted something to be done in a hurry the order was "Stamp and Go!". Bite-sized fritters are often served with tangy dips. Larger ones are popular for breakfast and were often used as provisions for travellers.

Steamed cabbage

Steamed cabbage

Shredded cabbage, vegetables and scotch bonnet chilies are stir fried, then steamed

Banana cake

Banana cake

A banana cake is a cake prepared using banana as a primary ingredient and typical cake ingredients. It can be prepared in various manners, including as a layer cake, as muffins and as cupcakes. Steamed banana cake is found in Chinese, Malaysian, Indonesian and Vietnamese cuisine. In the Philippines, the term "banana cake" refers to banana bread introduced during the American colonial period of the Philippines. Banana cake is prepared using banana as a primary ingredient and typical cake ingredients, such as flour, sugar, eggs, butter, margarine or oil and baking soda. The bananas can be mashed or puréed using a food processor or electric mixer and mixed into the cake batter, and the cake can also be topped or garnished with sliced bananas. Banana cake may be prepared as a use for browned or overly-ripe bananas. Chocolate may be used as an ingredient, which along with the banana is an enjoyable flavor combination for some people. Nuts such as walnuts and macadamias may be used in the batter and to top and garnish the cake. An icing or glaze may be used in the cake's preparation, which can include alcohol, such as bourbon. Banana cake can be baked or prepared as a steamed cake, for which a food steamer may be used. Banana cake may have a moist texture. It can be prepared as a layer cake, and the cake batter can be used to prepare banana muffins and cupcakes. It can be prepared as a vegetarian dish and as a low-fat dish.

Banana fritters

Banana fritters

A banana fritter is a fritter made by deep frying battered banana or plantain in hot cooking oil. It is a common dish across Southeast Asia and South India. It is commonly found in Kerala and is not served with any curry or side dishes. Banana fritters are a traditional snack in Brunei, where they are called cucur pisang. They are similar to pisang goreng in Indonesia and Malaysia. Cucur pisang madu, a variant of cucur pisang made with honey, are popular as a light afternoon meal .

Black cake

Black cake

A rum cake or black cake is a type of dessert cake which contains rum. In most of the Caribbean, rum cakes are a traditional holiday season dessert, descended from the holiday puddings . Traditionally, dried fruit is soaked in rum for months and then added to dough prepared with sugar which has been caramelized by boiling in water. The result, also known as "black cake", is similar to a fruitcake, with a lighter texture. In Guyana, Trinidad and Tobago, Jamaica and other parts of the Caribbean, fruits are preserved in cherry brandy or rum to be used in the making of black cake. Black cake is traditionally associated with Christmas and weddings in Guyana, Jamaica, and Trinidad and Tobago. On the mainland United States, rum cakes have been popular since at least the 1970s. While many island travelers go out of their way to pick up a Caribbean variety, more and more small U.S. companies are competing, much the way that craft beers are competing with the large beer manufacturers. Some offer baked-to-order rum cakes. Some infuse the rum directly into their cakes (instead of glazing). Many appear to have a decades-old special recipe. In Puerto Rico, rum cake is called Bizcocho de Ron, and is a sponge cake, so as to absorb the rum. If fruit is added to it, it is fresh or dried. Raisins and sultanas may be soaked in rum for one day or one night. Bizcochos de Ron are given as gifts during the holiday season.[citation needed]

Blue draws

Blue draws

Duckunoo or duckanoo, also referred to as tie-a-leaf, blue drawers , dokonon (in French Guiana), and dukunou (in Haiti) is a dessert in Jamaica, Haiti, Antigua and Barbuda, Belize, St Vincent, French Guiana and some other islands in the Lesser Antilles. It is a variation of tamale, which originated in Mesoamerica as early as 8000 to 5000 BC. The Caribbean dish which has Amerindian and African influences, is typically made from batata (sweet potato), coconut, cornmeal, spices like cinnamon and nutmeg, brown sugar and vanilla, all tied up in a banana leaf. It is then cooked in boiling water. Duckunoo originated in the Caribbean, and is closely related to the Mesoamerican 'tamale de dulce' or 'tamal dulce' (sweet tamale), which is a popular indigenous dessert in the Americas, especially in Mexico. It is the sweet variation of the more popular savoury tamale, which may date from around 100 AD, according to archaeologists Karl Taube, William Saturno, and David Stuart. It was adopted by Africans who were brought to the Americas during slavery and indentureship— particularly the Maroons, who intermingled with the Amerindians. Corn and sweet potato which are native to the Americas were staples of Mesoamericans, and the indigenous Amerindians, the Arawaks, cultivated them in the Caribbean, which could explain their use as key ingredients.

Bread pudding

Bread pudding

Bread pudding is a bread-based dessert popular in many countries' cuisines. It is made with stale bread and milk or cream, generally containing eggs, a form of fat such as oil, butter or suet and, depending on whether the pudding is sweet or savory, a variety of other ingredients. Sweet bread puddings may use sugar, syrup, honey, dried fruit, nuts, as well as spices such as cinnamon, nutmeg, mace, or vanilla. The bread is soaked in the liquids, mixed with the other ingredients, and baked. Some other names bread pudding goes by is "poor man's pudding", "bread and butter pudding" or just "pudding". Savory puddings like breakfast strata may be served as main courses, while sweet puddings are typically eaten as desserts. In other languages, its name is a translation of "bread pudding" or even just "pudding", for example "pudín" or "budín". In the Philippines, banana bread pudding is popular. In Mexico, there is a similar dish eaten during Lent called capirotada. In Liverpool in the United Kingdom, a moist version of Nelson cake, itself a bread pudding, is nicknamed "Wet Nelly".

Carrot cake

Carrot cake

Carrot cake is cake that contains carrots mixed into the batter. The origins of carrot cake is disputed. Published in 1591, there is an English recipe for "pudding in a Carret [sic] root" that is essentially a carrot stuffed with meat, but it includes many elements common to the modern dessert: shortening, cream, eggs, raisins, sweetener (dates and sugar), spices (clove and mace), scraped carrot, and breadcrumbs (in place of flour). Many food historians believe carrot cake originated from such carrot puddings eaten by Europeans in the Middle Ages, when sugar and sweeteners were expensive and many people used carrots as a substitute for sugar.

Christmas cake

Christmas cake

Christmas cake is a type of cake, often fruitcake, served at Christmas time in many countries. Christmas cake is an English tradition that began as plum porridge. A traditional English Christmas cake is made with moist Zante currants, sultanas and raisins which have been soaked in brandy, rum, whisky or sherry. The cake may be covered in layers of marzipan, then icing and is usually decorated, often with plaid ribbon bands and Christmas models such as snowmen, fir trees or Father Christmas. A Scottish speciality is the traditional Christmas cake, the "Whisky Dundee". As the name implies, the cake originated in Dundee, and is made with Scotch whisky. It is a light and crumbly cake, and light on fruit and candied peel; only currants, raisins, sultanas and cherries. There is also the Scottish black bun, of a similar recipe using whisky and often caraway seeds, eaten on Hogmanay.

