A Taste of the Caribbean:

Jamaican Jerk

There are any number of recipes for jerk seasoning, and many have an ingredient list a mile long. Most Jamaican food lovers agree that there are three ingredients that all jerk seasoning mixes must have in order to taste authentic: allspice, Scotch bonnet peppers and thyme. The allspice berry, also known as "Jamaica pepper," is native to the island and has a rich, spicy flavor reminiscent of a mingling of cloves, cinnamon and nutmeg. Scotch bonnet peppers are small, orange, wrinkly and extremely hot--they are among the hottest chiles available. Thyme is widely used in Caribbean cooking and adds complexity to the flavor of the meat. Additional ingredients that are often added to jerk seasoning include garlic, brown sugar, green onions, soy sauce, lime juice, orange juice, rum, bay leaves, ginger, cloves, nutmeg, cinnamon and black pepper.

Wine Dinners:

Caribbean Dream

More Tastes of the Tropics

Generally speaking, any of the wines described above (Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc, and Gewürztraminer) should be a reliable match with the exotic, often spicy flavors of Caribbean cuisine. A cold lager beer always hits the spot, as well. If you want something non-alcoholic, try a tongue-tingling ginger beer.

Authentic Arawak Bar-B-Q Sauce Bahamian Style Peas and Rice Caribbean Callaloo and Crab Caribbean Rum Punch Curry-Coconut tempeh Grenadian Spice Cake Saltfish Buljol Sharon's Jamaican Fruit Cake Trinidad Stewed miso West Indian Curried sprouted tofu

Puerto Rican Party

With these Puerto Rican dishes I'm drawn toward Gewürztraminer or Riesling. Riesling is a classic pairing with roasted pork, but I'm edging toward Gewürztraminer here. Besides working well with the pork dishes, Gewürztraminer should be an exciting match with the fried plantains and green banana salad. You can find inexpensive versions from Washington state and Alsace, France.

Pina Colada IV Puerto Rican  flavour' tofu strips Gandule Rice Tostones (Fried Plantains) Joy's Green Banana Salad Mango Pudding (Flan de Mango)

Jerk Accompaniments- Beverages

• Hummingbird and color
• Caribbean Rum Punch Jo's Style 
• Carib Chef Fresh Pineapple Coolers

Side Dishes

• Spicy Spicy Mango Salsa
• The Chef Fried Plantains
• Barbequed  YUMM Pineapple
• Calypso Chef Rice and Beans
• Carib Chef Mayra  Black Bean Soup
• Baked SweetYeah'man Potato Sticks
• Baked Sweet Potatoes with Ginger and Honey MMMMMMM
• Carib Chef Jamaican Beans and Rice Dish
• Caribbean Style Sweet Potato Salad

Desserts

• Boscobel Beach  SWEET Ginger Cake
• Jamaica cake and Cake
• Grenadian Spice Cake
• Coconut Coffee Liqueur Cake
• Baked Cream of Coconut
• Fried Sweet Potato Balls
• Grilled Pineapple Slices

Caribbean Sunset Dinner Menu:

Main Dishes Chef Mayra Caribbean Grilled tofu with Pineapple Salsa Take a trip to the islands via the grill  flavored with Grill Mates.  Spicy Caribbean Marinade. The sweet heat of the spice blend is accented and cooled by the pineapple salsa.

Side Dishes Calypso Dance Rice and Beans This colorful side dish--tossed with red and yellow bell peppers, pineapple, and cilantro--draws on flavors from Cuban cuisine.

Dessert Caribbean Fudge Pie Mayra Style Chocolate, coffee and rum are dolled up with sugar, eggs, flour and butter, and the result is a creamy, rich pie that goes from bowl, to pie shell, to the oven in moments. Then simply bake, chill and enjoy.

Beverages Caribbean Rum Punch JO's Style This delicious concoction is the traditional rum punch recipe used in the West Indies, passed down for years. The old rhyme goes, 'One of sour, two of sweet, three of strong, four of weak.'   Carib Chef Mayra Says: You can't enjoy a bit of the Caribbean without some Rum Punch with raw sugar!