The Caribbean Tourism Organization reports that the number of Americans visiting the islands continues to increase each year, and that means the number of people exposed to traditional Caribbean flavors such as jerk spices and fried plantains keeps growing. Records from the Immigration and Naturalization Services show that a high percentage of American immigrants are coming from South or Central America and the Caribbean, so more and more Americans are demanding restaurants to feed their Caribbean cravings. Following Florida's lead, and perhaps hoping for some of its success, other Southern states have learned the nuances of Caribbean cooking and helped adapt it to the American palate. Open for nine years, his restaurant has experienced success as a result of his Caribbean recipes and his zeal for learning the subtleties of this culinary style. Other commonly used ingredients include pineapple, coconut, cilantro, and okra.
Spice plays a similarly important role in Caribbean cooking.
The Scotch bonnet pepper tops the fire-hot charts and is one of the key ingredients in jerk seasoning, which is perhaps one of the most recognized staples of Caribbean cuisine. Used primarily with chicken and pork, jerk seasoning consists of a mix of Scotch bonnets, onions, scallions, allspice, thyme, and a variety of other spices rubbed on the meat and then grilled. Like Southern barbecue, each family has its own version. However it's prepared, the result is a pungent main dish that's packed with flavor without added fat or carbohydrates. With so many cultures to draw from, creating Caribbean dishes can be a real joy for chefs.