Coconut cake

Coconut cake

Coconut cake is a popular dessert in the Southern region of the United States. It is a cake frosted with a white frosting and covered in coconut flakes. Typically, the cakes used in coconut cake are either white or yellow cakes. While some recipes do not call for coconut flavor in the cake itself, there are others that replace the milk with coconut milk and/or use coconut extract. It is also common to brush the cakes with a simple syrup to make it more moist. Often the cake layers are filled with either a white frosting or coconut pastry cream. Traditionally, the cake is frosted with a 7-minute frosting, but cream cheese icings and buttercreams are not uncommon. Like the cakes, coconut flavor is not always a must in the frosting. One constant characteristic of coconut cake is the use of shredded coconut to cover the frosting. One popular variation of coconut cake is coconut poke cake. While traditional coconut cake is round and multi-layered, coconut poke cake is either a white or yellow cake that is rectangular and single-layered. What makes it a "poke" cake are the holes made into the cake to act as pores to absorb a coconut liquid mixture or cream of coconut, such as CoCo Lopez. Afterwards, the cake is frosted with a whipped topping.

Coconut drops

Coconut drops

Coconut confections or cookies, commonly made with coconut meat, brown sugar, ginger, vanilla, dried fruit, spices

Coconut pie

Coconut pie

Buko pie, sometimes anglicized as coconut pie, is a traditional Filipino baked young coconut pie. It is considered a specialty in the city of Los Baños, Laguna, located on the island of Luzon. Buko pie is made with young coconuts (buko in Tagalog), and uses sweetened condensed milk, which makes it denser than cream-based custard pies. There are also variations of the pie, which are similar but use slightly different ingredients, such as macapuno pie, that uses macapuno, a special type of coconut that is thick and sticky.

Coconut rum bread pudding

Coconut rum bread pudding

Caribbean coconut rum bread pudding is a delicious dessert made with stale bread, coconut milk, eggs, and rum, often topped with a sweet glaze. It's a popular dish in the Caribbean, known for its rich flavors and comforting texture.

Cornmeal pudding

Cornmeal pudding

A dense dessert made with cornmeal, coconut milk, spices, sugar

Crunchies

Crunchies

Oatmeal and coconut bars, serve with tea or coffee

Currants roll

Currants roll

Rolled pastry with a sweet currant filling

Gingerbread

Gingerbread

Gingerbread refers to a broad category of baked goods, typically flavored with ginger, cloves, nutmeg, and cinnamon and sweetened with honey, sugar, or molasses. Gingerbread foods vary, ranging from a moist loaf cake to forms nearly as crisp as a ginger snap. Originally, the term gingerbread referred to preserved ginger. It then referred to a confection made with honey and spices. Gingerbread is often used to translate the French term pain d'épices (lit. 'spice bread') or the German and Polish terms Pfefferkuchen and Piernik respectively (lit. 'pepper cake' because it used to contain pepper) or Lebkuchen (of unclear etymology; either Latin libum, meaning "sacrifice" or "sacrificial bread," or German Laib for loaf or German for life, Leben). Pepper is also referenced in regional names like Norwegian pepperkaker or Czech perník (originally peprník). The meaning of gingerbread has evolved over time. For centuries the term referred to a traditional European pastry, very like a modern cookie, traditionally used to make gingerbread men. In the United States the first known recipe for "Soft gingerbread to be baked in pans" is found in Amelia Simmons' 1796 cookbook, American Cookery.

Gizzada

Gizzada

Gizzada, also referred to as pinch-me-round, is an indigenous pastry in Jamaican cuisine. The tart is contained in a small, crisp pastry shell with a pinched crust and filled with a sweet and spiced coconut filling. It bears semblance to Portuguese queijada, from which it takes its name. Gizzada was contributed by Portuguese Jews who went to Jamaica during the inquisition.

Grater cake

Grater cake

Grater cake is a dessert of grated coconut in a fondant of sugar in Jamaican cuisine. While refined, or white sugar, is now often used, when "wet" or "new" brown sugar was used, it was known as grater brute.

Hummingbird cake

Hummingbird cake

Hummingbird cake is a banana-pineapple spice cake originating in Jamaica and a popular dessert in the southern United States since the 1970s. Ingredients include flour, sugar, salt, vegetable oil, ripe banana, pineapple, cinnamon, pecans, vanilla extract, eggs, and leavening agent. It is often served with cream cheese frosting. Created in Jamaica where the dessert is called the doctor bird cake , it is named after the island's national bird, the scissors-tail hummingbird (locally known as the doctor bird). In 1968, the Jamaica Tourist Board exported the recipe for hummingbird cake, along with other local Jamaican recipes, in media press kits sent to the USA. The marketing was aimed at American consumers to create interest in visiting the island. One of the first known publications of the recipe in US print, as written by L.H. Wiggins, was in the February 1978 issue of Southern Living. The recipe was a hit with readers and won the Favorite Cake Award later that same year at the Kentucky State Fair.

Ice cream

Ice cream

Ice cream is a frozen dessert typically made from milk or cream that has been flavoured with a sweetener, either sugar or an alternative, and a spice, such as cocoa or vanilla, or with fruit, such as strawberries or peaches. Food colouring is sometimes added in addition to stabilizers. The mixture is cooled below the freezing point of water and stirred to incorporate air spaces and prevent detectable ice crystals from forming. It can also be made by whisking a flavoured cream base and liquid nitrogen together. The result is a smooth, semi-solid foam that is solid at very low temperatures . It becomes more malleable as its temperature increases. Ice cream may be served in dishes, eaten with a spoon, or licked from edible wafer ice cream cones held by the hands as finger food. Ice cream may be served with other desserts—such as cake or pie—or used as an ingredient in cold dishes—like ice cream floats, sundaes, milkshakes, and ice cream cakes—or in baked items such as Baked Alaska.

Pineapple upside down cake

Pineapple upside down cake

An upside-down cake is a cake that is baked "upside-down" in a single pan, with its toppings at the bottom of the pan. When removed from the oven, the finished upside-down preparation is flipped over and de-panned onto a serving plate, thus "righting" it, and serving it right-side up. An upside-down cake is a cake that is baked "upside-down" in a single pan—usually a skillet—with the eventual toppings placed in the bottom of the pan. When removed from the oven, the finished upside-down preparation is flipped over and de-panned onto a serving plate. Flipping the cake before serving puts the right-side up, so that the ingredients that were in the bottom of the pan are the toppings. Usually chopped or sliced fruits—such as apples, cherries, peaches, or pineapples—butter, and sugar are placed on the bottom of the pan before the batter is poured in, so that they form a baked-on topping after the cake is inverted. A simple cottage pudding cake batter may be used. The first American recipes for upside-down cake, using prunes, appeared in newspapers in 1923.

