Floribbean Cuisine

Floribbean - Cooking and Food A.K.A. "Caribb-ican"
==	Overview of Floribbean Cuisine History==

As the name says, the Floribbean cuisine is a mixture of the Florida cuisine with the Caribbean one. This is the old term people pasted onto a chef's menu when mixing Florida-based food elements and blending them with a Caribbean cookery slant.

This has been elevated to superlative social climate within the culinary community. Chefs and Authors have spoken a lot about Florida's New Cuisine and the latest to place a book on the market to explain this culinary thesis is Author / chef Michael Bennett. His new cookbook, "In the Land of Misfits, Pirates and Cooks" has gone a long way to explain the common thread between New (World) Floribbean Cuisine and what he has described as "Caribb-ican" cuisine.

This mixture is possible due to the numerous immigrants or tourists from the Caribbean regions, which are found in the southern parts of United States of America. Due to this ingenuous mixture, the Floribbean cuisine is abundant in fresh meals, meaning fresh vegetables, greens and fruits, but, as the same time, these are spiced up and intensely flavored. Generally, the intense spices are softened by the mild ones, as there are various kinds of peppers which are used in this cooking style, including chilies of all kinds. Besides these, other staple aliments are the fish, seafood and poultry (mostly chicken), which are prepared in light and natural ways. Juices and softies are a great part of the Floribbean cuisine and among these, the citrus and the sweet tropical and exotic fruits are the most popular.

Cuisines of Floribbean
By Geographic Area and Style: The main characteristics of the Floribbean cuisine are given by the exotic natural conditions of both Florida ands Caribbean. and Besides the fact that the Floribbean cuisine has 2 distinctive culinary backgrounds, the Caribbean cuisine itself is a fusion of numerous cultures, like Spanish, French, African, Indian and Amerindian, so it includes a wide range of light meats, like fish, seafood and chicken, which are mostly grilled or roasted. The recipes with the Caribbean background, like the Floribbean cuisine, include various exotic fruits and greens, combined in fresh salads or as toppings for pastas and filling for sandwiches. A great meat recipe of the Floribbean cuisine is the key lime ginger grilled chicken, this dish is prepared with lime juice, style mustard, minced fresh ginger, minced garlic and boneless skinless chicken breasts. The jerk pork or chicken is also found in Jamaica and it is consists of boneless meat, cooked on a charcoal fire. The traditional desserts include a variety of tropical ice-creams and mousses or fruit tarts, which are prepared for both their tropical taste and for their exotic appearance. Fruit juices and softies are a great part of the Floribbean cuisine and among these, the citrus and the sweet tropical and exotic fruits are the most popular.

Finding the ingredients for an Floribbean Recipe is not so easy when you do not know the names of the ingredients. Take time to make a list of ingredients and the name they may be found under at the Local Markets.

Preparation Methods for Floribbean Cooking
Decorating the food is a very important aspect when discussing about the preparation methods of the Floribbean cuisine. Instead of being sumptuous and sophisticated, the dishes are decorated as natural as possible, with various herbs, spices and greens, for a fresh and healthy look. Fresh vegetables and greens are eaten in both the salads and fresh garnishes; that is why they need no pre-cooking. Still, marinated meals are quite often; especially considering the wide range of marinated, dried or smoked fish (marinated fish are even used in the stews). Purees are also common for many vegetables, like beans or local plants.

Special Equipment for Floribbean Cooking
When cooking a Floribbean dish, the needed instruments are the sauce pans for meat meals and soups and large ones to preheat the oil for mixtures or meat. Besides the rustic Caribbean items of pottery and ceramics, the more practical equipment include condensate pots, orifice plates, flow elements and catch pots in different forms and sizes. A grinder is also very much needed when cooking a Floribbean dish, as there are many spices and herbs that require grinding before incorporating them. The salads and the soups are served in small individual bowls and the meat dish is brought on a tray and served at the table.

Floribbean Food Traditions and Festivals
Florida’s people have a wide range of festivals, carnivals, national holidays and rituals, which all imply culinary traditions. Due to the fact that in Florida, there is a hot weather all year long, the food, including the one at celebrations, tends to be lighter and fresher than in other cuisines. Still, the meals are complex and prepared with special techniques when they are served on festive dinners. The Thanksgiving dinner includes the famous turkey, which is roasted and served with various potato salads or vegetable dishes. Besides the religious holidays, there are also various festivals and fairs in Florida, where the typical Floribbean snacks are the most consumed foods. Even if the Floribbean food doesn’t necessarily represent a nation, the Floribbean festivals are very traditional when it comes to food and beverages, as the people are trying to conserve their culture and celebrations through special dishes, preparations, decors and general atmosphere.

People in Floribbean Food
The people of Caribbean and Florida blend their cultures and traditions together, in order to get another special and exotic cuisine, which represents the main elements of the two. This mixture was possible due to the fact that there are various tourists and inhabitants from the Caribbean in the Florida area. Because of this combination, the Floribbean chefs try to keep the specific taste and flavors of their dishes, by conserving the traditions and the elements that makes it so unique and loved by both the locals and the tourists. The Floribbean chefs are open to explore and create new mixtures and aromas, which represent their culture best.
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