Adding pineapple to a dish does not mean it’s Caribbean!

Writers, bloggers, cooks, chefs etc…. please refrain yourselves from categorizing a dish you created as Caribbean when you add pineapple. We, Caribbean people do not always cook nor do we add pineapple in everything we make. I am always on the web browsing for new dishes and new ideas and earlier this week I found a recipe by a blogger who categorized the recipe she created as from the Caribbean because she added pineapple. I have seen this too many times. Adding pineapple to your steak is not Caribbean! If you name your dish “Caribbean inspired” maybe I can accept it, but to say bluntly that it is from the Caribbean, that is totally wrong. What in the world is going?

One of the reasons why I started this blog is to enlighten people about Caribbean foods and culture. Although there is a great deal of work to be done, I am certain that my sister Sandra and I can accomplish it. The world was not build in one day and certainly Caribbean Green Living cannot have all the information about Caribbean life, culture and food in one day.

To name or to categorize a dish as “Caribbean” you have to know the nature of the dish, its authenticity and its story. I get it that many dishes from different countries look similar because of the way they are prepared. But to call a dish Caribbean Steak…….. just because you added pineapple is a bit to the extreme and quite frankly unacceptable I think. I know it is done quite often, but please stop, say that it is Caribbean inspired. It sounds much better and we (Caribbean people) won’t think that you do not care about our food and culture.

If you take the time to learn our Culture and our food you will know that we prefer to juice and eat our fruits in their natural form instead of cooking with them. It is the influence of other cuisines that has made us incorporate fruits to many of our dishes. Of course we love to add fruits in our desserts, salads etc… but you cannot certainly add pineapple to your steak and say it is from the Caribbean. Which Caribbean Island? We add fruits in our food because we want to explore but we don’t do it very often. You will see dishes with fruits mostly in hotels, resorts etc… where tourists usually stay because Caribbean means exotic and we want you to feel comfortable.

When you travel to a Caribbean Island and wish to eat real and authentic Caribbean foods, ask the locals where they eat. You will be surprise at the way the food is prepared, how fresh and how delicious it is. We love to cook with fresh spices and we do it well because of our ancestors, our parents, etc… We always cook for an army and trust me you will always find good food to eat. You just need to have an open mind and be adventurous.

As I am writing this post, I am thinking about writing or better yet share the origin of pineapples; maybe I will do it sometime this week. I have a lot to cover and certainly don’t want to bore you any longer. But before I leave you, please say that a dish is Caribbean inspired when adding a tropical fruit originated from the Caribbean Islands instead of saying that it is an authentic dish from the Caribbean. It will sound much better!