Potato pudding

Potato pudding

Caribbean potato pudding, often referred to as Jamaican sweet potato pudding, is a traditional dessert made primarily from grated Jamaican sweet potatoes, coconut milk, spices, and sometimes raisins. It has a moist texture and is typically baked, resulting in a rich and flavorful treat enjoyed for breakfast or dessert.

Rock cake

Rock cake

A rock cake, also called a rock bun, is a small cake with a rough surface resembling a rock. They were promoted by the British Ministry of Food during the Second World War since they require fewer eggs and less sugar than ordinary cakes, an important savings in a time of strict rationing. Traditional recipes bulked them with oatmeal, which was more readily available than white flour. Mrs Beeton's widely known 1861 recipe book includes two early recipes for rock cakes. One calls for flour, butter, 'moist sugar', lemon, milk, and baking powder. The other recipe more closely resembles shortbread, as it uses flour, butter, and currants but no leavening agent. A typical modern recipe for 12 cakes requires about 8 oz of flour, 1 teaspoon of baking powder, 4 oz (110 g) of butter or margarine, 2 oz (55 g) of sugar, 4 oz (110 g) of dried fruit such as raisins, candied orange peel, etc., 2 oz (55g) of currants, 1 beaten egg, 1 to 3 tablespoons of milk and a pinch of nutmeg and mixed spices. Usually, flour and butter are first mixed until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs; then the other ingredients are added to create a stiff dough, which is dropped from a spoon to a baking tray or roughly formed with two forks. The cakes (optionally sprinkled with sugar and cinnamon) are baked for about 15 minutes at 180°C (350°F; Regulo 4), retaining an uneven form and contour.

Rum cake

Rum cake

A rum cake or black cake is a type of dessert cake which contains rum. In most of the Caribbean, rum cakes are a traditional holiday season dessert, descended from the holiday puddings . Traditionally, dried fruit is soaked in rum for months and then added to dough prepared with sugar which has been caramelized by boiling in water. The result, also known as "black cake", is similar to a fruitcake, with a lighter texture. In Guyana, Trinidad and Tobago, Jamaica and other parts of the Caribbean, fruits are preserved in cherry brandy or rum to be used in the making of black cake. Black cake is traditionally associated with Christmas and weddings in Guyana, Jamaica, and Trinidad and Tobago. On the mainland United States, rum cakes have been popular since at least the 1970s. While many island travelers go out of their way to pick up a Caribbean variety, more and more small U.S. companies are competing, much the way that craft beers are competing with the large beer manufacturers. Some offer baked-to-order rum cakes. Some infuse the rum directly into their cakes (instead of glazing). Many appear to have a decades-old special recipe. In Puerto Rico, rum cake is called Bizcocho de Ron, and is a sponge cake, so as to absorb the rum. If fruit is added to it, it is fresh or dried. Raisins and sultanas may be soaked in rum for one day or one night. Bizcochos de Ron are given as gifts during the holiday season.[citation needed]

Snow cone

Snow cone

A snow cone is a variation of shaved ice or ground-up ice desserts commonly served in paper cones or foam cups. The dessert consists of ice shavings that are topped with flavored sugar syrup. Depending on the region of North America, the terms "snowball", “ice cone” and "snow cone" may refer to different things. Where the distinction is made, the former refers to a dessert made of finely shaved ice ("like soft fresh snow"), while the latter contains ground-up ice that is coarser and more granular ("crunchy"). In the 1850s, the American Industrial Revolution made ice commercially available in the United States. Ice houses in New York would commonly sell ice to states like Florida. To transport the ice to Florida, the ice houses would send a wagon with a huge block of ice south. The route to Florida would pass right through Baltimore where children would run up to the wagon and ask for a small scraping of ice. Before long, mothers started to make flavoring in anticipation of their children receiving some ice. The first flavor the women made is still a Baltimore favorite: egg custard. Egg custard was an easy flavor to make as the only ingredients were eggs, vanilla, and sugar.

Spice cake

Spice cake

Spice cake is a type of cake that is traditionally flavored with a mixture of spices. The cake can be prepared in many varieties. Predominant flavorings include spices such as cinnamon, cloves, allspice, ginger, and nutmeg. In Medieval cuisine, a spice cake, also called spice bread, was a flavorful, sweetened yeast bread. They were typically sweetened with honey, as sugar was largely unavailable in Europe until the 1600s, and cooked over an open fire. By the 17th century, spice cake was something similar to the modern raisin bread, usually having spices, sugar, dried fruit, eggs, and butter in the yeast dough. The sizes ranged from individual buns to ordinary loaves to the great cake, which was a very large cake, sometimes weighing more than 50 pounds that was baked for holidays and important celebrations. (Because these cakes often included both dried fruit and spices, most of them can also be classified as fruit cakes.) With the development of the sugar trade, spice cakes were still popular, and were coated in white icing on special occasions. French chefs hired by Charles II of England in the mid-1600s baked elaborate spice cakes coated in white icing. This decoration style became popular for wedding cakes, and having a white coating over a darker cake was the first meaning of a white cake.

Sugar cake

Sugar cake

Sugar cakes are confections made with grated coconut, sugar, and food coloring. Cooking is done in a saucepan on low heat to avoid burning, and moulding is done immediately afterwards on a baking sheet or shallow plate. They are a popular sweet among schoolchildren in Caribbean countries including Barbados, Trinidad and Tobago, and Guyana; they were also popular during Elizabethan England due to the simple recipe. Sugar cakes are also known as cocada in Latin American countries.

Sweet rice

Sweet rice

Kheer, also known as payasam or payesh, is a pudding or porridge popular in the Indian subcontinent, usually made by boiling milk, sugar or jaggery, and rice. It can be additionally flavoured with dried fruits, nuts, cardamom and saffron. Instead of rice, it may contain cracked wheat, vermicelli , sago or tapioca (sabudana). In Southern India, it is known as payasam and it is made in various ways. The most popular versions are the ones made with rice and vermicelli (semiya).

Tamarind balls

Tamarind balls

Small snacks made with tamarind pulp, sugar, flour, salt and pepper

Tart

Tart

A tart is a baked dish consisting of a filling over a pastry base with an open top not covered with pastry. The pastry is usually shortcrust pastry; the filling may be sweet or savoury, though modern tarts are usually fruit-based, sometimes with custard. Tartlet refers to a miniature tart; an example would be egg tarts. The categories of "tart", "flan", and "pie" overlap, with no sharp distinctions. The French word tarte can be translated to mean either pie or tart, as both are mainly the same except a pie usually covers the filling in pastry, while flans and tarts leave it open. While many tarts are also tart, in the sense of sour in taste, this appears to be a coincidence; the etymologies of the two senses of the word are quite separate. Tarts are thought to have either come from a tradition of layering food or to be a product of medieval pie making. Enriched dough is thought to have been first commonly used in 1550, approximately 200 years after pies. In this period, they were viewed as high-cuisine, popular with nobility, in contrast to the view of a commoner's pie. While originally savory, with meat fillings, culinary tastes led to sweet tarts prevailing, filling tarts instead with fruit and custard. Early medieval tarts generally had meat fillings, but later ones were often based on fruit and custard.

