A Taste of Paradise

A Taste of Paradise is a guide to the preparation of delicious, easy to prepare foods with rich and authentic Caribbean flavors. These traditional foods form a natural, healthful diet with meals that are highly flavored and satisfying, and served with fresh cut fruit. The book provides well over 200 traditional recipes for great tasting foods, many prepared with coconut cream. This book is more than a collection of traditional Caribbean dishes. Not only does it explain how to prepare dishes, it teaches the selection and storage of tropical fruit, how to prepare plantains and cassava for cooking and how to obtain the most health benefit from foods. For example, it gives secrets on how to cook beans that are smooth and creamy and which avoid the formation of excess intestinal gas. This book was co-authored by a medical doctor board certified in preventive medicine. A section is dedicated to healthy weight loss (never calorie counting) while enjoying food. Along with the recipes are notes explaining why mangoes can cause allergic reactions in individuals susceptible to poison oak and how to avoid the reaction while enjoying the fruit, why some smoothies get bitter and how to prevent it, which tropical foods are likely to trigger migraines, which foods can be toxic if not correctly prepared. It provides instructions for safe preparation of ceviche, meats and seafoods. The section on meats explains how to prepare juicy, tender meat and how avoid creation of carcinogens during cooking. In the section on vegetables, it shows how to prepare vegetables to maximize anti-carcinogenic compounds. Most of the recipes are gluten free, and to extend this benefit, instructions are given for preparation of gluten free pastas. Many recipes use coconut rather than milk, and thus are lactose free; there are milk free recipes for flan, cake and smoothies made using coconut cream. There is even a traditional a recipe for molasses "brownies" made without milk, eggs or chocolate. The Spanish speaking Caribbean islands (Cuba, Dominican Republic, and Puerto Rico) share, climate, language, geography, and not surprisingly many elements of traditional cuisine. Many traditional dishes from the islands originated with the native residents, the Ta no people, these include corn breads, roasted turkey and root beer. Other recipes are traced back to Moorish casserole, fufu and elephant ear soup from Africa, bread and war paint used by the Arawak Indians, and spicy hot coco drink from the Aztecs. Early in their history, these islands were the crossroads for the development of the Americas, and this is reflected in the diversity of their tropical cuisine. This book gives traditional recipes, including holiday fare and provides shortcuts and modern adaptations so that the authentic flavors can be enjoyed using ingredients found in most American and Canadian cities. The authors also include recipes for the "fast foods" sold by street vendors on the islands. The book is nicely illustrated.