Mouth-searing hot sauces, fragrant marinades and fiery spice rubs, tropical fruit preserves, jams, and cooling rum drinks: The Caribbean Pantry Cookbook: Condiments, Seasonings, and Preserves from the Land of Spice and Sun captures the vibrant flavors and tropical abundance of this diverse region. Its 70 recipes and 20 full-color photographs will help add island excitement to everyday meals. Steven Raichlen, author of Miami Spice, has traveled widely throughout the region and collected his favorite recipes for condiments and seasoning mixes. There are few places in the world where you can find such eclectic assortment of condiments and seasonings as in the Caribbean, where the bold flavors match the intensity of the tropical sun. Many ethnic groups have contributed to the region's culinary melting pot, combining elements of European, North African, and even Asian cuisines with the region's characteristic fruits, vegetables, and spices.
The Caribbean Pantry includes recipes for pantry items as well as for dishes in which to use them. With a well-stocked pantry, it's easy to chase away the mid-winter blues by putting Orange Pepper Jelly on an English muffin, sipping Passion Fruit Punch by the fire, enlivening chicken breasts with St. Barts Creole Sauce, or a filet of grouper with Chili Lime Sauce. Use Mojo (Cuban Garlic-Cumin Sauce) to marinate shell steak, or create Bajan Roast Game Hens with Seasoning, the classic seasoning mix of Barbados. The recipes in The Caribbean Pantry are simple to make and most ingredients are widely available (mail-order sources are included for hard-to-find items).
