Culinaria

The Caribbean

A Culinary Discovery

This is a different kind of cook book… Oh yes. Do you know why I say different? It’s different because it concentrates and deals with the cultural aspect of each Caribbean Island and the Culinary too.  This particular cook book was written and edited by Rosemary Parkinson who took a tour around the Caribbean discovering and exploring the multitude of foods and its cultures.

When first opening the book there are a few paragraphs on how magnificent some of the Islands are and what they have to offer. However, I chose the paragraph about Dominica as I'm concentrating mostly on the culture and foods of Dominica.  I don’t know about you but when I read Parkinson’s brief description I couldn’t wait to read what she had to say about the islands, especially mine.  How does the paragraph make you feel? Would you want to read on?

Nonetheless….

I was so excited to see what Parkinson had to say about Dominica I skipped right to the page. She started the passage by speaking about Dominica and its culinary delights and how the island has retained much of its traditional lifestyle such as the simplicity of everyday life.  A people who appreciate and respect the original inhabitants of the island and of their pride in preserving their culture.

The food reflects the nature and make-up of the island.  There is appreciation of vegetation and the abundance food.  A land covered by forests and protected species that can only be hunted during the hunting season and the populace showing their appreciation for the crabs, mountain chicken, manicou and agouti by adhering to the law on hunting.

Mountain Chicken

Reasons why many species have disappeared from other West Indian islands still inhabit the island of Dominica.  Parkinson tells of the pride that the people have in their culture and their versatility in appreciating reggae as well as their local cadence or zouk music.
An island where creole is spoken as freely as English, of vegetation in every shade of green, of virgin forests and waterfalls, sprays from the Atlantic oceans and mists from waterfalls and dewy mountains.
Of a people in tune with nature who enjoy locally produced fresh foods, inhabiting an island paradise that is often referred to as the “Garden of Eden”.

Recipe

There is no long winded paragraph with an abundance of detail.  Parkinson has simply provided the readers with a recipe list and a paragraph on how to cook the dish.  She has chosen a simplistic form and structure to deliver the recipes which in a sense stops the reader from losing interest in how the dish is prepared.