MY FAVORITE ETHNIC FOOD
When we talk about ethnic food, just exactly what do we mean, especially in today’s mixed-up ethnicities? I guess it would be the indigenous cuisine of a certain area.
Living in the Caribbean I suppose we have an even more mixed-up ethnicity than many, since most of what today are the Caribbean’s people were brought in from outside.
Even though I love to eat and enjoy all kinds of food (except rabbit), I guess I have to say my favorite ethnic food is my own Caribbean food. I love all Caribbean things edible, whether above the ground or below. Not forgetting the stuff from the sea.
Some favorites would be: Accras de morue, (little salt fish fritters), beignets, (which actually came from France), shrimp, crab, and all kinds of fish, we also barbecue a lot and everything. Roast corn (on an open fire). Everything grilled, and I have a daughter who is an expert griller and barbecuer as far as I am concerned.
Johnny cakes abound, everybody has their own recipe and even when the recipe is exactly the same they still taste different. They are made throughout the Caribbean. Some islands because of micro climates have certain foods that do not grow on all islands. We never had ackee on Saint Martin, however, since the influx of people to the island, some trees have been planted. It’s not that the food wouldn’t grow on another island, but some of the Caribbean islands are very dry compared with others, and certain trees and plants need more water than others. That is basically the biggest difference.
A nice ethnic breakfast would be for me: salt fish nicely seasoned served with sliced avocado and Johnny cake. As a breakfast drink personally I would choose coffee, but many people have bush tea, which as the name implies, is made from the leaves of certain plants. As a child I have drunk a lot of lime bush tea when I had breakfast with my friend who lived across the street. However, she could never get me to put cream in my bush tea. I sweeten it, but do not use cream in any sort of tea. A banana, a slice of melon, or a slice of papaya would go nice with it too.
Many people also make their own bread, a custom left over from the days when there were no real bakeries on the island. You had to make your own or you had none, unless you had a deal with a neighbor, family member or friend.
Is guess I would have to say my favorite is Caribbean food, because it is just that, my food, including all its mixed-up uniqueness.
