Whether you're out with the whole gang of kids on family vacations or enjoying all the comforts of luxury travel, there are a few local dishes around the Caribbean that you should try. Some meals are extremely particular to the geographical location you're visiting while others are a true reflection of the history & practices of the area.
The meals served around the resorts are one thing, but to truly experience the cuisine of a vacation spot, you often have to venture away from these restaurants to discover the local eateries serving the real food of the Caribbean.
A familiar comfort food with a twist If you manage to take a break from all there is to do in Cancun & step away for a meal, look for a restaurant with a bowl of sopa de lima on the menu. The origins of this chicken noodle soup variation stretch as far back as the Mayans who once roamed the Yucatan, according to Smarter Travel.
For a warm, comforting meal, sopa de lima is a meal meant for recovery, whether from jet lag or a night of dancing & cocktails. Pieces of chicken mixed with avocado, cilantro & tortilla strips are served in a broth mixed with limas agrias, which are not as sour as typical limes.
The hunter becomes the hunted A new cuisine has emerged from the Cayman Islands where invasive lionfish have appeared out of nowhere, hunting native fish & unbalancing the ecosystem, reported USA Today. Thousands of these scaly invaders have arrived in the surrounding waters since 2008, & the locals were forced to come up with a solution to the problem.
After discovering lionfish actually made a delicious meal, local restaurants started serving them up, & a new delicacy was born. Lionfish are typically venomous, but people don't have to worry about the poison in them because they are cooked with the spines still attached, rendering them harmless & safe to eat.
A very green salad in Jamaica Many areas in the Caribbean have their own version of callaloo, but Jamaica's incarnation might be the most diverse. Callaloo is usually made up of many leafy greens, but the Jamaican interpretation adds saltfish with tomatoes, onions & bonnet peppers & is then steamed, according to USA Today.
The dish is popular during breakfast when it's accompanied by fried dumplings, yams & plantains, but is often served for lunch & dinner as well with any combination of meats & seafood to suit any traveler's taste buds.
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