Toto

Toto

Toto is a small coconut cake in Jamaican cuisine served as a snack or dessert. The cake is typically prepared with shredded coconut, brown sugar, flour, baking soda and powder, and coconut milk. It may also be added with some flavorings such as allspice, nutmeg, ginger, and salt. Toto is a Jamaican delicacy that is served at most family gatherings.[citation needed] Toto got its origin from slavery. Whenever they were hungry from being underfed, they would combine coconut, molasses and flour, bake it with fire coals laced on top of a metal sheet covering the cake pan and fire beneath the cake pan.

Appleton VX

Appleton VX

Rum is a liquor made by fermenting and then distilling sugarcane molasses or sugarcane juice. The distillate, a clear liquid, is often aged in barrels of oak. Rum originated in the Caribbean in the 17th century, but today it is produced in nearly every major sugar-producing region of the world. Rums are produced in various grades. Light rums are commonly used in cocktails, whereas "golden" and "dark" rums were typically consumed straight or neat, iced , or used for cooking, but are now commonly consumed with mixers. Premium rums are made to be consumed either straight or iced.

Bellywash

Bellywash

Shaved ice sweetened with fruit juice

Blue Mountain coffee

Blue Mountain coffee

Jamaican Blue Mountain Coffee or Jamaica Blue Mountain Coffee is a classification of coffee grown in the Blue Mountains of Jamaica. The coffee was introduced to Jamaica in 1728. Jamaican Blue Mountain Coffee is an Arabica coffee-bean variety called Typica, which originated in southwestern Ethiopia. The best lots of Blue Mountain coffee are noted for their mild flavour and lack of bitterness. Over the past few decades, this coffee has developed a reputation that has made it one of the world's most expensive and sought-after coffees. Over 80% of all Jamaican Blue Mountain Coffee is exported to Japan. In addition to their use for brewed coffee, the beans are the flavour base of Tia Maria coffee liqueur.

Breadfruit punch

Breadfruit punch

Breadfruit is a species of flowering tree in the mulberry and jackfruit family (Moraceae) believed to be a domesticated descendant of Artocarpus camansi originating in New Guinea, the Maluku Islands, and the Philippines. It was initially spread to Oceania via the Austronesian expansion. It was further spread to other tropical regions of the world during the Colonial Era. British and French navigators introduced a few Polynesian seedless varieties to Caribbean islands during the late 18th century. Today it is grown in 90 countries throughout South and Southeast Asia, the Pacific Ocean, the Caribbean, Central America and Africa. Its name is derived from the texture of the moderately ripe fruit when cooked, similar to freshly baked bread and having a potato-like flavor. The trees have been widely planted in tropical regions, including lowland Central America, northern South America, and the Caribbean. In addition to the fruit serving as a staple food in many cultures, the light, sturdy timber of breadfruit has been used for outriggers, ships, and houses in the tropics.

Carrot juice

Carrot juice

Carrot juice is juice produced from carrots. Carrot juice has a particularly high content of β-carotene, a source of vitamin A, but it is also high in B complex vitamins like folate, and many minerals including calcium, copper, magnesium, potassium, phosphorus, and iron. A pound of carrots will yield about a cup of juice (about 236 ml)[citation needed], which is a low yield compared to fruits like apples and oranges. However, carrot pulp is very tough; the main difficulty in juicing carrots is in separating the pulp from the juice. Like many products high in beta-carotene, it may cause temporary carotenoderma, a benign skin condition resulting in an orange-yellow hue to the skin.[better source needed] Drinking more than 3 cups of carrot juice in a 24-hour period over a prolonged period of time may be enough to cause the condition.

Cashew juice

Cashew juice

Cashew fruit juice

Cocoa tea

Cocoa tea

Hot chocolate with spices such as nutmeg, cinnamon, cloves

Cocoa tea

Cocoa tea

Hot chocolate with spices such as nutmeg, cinnamon, cloves

Coconut water

Coconut water

Coconut water is the clear liquid inside young coconuts (fruits of the coconut palm). In early development, it serves as a suspension for the endosperm of the coconut during the nuclear phase of development. As development continues, the endosperm matures into its cellular phase and deposits into the rind of the coconut pulp. The liquid inside young coconuts is sometimes preferred to the liquid of a ripened coconut. Coconut water from young green coconuts is also known specifically as buko juice in Philippine English. Fresh coconuts are typically harvested from the tree while they are green. A hole may be bored into the coconut to provide access to the "meat" (liquid and pulp). In young coconuts, the liquid and air may be under some pressure and may spray slightly when the inner husk is first penetrated. Coconuts that have fallen to the ground are susceptible to rot and damage from insects or other animals.

Daiquiri

Daiquiri

The daiquiri is a cocktail whose main ingredients are rum, citrus juice (typically lime juice), and sugar or other sweetener. The daiquiri is one of the six basic drinks listed in David A. Embury's classic The Fine Art of Mixing Drinks, which also lists some variations. Daiquirí is also the name of a beach and an iron mine near Santiago de Cuba in eastern Cuba, and is a word of Taíno origin. The drink was supposedly invented by an American mining engineer named Jennings Cox, who was in Cuba (then at the tail-end of the Spanish Captaincy-General government) at the time of the Spanish–American War of 1898. It is also possible that William A. Chanler, a US congressman who purchased the Santiago iron mines in 1902, introduced the daiquiri to clubs in New York in that year.: 168

Fruit juice

Fruit juice

Mango, lime, apple, soursop, tamarind, pineapple, cucumber, etc

Ginger beer

Ginger beer

Traditional ginger beer is a sweetened and carbonated, usually non-alcoholic beverage. Historically it was produced by the natural fermentation of prepared ginger spice, yeast and sugar. Modern ginger beers are often manufactured rather than brewed, frequently with flavour and colour additives, with artificial carbonation. Ginger ales are not brewed.

Irish Moss

Irish Moss

Irish moss is a Jamaican beverage in which the main ingredient is the marine red algae Gracilaria spp. (itself one of several commonly referred by the name of "Irish moss", purportedly introduced to the island's coast by Irish immigrant laborers), boiled in milk with sugar or honey and various spices added such as vanilla, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Depending on the recipe, other ingredients may include sweetened condensed milk and additional thickening agents such as gum arabic or isinglass (fish gelatin), as well as ingredients like rolled oats or linseed oil to add extra fat content. A peanut-flavored version is also widely available, which is based upon another drink popular in Jamaica, peanut punch. Carrageenan in the cell walls of the seaweed gives the drink a distinctive thick consistency and rich mouthfeel. The Irish moss drink has traditionally been homemade and sold at roadside "punch man" stalls alongside peanut punch and other refreshing drinks, but mass-produced commercial canned versions are now common as well. Irish moss has various health properties and is high in calories and rich in protein, making it a favorite among athletes and bodybuilders. It is reputed to cure digestive problems like ulcers and a tonic for mood disorders. The drink is widely marketed as an aphrodisiac for men. It is often available at bars in Jamaica as a mixer for rum, whiskey or even Guinness stout.

