Product Description

250 sumptuous island recipes for home cooking from Bon Appetit columnists.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #244423 in Books
• Published on: 1996-10-25
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 272 pages

Amazon.com Review
Jinx and Jefferson Morgan own the Sugar Mill, a much-loved resort on the island of Tortola in the British Virgin Islands. From there, they have explored the Caribbean and packed their culinary discoveries into The Caribbean Cookbook. There are dishes suited to company dinners, as well as easy-going food like Rum-Glazed Chicken Wings, Red Bean and Rice Salad, and Rasta Pasta. Some dishes are traditional, others use the ingredients and flavors of the islands in original ways. The Morgans are friendly and free-wheeling and pack lots of local lore and culinary information into this sunny book.

From Publishers Weekly
Columnists for Bon Appetit magazine, the Morgans also own the Sugar Mill resort in Tortola, British Virgin Islands, and so are no strangers to the Caribbean and its culinary delicacies. The 250 recipes gathered here come mainly from their restaurants' menus, which in turn draw from the region's cuisine and ingredients. Directions are friendly and straightforward yet detailed enough to help even a kitchen tyro succeed. Organized by meals ("Sunrise Specials") and main ingredients ("From the Fish Pot," "Sugar Island Sweets"), recipes range from Sweet-Potato Waffles with Orange Butter to such late-day libations as a Banana Daiquiri or Coffee Rumba. Salad specialties include Hearts of Palm Carnival, brightened with hot peppers; Green Papaya Salad with a mustard dressing; and Green Bananas simmered in milk and served with an olive vinaigrette. The fish and seafood recipes are understandably strong: Ginger-Lime Scallops with Toasted Walnuts; Coconut Shrimp with Vegetables; a variety of firm fresh fish fillets can be used in dishes like Fish with Tomato and Banana. Many of the recipes for beef and, especially, pork, use barbecue and grilling techniques. Such sauces as Major Morgan's Mango and other chutneys, sauces and salsas accompany many recipes.
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist
Restaurateurs on the island of Tortola, in the British Virgin Islands, the Morgans appear to be passionately involved in serving up the best of the Caribbean's cuisine. Familiar flavors and combinations commonly associated with island cooking are featured, from fried plantains to salted codfish and spicy chutney. At the same time, a cornucopia of recipes is distinguished by the Morgans' unique handling of native produce and seasonings. Even if lobster and christophine curry is too daunting a task for dinner, rum French toast or a simple papaya-cilantro vinaigrette will just as easily transport one to tropical climes. Many exotic ingredients mentioned may be purchased in ethnic or specialty markets, but substitutions are also suggested. Alice Joyce

Customer Reviews

Full of Good Food and Fond Memories
I had been eyeing this book for quite awhile, for more than a year actually, because my husband and I were going to the BVI for our honeymoon. When we finally went on our honeymoon, through dumb luck and fate, we got a room down the road from the Sugar Mill, and we decided to go to their famous restaurant for a night out. That night out turned into one of the most fantastic, memorable dining experiences we'd ever had... The night was like something out of a fancy movie. Blown away by the food, I bought the cookbook at the gift shop after dinner. Flipping through it in the hotel, I almost couldn't wait to go home and try out some of their recipes. I ended up scribbling down drink mixes we had when we went out and about town in the BVI, so this cookbook has turned into a honeymoon food scrapbook for me.

Now, I know that back story makes me a little biased, but I have to say that even if I just bought it without going to the restaurant, I'd still think this cookbook is superb. It's so clearly written and each recipe has a little paragraph "bio" associated with it discussing either its creation, history, or interesting info on the ingredients or the tradition behind the food. That little paragraph adds to the local color and feel that resonates through this whole cookbook. You can almost taste and feel the Caribbean when you read this book. Another thing I really like is that this book will give you the recipe as it's served at their restaurant, adding to the authentic feel of the book... But the book also acknowledges that some of the ingredients easily available to them in the BVI might be hard to impossible to find on the mainland, so they give you feasible substitutions that don't hurt the taste or presentation at all. Also included are little blurbs on the various Caribbean islands, customs, or other interesting facts.

I'd say most of these recipes are what I like to call "grown-up recipes." Meaning, not all of them you'll throw together in 30 minutes, that these recipes are sophisticated, adult foods that will probably require a little planning and time, perfect for special occasions (or a nice dinner you'd like to feel like a special occasion). I know this is a big negative for some people, but for me it's nice to own a recipe book that involves some serious cooking. I own far too many cookbooks with recipes that call for throwing together various canned soups and canned vegetables, or other processed foods like Bisquick or freezer rolls, and baking it for 30 minutes, and serving. It's nice to have a recipe book that doesn't include 45 different ways to use "cream of" Campbell's soups, and talks about cooking with things like star fruit and plantains and all sorts of exotic fruits and ingredients you see at the grocery store and wonder "I wonder what you use that for?" :D This is certainly a "from scratch" cookbook, not a "30 minute meals" sort of deal.

The categories in this book are: Sunrise Specials (breakfast foods), Snacks, Nibbles, and Island Appetizers, Carnival of Soups, Calypso Salads and Side Dishes, Pastas Under the Palms, From the Fish Pot (seafood), Birds of Paradise (poultry), Tropical Meat Waves (all other meat), Sugar Island Sweets (desserts), and Trade Wind Cocktails (an essential for summer parties as it's the drink recipes... :D). Some of my favorite recipes are curried citrus rice, christophene and sausage filled flank steak, lime cream pasta, pina colada pancakes and cake (the latter being my husband's new favorite birthday cake), lobster chowder, and conch chowder. And I have a list of "need to try" recipes from this book as long as my arm.

I love this cookbook. It's the BVI wrapped up in a 245 page book. There are only two downsides as far as I can see to this book... The first one being that it doesn't include this awesome drink recipe that we had while we were there and are just dying to have again but nobody knows how to make... And the second being that every time I cook something from it, my husband and I remember how much fun we had and how beautiful this restaurant was, and then we start missing Tortola terribly... :)

Concisely written
This book presents traditional and non-traditional Caribbean foods in a simple and clear manner. It is an excellent choice for anyone interested in the new, fresh and exuberant Caribbean cooking. Many of the recipes can be reduced in calories by the substitution of simple ingredients. If you like this book, you'll love Angela Spenceley's "A Taste of the Caribbean Cookbook" which also includes a chapter on Bartending in the Islands. Her other cookbooks, "A Taste of the Virgin Islands" and "Just Add Rum! Cookbook" are fabulous and well worth the addition to any good cookbook library.

the cookin corkster
I live in the Florida keys and foods from the islands of the caribbean are all over the islands, however, this book of recipes by far expands ones selection of choices. The recipes are well written for following instructions easily. the added info in the side bars is interesting and easily put to use with other recipes in the book. If you like food from the islands, all the islands of the caribbean, this book is a source for a quick trip to the island of your choice.
I lost my first copy to Wilma (the huricane). Had to buy another because this book is that good. But it, you'll love it! ;-)