EVOLUTION OF FOOD PRODUCTION

Map of Caribbean

Area 2,754,000 km2

Land Area 239,681 km2

Population(2009)

39,169,962

Density 151.5/km2

Ethnic Group

Afro-Caribbean, European, Indo- Caribbean, Chinese Caribbean, Amerindians (Arawak, Island Caribs, Tainos)

Demonym Caribbean, Caribbean person, West Indian

LanguagesSpanish, English, French, Dutch, Antillean creole, among others

Government 13 Sovereign states17 Dependent Territories

While it is generally agreed that food processing has a role in human evolution, the specific ways that is has affected our evolution are not well known. Using a Niche Construction Theory (NCT) perspective, coupled with technique borrowed from “post-harvest” research in the plant sciences, this paper investigates the means and mechanism by which food processing is of evolutionary consequence. The central tenet of NCT is that organisms have an active role in their own evolution through mutual interactions with their environments; it occur when organisms initiate long-term changes to their environments that modify the selection pressures on themselves and their heir (and on other organisms in the environment). Humans and our hominin ancestors are considered to be the ultimate niche constructors due to our ability to modify selection pressures through diverse culturally generated and transmitted cultural means, i.e. cultural niche construction. Post-harvest methods are used to identify how food processing could feasibly have permitted hominins to modify their evolutionary selection pressures. Food processing is shown to facilitate access to increasing amounts of digestible nutrients and energy (kilocalories/kilojoules) as well as further increasing dietary breadth and making possible production of safer and more stable foods. It is argued that these advancements catalysed related technological and ecological skills and knowledge, which together with the nutritional benefits, further triggered changes in hominin brain and body and locomotory adaptations and increased durability, disease prevention and infant survival rates.

Geography

The Caribbean region it is a continuity of islands going from off coast of Florida to Venezuela. Caribbean region is also known as West Indies because of the misunderstanding on the part of first European explorers of this region that these islands were in reality part of the orient. The list of countries which belong to region labelled the Caribbean is irregular, as some countries which are not fundamentally situated within Caribbean Sea, they are nonetheless culturally Caribbean.

The territory of Caribbean is divided up into the Greater Antilles, the Lesser Antilles. The Lesser Antilles consists of two groups of islands which are called the Windward Islands and the Leeward islands. The population of these combined territories is nearly 39 million.

Climate

The climate of this area is tropical but rainfall varies with elevation, size, and water contents. Warm, moist trade winds blow from the east creating rainforest/semi desert divisions on mountainous islands. Occasional northwester lies affect the northern islands in winter. This region takes pleasure of year –round sunshine, divided into wet and dry seasons.

Herbs & Spices of Caribbean

One of the points that characterize the Caribbean cooking is its use of seasonings and condiments. Caribbean cooks have also learned to rely on seasonings and spices due to the rigors of proper food preparation under the tropical sun. Amerindians developed techniques of food preservation like smoking, and they seasoned their foods with three main ingredients chili peppers, cassareep and annatto.

Allspice (pimento Dioica or pimento Officinalis) - This spice is extracted from berries of evergreen pimento tree which is native to Jamaica.

Arrowroot (Maranta Arundinacea) - It is a root that is dried and converted into powder form and then used as a thickener. The island of St. Vincent is the world’s leading supplier of arrowroot.

Chandon Beni or Shandon Beni (Eryngium Foetidum) - It is referred to as false cilantro as it resembles a cilantro. It is also known as recao, long coriander etc. The leaves of culantro plant are used like cilantro but the roots are consumed in various Dishes as well.

TRINIDAD

Trinidadians, but not Tobagonians, often refer to citizens of the republic of Trinidad and Tobago as “Trinidadians” or “Trinid”, occasionally in an effort to be inclusive, as “Trinbagonians”

Introduction

Trinidad, land of the humming bird and home to one of the wonders of the world, the famous Pitch Lake, a bubbling natural lake producing an everlasting supply of asphalt. From, the days of Sir Walter Raleigh, who used this product to seal his ships and then popularized it in Europe, asphalt is still mined in large quantities and shipped all over the world.

Trinidad and Tobago lie some seven miles off the coastal plains of Venezuela. Unlike other Caribbean islands, which are end pieces of volcanoes or coral reefs, Trinidad and Tobago were once part of the South American mainland, separating from it as a result of a gradual tush between the continent and a small mountainous on its northern coast.

These two islands have a remarkable array of flora and fauna some 2300 distinctive flowering plants and 108 species of mammals, including 420 birds, 55 reptiles, 25 amphibians, and 617 butterflies. Dense rainforests, rivers and waterfalls co-exist with cites and heavily populated urban areas.