J. Wray & Nephew White Overproof

J. Wray & Nephew White Overproof

Rum is a liquor made by fermenting and then distilling sugarcane molasses or sugarcane juice. The distillate, a clear liquid, is often aged in barrels of oak. Rum originated in the Caribbean in the 17th century, but today it is produced in nearly every major sugar-producing region of the world. Rums are produced in various grades. Light rums are commonly used in cocktails, whereas "golden" and "dark" rums were typically consumed straight or neat, iced , or used for cooking, but are now commonly consumed with mixers. Premium rums are made to be consumed either straight or iced.

Jamaican rum

Jamaican rum

Mauby

Mauby

Mauby, also known as madi, maví, mobi, mabi, and maubi, is a tree bark-based beverage grown, and widely consumed, in the Caribbean. It is made with sugar and the bark and/or fruit of certain species in the genus Colubrina including Colubrina elliptica and Colubrina arborescens, a small tree native to the northern Caribbean and south Florida. Recipes usually include other ingredients as well, spices such as aniseed being very common. Mauby was traditionally a fermented beverage made in small batches, but is now predominantly a commercial non-fermented soft drink. Haiti and the Dominican Republic are two of the largest Caribbean exporters of the bark and leaves. Often the drink is fermented using a portion of the previous batch, while sometimes it is consumed unfermented. Mauby is often bought as a pre-made syrup and then mixed with water to the consumer's taste, but many make it themselves at home or purchase it from neighbourhood producers or street sellers. Its taste is initially sweet, somewhat like root beer, but changes to a prolonged, but not astringent bitter aftertaste. To many, it is an acquired taste, and has been known to cause an initial laxative reaction unexpected to many first-time drinkers. In Puerto Rico the drink is also called mavi champán (champagne mauby) because the drink is fermented, causing it to foam. This process is made by mixing an older batch with a new batch. Mauby bark and leaves are boiled with ginger, avocado leaves, brown sugar and other spices. The drink is then placed in a tight sealed bottle and left out in the sun for 6-8 hours. The drink is then placed in a dark cool place left to ferment up to a week. Ginger has a significant role in the fermentation process.

Otaheite

Otaheite

Peanut punch

Peanut punch

Peanut punch is a beverage that is popular in the Caribbean. The main ingredients of the drink include peanuts/peanut butter, milk and sugar. However, variations occur whereby regular milk is often replaced or added to a mixture including condensed milk, spices , corn flakes, Angostura bitters, glucose powder and quite often granola mix. The drink is often regarded by some to be an aphrodisiac due to its high fat, protein and overall energy content. In Trinidad, it is made with peanut butter, milk, sugar and sometimes spices. Rum is sometimes used as an ingredient. It is also available commercially in supermarkets and grocery stores as well to cater those markets. In Trinidad and Tobago, peanut punch is a popular drink that is often sold on sidewalks or in established food stores. The drink is traditionally marketed as an energy drink and made with a variety of ingredients according to the vendor. In Jamaica, peanut punch is made with roasted peanuts, peanut butter, or commercial peanut powder mixes. White rum or stout beer is often added, as well as condensed milk or another sweetener with milk, water, and spices.

Red Stripe

Red Stripe

Red Stripe is a 4.7% ABV pale lager brewed by Desnoes & Geddes in Jamaica and the Netherlands. Since 2015 Red Stripe has also been brewed in the United Kingdom by Heineken under licence from Desnoes & Geddes. It was first introduced in 1928 from a recipe developed by Paul H. Geddes and Bill Martindale. In 1993, Guinness Brewing Worldwide, now Diageo, acquired a controlling interest in Desnoes & Geddes, and took over international distribution in many markets. In 2015, Heineken acquired Diageo's stake and stated it would launch an offer for the shares it did not own. Red Stripe was first produced in the early 1930s by Galena Brewing Company in Galena, Illinois, US. The company sold the recipe to British investors after facing financial troubles. The investors brought the brand and recipe to Jamaica. Red Stripe was brewed under license in the UK from Desnoes and Geddes by the Bedford-based brewers, Charles Wells from 1976 until 2014, when Diageo made alternative supply arrangements. For part of the Charles Wells era, they brewed a stronger variant, the 9% ABV Crucial Brew, with branding in red and black.

Rice milk

Rice milk

Rice milk is a plant milk made from rice. Commercial rice milk is typically manufactured using brown rice and brown rice syrup, and may be sweetened using sugar or sugar substitutes, and flavored by common ingredients, such as vanilla. It is commonly fortified with protein and micronutrients, such as vitamin B12, calcium, iron, or vitamin D. The exact origin of rice milk is uncertain. In 1914, Maria M. Gilbert gave a recipe for rice milk in her book Meatless Cookery, which was the earliest known use of the term. In 1921, the first rice milk factory was built by the Vita Rice Products Co., launching Vita Rice Milk the same year in San Francisco, California. In 1990, Rice Dream was launched by Imagine Foods of Palo Alto, California in Tetra Pak cartons, becoming the first widely popular rice milk. Rice milk is 89% water, 9% carbohydrates, 1% fat, and contains negligible protein (table). A 100 ml reference amount provides 47 calories, and – if purposely fortified during manufacturing – 26% of the Daily Value (DV) for vitamin B12 (table). It also supplies calcium (12% DV; fortified) and manganese (13% DV; fortified) in moderate amounts, but otherwise is low in micronutrients.

Rum Punch

Rum Punch

The term punch refers to a wide assortment of drinks, both non-alcoholic and alcoholic, generally containing fruits or fruit juice. The drink was introduced from the Indian subcontinent to England by employees of the East India Company in the late 17th century. Punch is usually served at parties in large, wide bowls, known as punch bowls. In the United States, federal regulations provide the word "punch" to describe commercial beverage products that do not contain fruit or fruit juice. The term is used to label artificially flavored beverages, with or without natural flavorings, which do not contain fruit juice or concentrate in significant proportions. Thus a product labeled as "fruit punch" may contain no fruit ingredients at all. The word is commonly said to come from from Hindi पाँच , meaning "five", as the drink was frequently made with five ingredients: alcohol, sugar, juice from either a lime or a lemon, water, and spices, or milk, curd, butter, honey, sugar. That etymology traces to John Fryer's A New Account of East India and Persia, in Eight Letters (1698), but there is no evidence of a drink called pāñch in India, or elsewhere, before the English word. Besides, the English word is now known to have been in use before the British became regulars to India.