Trinidad is most famous for its extravagant carnival, and this culturally rich land produced calypso and the first musical instrument discovered in this century, the pan.

History

Caribs and Arawak’s lived in Trinidad long before Columbus sustained the islands on his third voyage in 1498. Tobago changed hands between the British, French, Dutch and Courlanders, but eventually ended up in British hands. Trinidad remained Spanish until 1797, but it was largely settled by French colonists from the French Caribbean, especially Martinique. In 1889 the two islands became a single crown colony. Trinidad and Tobago obtained self-governance in 1958 and independence from the British Empire in 1962.

Geography

Major landforms include the hills of the northern, central, and southern ranges (Dinah ranges), the Caroni, narira and oropouche swamps and the Caroni and Naparina plains.

Climate

The island of Trinidad has a tropical climate due to their location in Caribbean close to equator which causes hot weather with heavy rainfall at certain times of year.

Trinidad has a hot and humid climate. It experiences wet and dry seasons with high levels of humidity during rainy season. During the dry season the central part of the island will suffer drought conditions.

Spices & Herbs of Trinidadian cuisine

Trinidad has a special region from which it gets most of its seasoning herbs. The hilltop town of paramin and its surrounding countryside supply the majority of islands herbs from its enormous quantities of fresh parsley, thyme, mint, chives, and culentro. This last herb is known as chandon Beni in Trinidad, which means false cilantro, and it lends the definitive flavor to Trinidadian cooking. In Caribbean cooking, the general term used to designate freshly gathered, local herbs and spices is the word “bush” or “bush herbs”, and it can mean plants gathered in the wild or grown in yards.

Curry powder has come to be known as the quintessential spice mix of Indian cooking.in the Caribbean, specifically Trinidad, another spice mix, garam masala, is preferable. It is used like curry powder in cooking, but it does not have the turmeric base of curry. Instead, it is a mix of coriander, anise, cloves, fennel, cumin, cardamom, sesame seeds, black pepper, cinnamon, and bay leaves.

Major ingredients

Cilantro (coriander Sativum)

Cilantro is Spanish name for coriander plant, the leaves of which are used as an herb in cooking. It is at times similarly used the same way parsley is used.

Chinese, Lebanese & Syrian influences

Today, Chinese dominance is as vigorous as ever in Trinidad. Markets are flooded with produce introduced by the Chinese, including Chinese cabbage and watercress. In the capital city there is one Chinese food shop next to another and some of the owners still speak Chinese only. The shelves are filled with different Chinese products ranging from woks to 100 years old eggs.

The area is kind of Caribbean Chinatown. Port of Spain and San Fernando in the south are home to some of the best Chinese food has become an important part of Trinidadian home cooking with Chinese rice or chowmein complementing daily meals.

The traders from Syrian and Lebanese started coming to Trinidad in the late 19th century. Today the Syrian and Lebanese people of Trinidad play an integral role in the island’s economy. And interestingly, their culinary skills have had a strong impact on everyday eating. Their cuisine, like the cooking of all the other ethnic groups on this island, has developed a Caribbean flare without losing the aroma of its origin.

Indian influences and festivals

Today Trinidad’s Indian community is still one of the most amalgamated on the island; Indian arrival day on May 30 is celebrated as a public holiday. Most Trinidadian has adapted their festivals, music and food. Many Hindu festivals are celebrated in Trinidad, accompanied by much pomp, splendour, eating and drinking with Trinidadians from all walks of life joining in the merrymaking.

Phagwah

During these festival chowtal songs, dances and music praise the beauty of nature and pay tribute to the arrival of Indian spring. Chowtal bands wearing traditional costumes perform in temples and in the streets, where spectators and celebrants throw abeer on each other showing the various colors of spring. The revellers are urged on by ritualistic tassa drumming.

Trinidad rum & Angostura bitters

Angostura bitters can be found in almost every bar in the world, and those familiar with tonic’s healing power keep a bottle at home at all times. It enhances the taste of food, is used as a topping for many cocktails. Rum is to Caribbean people what beer is to Germans.

Why angostura is famous in world?

It is famous because of its aromatic bitters and one which helps to cure the of the stomach diseases like diarrhea, nausea and indigestion, made it famous in worldwide. This is affecting the sales of the other brands.

Famous restaurants in the world which serves the Caribbean and Trinidadian cuisine

L'Estaminet (Two Michelin star restaurant)139, Boulevard de Grand Case

Grand-Case 139, Grand Case 97150, St Maarten-St Martin

Salsa Mexican Caribbean Restaurant (Two Michelin star restaurant)6 Patton Ave, Asheville, NC 28801-3302 (Downtown Asheville)