Rumona rum

Rumona rum

Sky Juice

Sky Juice

Sky juice is a Bahamian cuisine beverage combining coconut water or coconut milk, condensed milk or evaporated milk, and alcohol . Nutmeg and cinnamon can spice it up. In Malaysia, sky juice is slang for plain water.

Sorrel drink

Sorrel drink

Roselle juice, known as bissap, wonjo, foléré, dabileni, tsobo, zobo, siiloo, or soborodo in parts of Africa, karkade in Egypt, sorrel in the Caribbean, and agua de Jamaica in Mexico, is a drink made out of the flowers of the roselle plant, a species of Hibiscus. Although generally the "juice" is sweetened and chilled, it is technically an infusion and when served hot can also be referred to as hibiscus tea. Roselle juice, often taken refrigerated, is a cool drink found in many West African countries and the Caribbean. It is a dark red-purple coloured juice. The Burkinabes, Senegalese, and Ivorians call it bissap, the Nigerians call it zobo while the Ghanaians call it Zobolo. It tastes a bit grapey and a little like cranberry juice and can be served with mint leaves. It can also be served with any flavouring of one's choice — sometimes with orange essence or ginger, pineapple juice, cloves, tea grass, vanilla, and many others. In Ghana, Nigeria, and Senegal, roselle juice is served cold, while in Egypt, it is served warm. Roselle juice, which acts as a diuretic, has been shown to regulate blood pressure and reduce hypertension. It also has high levels of vitamin C, so is used to treat the common cold and otherwise boost the immune system. Some studies have also shown antimicrobial activity.

Tamarind fizz

Tamarind fizz

A mixed drink made by combining tamarind pulp, ginger syrup, lime juice, and seltzer water in a pitcher. Serve over ice for a refreshing drink with a tangy flavor.

Tia Maria

Tia Maria

Tia Maria is a dark coffee liqueur made in Italy using Jamaican coffee beans. The main ingredients are coffee beans, Jamaican rum, vanilla, and sugar, blended to an alcoholic content of 20%. Tia Maria was originally made in Jamaica, the historical fable of its origins dates it to the 17th century. A young Spanish girl was forced to flee Jamaica, and the family plantation during a conflict. She was accompanied by a sole female servant who carried a bit of jewelry and the recipe for the family liqueur. In honor of the woman's help, the girl named the liqueur "Tia Maria" , her name for the woman who had helped save her life. This fable may have been part of a marketing campaign, however. In his book Jamaica Farewell, Morris Cargill recounts having had the idea for developing a coffee liqueur similar to one his aunt used to make. In 1946, he had, to no avail, tried to get the original recipe from his aunt and subsequently connected with Dr Ken Evans, who then developed the recipe. They partnered with others in Jamaica (Herbert Hart, Eustace Myers of Myers Rum, and Paul Geddes of Desnoes & Geddes) to produce the first five thousand cases, with Blue Mountain coffee supplied by Keble Munn. Cargill contracted the London ad agency J.P. MacNulty to brand the product and design the labels. They spent days trying to come up with a name, until Cargill recounted the story of trying to get his aunt's original recipe and Joseph MacNulty said, "I know exactly what we'll call that damn liqueur. Aunt Mary – Tia Maria."

Ting

Ting

Ting is a carbonated beverage popular in the Caribbean. It is flavored with Jamaican grapefruit juice and is both tart and sweet. Ting comes in a green glass bottle, green plastic bottle or a green and yellow can. Like Orangina, the beverage contains a small amount of sediment consisting of grapefruit juice pulp. Ting is produced in the United Kingdom under license by Refresco Beverages. Ting also now makes Pink Ting Soda, Orange Ting, Diet Ting Soda, and ginger beer. Ting was first produced in 1976 by Desnoes & Geddes Limited. Desnoes & Geddes Limited was acquired by Guinness in 1993 with a 51% share. With Desnoes and Geddes moving to focus on beer alone, its soft drink facility in Jamaica was acquired in 1999 by PepsiCo affiliate Pepsi-Cola Jamaica, located in Kingston, Jamaica. Ting is distributed throughout the Caribbean, the United States, and Canada. Outside these regions it is not commonly available, although it is also produced in the UK using Jamaican grapefruits. Ting has also been known to be mixed with citrus vodka to create Ving, an alcoholic version of the drink.

Wray & Ting

Wray & Ting

Mixed drink made with rum and Ting grapefruit soda

Yellow Bird

Yellow Bird

Yellow bird is a Caribbean cocktail. The origins of the yellow bird name is unclear. Some sources mention that the cocktail was named after the Haitian tune "Yellow Bird", that was first rewritten in English in 1957 that became a sort of national anthem of the Caribbean due to the popularity of Harry Belafonte's recording. Hawaiian singer Arthur Lyman, one of the influencers of the tiki culture's exotica music, released a version of the song which rose to number four in July 1961 on the Billboard charts and was played weekly at Shell Bar in The Hawaii Village, a possible birthplace of the cocktail. Others argue that it was not named after the song and obtains the name from its sunny color resulting from Galliano, a golden, sweet vanilla-anise Italian liqueur or from its color combination of yellow and orange fruits that are accompanied by a golden rum. The IBA does not include this latter ingredient.

Ackee and saltfish

Ackee and saltfish

Ackee and saltfish is the Jamaican national dish prepared with sautéed ackee and salted codfish. The ackee fruit is the national fruit of Jamaica. It was brought to the Caribbean from Ghana before 1725 as 'Ackee' or 'Aki', another name for the Akan people, Akyem. The fruit's scientific name honours Captain William Bligh who took the fruit from Jamaica to the Royal Botanic Gardens in Kew, England in 1793 and introduced it to science. Because parts of the fruit are toxic, such as the arils prior to the opening of the husk at the ripening stage, there are shipping restrictions when being imported to countries such as the United States. Salted codfish, on the other hand, was introduced to Jamaica for enslaved people as a long-lasting and inexpensive protein source. In west Africa, ackee is mainly used as medicine or an ingredient for soap and is not consumed as food. To prepare the dish, salt cod is sautéed with boiled ackee, onions, Scotch bonnet peppers, tomatoes, then seasoned with spices like pepper and paprika. It can be garnished with bacon and tomatoes, and is usually served as breakfast alongside breadfruit, hard dough bread, dumplings, or boiled green bananas.

Baked chicken

Baked chicken

Roast chicken is chicken prepared as food by roasting whether in a home kitchen, over a fire, or with a rotisserie . Generally, the chicken is roasted with its own fat and juices by circulating the meat during roasting, and therefore, are usually cooked exposed to fire or heat with some type of rotary grill so that the circulation of these fats and juices is as efficient as possible. Roast chicken is a dish that appears in a wide variety of cuisines worldwide. Hendl is the Austro-Bavarian word for chicken, most commonly in its roasted form (Brathendl). Another popular form is the fried Backhendl (French: poulet frit à la viennoise) version, a specialty of the Viennese cuisine. The Standard German term is Hähnchen ("cockerel"). In the new states of Germany it is often called Broiler. Hendls are traditionally served in Bavarian beer gardens or at festivals such as Oktoberfest, and are generally eaten with potato salad or a Breze, possibly accompanied by a Maß of beer. They are also widely available from mobile rotisserie trucks that park near well-frequented locations such as supermarkets or large parking lots.

Beef lasagna

Beef lasagna

Lasagna , also known as lasagne ( Italian: [laˈzaɲɲe]), is a type of pasta, possibly one of the oldest types, made in very wide, flat sheets. In Italian cuisine it is made of stacked layers of pasta alternating with fillings such as ragù (ground meats and tomato sauce), béchamel sauce, vegetables, cheeses (which may include ricotta, mozzarella, and Parmesan), and seasonings and spices. The dish may be topped with grated cheese, which melts during baking. Typically cooked pasta is assembled with the other ingredients and then baked in an oven (al forno). The resulting baked pasta is cut into single-serving square or rectangular portions. In ancient Rome, there was a dish similar to a traditional lasagna called lasana or lasanum (Latin for 'container' or 'pot') described in the book De re coquinaria by Marcus Gavius Apicius, but the word could have a more ancient origin. The first theory is that lasagna comes from Greek λάγανον (laganon), a flat sheet of pasta dough cut into strips. The word λαγάνα (lagana) is still used in Greek to mean a flat thin type of unleavened bread baked for the Clean Monday holiday.

Beef patty

Beef patty

A Jamaican patty is a semicircular pastry that contains various fillings and spices baked inside a flaky shell, often tinted golden yellow with an egg yolk mixture or turmeric. It is made like a turnover as it is formed by folding the circular dough cutout over the chosen filling, but is more savoury and filled with ground meat. As its name suggests, it is commonly found in Jamaica, and is also eaten in other areas of the Caribbean including the Caribbean coast of Nicaragua, Costa Rica and Panama. It is traditionally filled with seasoned ground beef, but other fillings include chicken, pork, lamb, goat, vegetables, shrimp, lobster, fish, soy, ackee, callaloo, bacon or cheese. Jamaican patties are typically seasoned with onions, garlic, thyme, oregano and chili peppers, especially the Scotch bonnet pepper. In non-Jamaican-based restaurants, the composition may be extended to include low-fat, whole wheat crusts or the absence of chilies. In Jamaica, the patty is often eaten as a full meal, especially when paired with coco bread. It can also be served as a snack or appetizer in bite-sized portions called cocktail patties.

Beef stew

Beef stew

A stew is a combination of solid food ingredients that have been cooked in liquid and served in the resultant gravy. Ingredients can include any combination of vegetables and may include meat, especially tougher meats suitable for slow-cooking, such as beef, pork, venison, rabbit, lamb, poultry, sausages, and seafood. While water can be used as the stew-cooking liquid, stock is also common. A small amount of red wine or other alcohol is sometimes added for flavour. Seasonings and flavourings may also be added. Stews are typically cooked at a relatively low temperature , allowing flavours to mingle. Stewing is suitable for the least tender cuts of meat that become tender and juicy with the slow, moist heat method. This makes it popular for low-cost cooking. Cuts with a certain amount of marbling and gelatinous connective tissue give moist, juicy stews, while lean meat may easily become dry. Stews are thickened by reduction or with flour, either by coating pieces of meat with flour before searing or by using a roux or beurre manié, a dough consisting of equal parts fat and flour. Thickeners like cornstarch, potato starch, or arrowroot may also be used.

Brown stew chicken

Brown stew chicken

Brown stew chicken, is a meat dish eaten throughout the English-speaking Caribbean islands. Some countries in the Caribbean use this name interchangeable with another popular dish referred to as stew chicken that has a different recipe.[citation needed] Brown stew chicken is usually paired with rice and peas and eaten as dinner, preferable on Sundays. The eponymous chicken color is achieved by frying chicken to a deep brown color, after which its cooked in a slow simmer with spices, carrots, and ketchup.

Brown stew conch

Brown stew conch

Conch stewed with vegetables, herbs, scotch bonnet peppers

Brown stew fish

Brown stew fish

Fish in a spicy sauce with tomatoes, bell peppers, onion, garlic, scotch bonnet peppers, red snapper is common, but many other fish are also used

Bully beef

Bully beef

Bully beef is a variety of meat made from finely minced corned beef in a small amount of gelatin. The name "bully beef" likely comes from the French bouilli (meaning "boiled") in Napoleonic times, or possibly from the head of a bull depicted on the popular Hereford brand of canned corned beef. The cans have a distinctive oblong shape. Bully beef and hardtack biscuits were the main field rations of the British Army from the Boer War to the Second World War. It is commonly served sliced in a corned beef sandwich. Potato-based dishes, such as "hash and hotch-potch", in which the potatoes and beef are stewed together, and "corned beef hash", where pre-boiled potatoes and corned beef are mixed with Worcestershire sauce then fried, are also made. Tinned corned beef is also used in France. Some places where British troops were present in the 20th century (especially during World War II) such as Malta, have adopted bully beef as part of their national cuisine. In February 2009, the British Defence Equipment and Support announced that they would be phasing out bully beef from ration packs as part of the introduction of the new Multi-Climate Ration Packs until this change was reversed due to backlash. The dish soup and bouilli was being called "soup and bully" by 1753, and probably earlier, with the meat portion referred to as "bully beef". As use of canned soup and bouilli increased on merchant ships and in the Royal Navy over the 19th century, sailors were also calling it bully beef and extended the expression to all canned meats. This would include corned beef, as by 1862 "very good corned beef" – in the opinion of Lord Paget – had replaced "old mahogany" on naval ships.

Callaloo

Callaloo

Callaloo is a plant used in popular dishes in many Caribbean countries, while for other Caribbean countries, a stew made with the plant is called callaloo. Cuisines, including the plant callaloo or dishes called callaloo, vary throughout the Caribbean. In countries such as Trinidad and Tobago or Grenada, the dish itself is called callaloo and uses taro leaves (known by many local names such as 'dasheen bush', 'callaloo bush', or 'bush') or Xanthosoma leaves (known by many names, including cocoyam and tannia). Since the leaf vegetable used in some regions differs, some confusion can arise among the vegetables with the dish itself. This, as is the case with many other Caribbean dishes, is a remnant of West African and Taino cuisine. There are two possible etymological origins for the word. The first deriving from Tupi caárurú, meaning thick leaf. The other being from Kimbundu kalulú referring to okra, similar to the present use of the word in Haitian Creole and São Tomean Portuguese.

Chicken fried rice

Chicken fried rice

Fried rice is a dish of cooked rice that has been stir-fried in a wok or a frying pan and is usually mixed with other ingredients such as eggs, vegetables, seafood, or meat. It is often eaten by itself or as an accompaniment to another dish. Fried rice is a popular component of East Asian, Southeast Asian and certain South Asian cuisines, as well as a staple national dish of Indonesia. As a homemade dish, fried rice is typically made with ingredients left over from other dishes, leading to countless variations. Fried rice first developed during the Sui dynasty in China. Many varieties of fried rice have their own specific list of ingredients. In China, common varieties include Yangzhou fried rice and Hokkien fried rice. Japanese chāhan is considered a Japanese Chinese dish, having derived from Chinese fried rice dishes. In Southeast Asia, similarly constructed Indonesian, Malaysian, and Singaporean nasi goreng and Thai khao phat are popular dishes. In the West, most restaurants catering to vegetarians have invented their own varieties of fried rice, including egg fried rice. Fried rice is also seen on the menus of non-Asian countries’ restaurants offering cuisines with no native tradition of the dish. Additionally, the cuisine of some Latin American countries includes variations on fried rice, including Ecuadorian chaulafan, Peruvian arroz chaufa, Cuban arroz frito, and Puerto Rican arroz mamposteao. Fried rice is a common street food in Asia and other parts of the world. In some Asian countries, small restaurants, street vendors and traveling hawkers specialise in serving fried rice. In Indonesian cities it is common to find fried rice street vendors stationing their food carts in busy streets or residential areas. Many Southeast Asian street food stands offer fried rice with a selection of optional garnishes and side dishes.

Chicken stew

Chicken stew

Chicken soup is a soup made from chicken, simmered in water, usually with various other ingredients. The classic chicken soup consists of a clear chicken broth, often with pieces of chicken or vegetables; common additions are pasta, noodles, dumplings, or grains such as rice and barley. Chicken soup is commonly considered a comfort food. Humans were already boiling food by the time that chicken was domesticated in the neolithic period, so it is likely that chickens were being boiled for soup.

Chop suey

Chop suey

Chop suey is a dish from American Chinese cuisine and other forms of overseas Chinese cuisine, generally consisting of meat (usually chicken, pork, beef, shrimp or fish) and eggs, cooked quickly with vegetables such as bean sprouts, cabbage, and celery, and bound in a starch-thickened sauce. It is typically served with rice, but can become the Chinese-American form of chow mein with the substitution of stir-fried noodles for rice. Chop suey has become a prominent part of American Chinese cuisine, British Chinese cuisine, Filipino Chinese cuisine, Canadian Chinese cuisine, Thai Chinese cuisine, Indian Chinese cuisine, and Polynesian cuisine. In Chinese Indonesian cuisine it is known as cap cai (tjap tjoi) (雜菜, "mixed vegetables") and mainly consists of vegetables. Chop suey is widely believed to have been developed in the U.S. by Chinese Americans. However, the anthropologist E. N. Anderson traces the dish to tsap seui (杂碎, "miscellaneous leftovers"), common in Taishan, Guangdong (Toisan) – the home of many early Chinese immigrants to the United States. Hong Kong doctor Li Shu-fan likewise reported that he knew it in Toisan in the 1890s.

Chow mein

Chow mein

Chow mein is a dish of Chinese stir-fried noodles with vegetables and sometimes meat or tofu. Over the centuries, variations of chǎomiàn were developed in many regions of China; there are several methods of frying the noodles and a range of toppings can be used.[failed verification] It was introduced in other countries by Chinese immigrants. The dish is popular throughout the Chinese diaspora and appears on the menus of most Chinese restaurants abroad. It is particularly popular in India, Nepal, the UK, and the US. 'Chow mein' is the Americanization of the Chinese term chaomian (simplified Chinese: 炒面; traditional Chinese: 炒麵; pinyin: chǎomiàn). Its pronunciation comes from the Cantonese pronunciation "chaomin"; the term first appeared in English (US) in 1906. The term 'chow mein' means 'stir-fried noodles', also loosely translated as "fried noodles" in English, chow (Chinese: 炒; pinyin: chǎo) meaning 'stir-fried' (or "sautéed") and mein (simplified Chinese: 面; traditional Chinese: 麵; pinyin: Miàn) meaning "noodles".

Christmas ham

Christmas ham

A Christmas ham, or Yule ham, is a ham often served for Christmas dinner or during Yule in Northern Europe and the Anglosphere. The style of preparation varies widely by place and time. The tradition of eating ham is thought to have evolved from the Germanic pagan ritual of sacrificing a wild boar known as a sonargöltr to the Norse god Freyr during harvest festivals.

Coconut shrimp

Coconut shrimp

Coconut shrimp is a shrimp dish prepared using shrimp and coconut as primary ingredients. It can be prepared as a crunchy dish with the shrimp coated and deep fried, pan-fried or baked, and as a sautéed dish using coconut milk and other ingredients. It can be prepared and served on skewers. Crunchy coconut shrimp is typically prepared using shrimp that are coated with flour, placed in an egg wash, coated with a flaked coconut and bread crumb mix, and then deep fried. The shrimp can be butterflied prior to being coated. Panko bread crumbs or standard bread crumbs can be used, as can a mixture of both. Chopped nuts such as macadamia and almond can be used as additional ingredients to coat the shrimp. This version of the dish can also be baked, pan-fried, or grilled, rather than deep-fried. Baked versions may have fewer calories and fat compared to deep-fried versions. After cooking, the shrimp have a crunchy texture. It may be served with various dipping sauces, such as sweet and sour sauce, peach sauce, apricot sauce, sweet chili sauce, and marmalade, among others. It can be served with lime wedges, and lime zest can be used as an ingredient in the dish.

Conch soup

Conch soup

Conch soup and conch chowder are soup dishes made with conch that are traditional in various Caribbean island cuisines as well as the cuisine of Honduras. Conch chowder is also a traditional food of the Florida Keys.

Cow heel soup

Cow heel soup

Soup made with cow heels, split peas, vegetables and dumplings

Curry chicken

Curry chicken

Chicken curry or curry/curried chicken is a South Asian dish originating from the Indian subcontinent. It is common in the cuisine of the Indian subcontinent, Caribbean, Southeast Asia, Great Britain, and South Africa. A typical curry from the Indian subcontinent consists of chicken stewed in an onion- and tomato-based sauce, flavoured with ginger, garlic, tomato puree, chilli peppers and a variety of spices, often including turmeric, cumin, coriander, cinnamon, and cardamom. Outside of South Asia, chicken curry is often made with a pre-made spice mixture known as curry powder. Indian cuisine has a large amount of regional variation, with many variations on the basic chicken curry recipe. Indian chicken curry typically starts with whole spices, heated in oil. A sauce is then made with onions, ginger, garlic, and tomatoes, and powdered spices. Bone-in pieces of chicken are then added to the sauce, and simmered until cooked through. In south India, coconut and curry leaves are also common ingredients. Chicken curry is usually garnished with coriander leaves, and served with rice or roti. In south India, chicken curry may be thickened using coconut milk.

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