The Sweet and Spicy Side Of Curaçao

Though Curacao may seem like your average Caribbean island, this vacation hotspot has inherited a cosmopolitan sensibility unlike any other destination. Although colonized by the Dutch, Curacao has a very diverse population, with 45 different nationalities represented in its modest population. In the world of food, ethnic traditions have blended with local cuisine to create recipes one-of-a-kind. With the culinary styles from places as diverse as the haute cuisine of Western Europe represented on the island in Central and South America, South-East Asia and, Curacao boasts some of the most delicious and provocative food in the world . Moreover, as the namesake of the popular sweet liqueur, Curacao has certainly grown a sweet tooth - best represented by the revenues of the island unique desserts.

Despite the influence of so many cultures in the kitchen of Curacao, there are many popular recipes cosmopolitan island development PRE day. Dutch traditional recipes dating back to the colonial period, as Keshi yena - a dish cooked with plenty of Gouda cheese, meat and other fresh ingredients - are also popular in many restaurants of Curacao.

To the surprise of many visitors, Indonesian cuisine plays an important role in the culinary scene of Curacao. Brought to the island by the Dutch after establishing colonies in Southeast Asia, the ingredients and techniques of Indonesian cuisine have found their way into many favorite local recipes. One such dish is rijisttafel (Dutch for "rice table"), a combination of rice, vegetables, meat or seafood and shot healthy pepper. Seasonings and Asian preparations are also commonly used in Curacao when serving sea ​​local fresh mahi mahi and red snapper.

Despite the fascinating culinary atmosphere on the island, Curacao is certainly better known as the namesake of a popular liquor. As history, Curacao liqueur was an accidental creation. After establishing the first colony in Curacao, the Spanish attempted to grow oranges Valencia. Over time, Valencia Lahara become sour. Years later, producers realized that Lahara shells oranges contained sweet aromatic oils. Through experimentation, sweet orange outside Lahara - with a number of unusual spices - found its way into the liquor recipe of Curacao. Today, the orange flavored drink named for its birthplace is enjoyed worldwide.

One of the most popular desserts is a luxurious Caribbean take on the fruit cake known as Pretu cake - a rich dark cake stuffed with Caribbean seafood.

A simple dessert known as djente kacho - or dogtooth - simply cooked fresh coconut in a sugar syrup. In bakeries and restaurants Curacao, you will also find sunchi (clogged meringues) panseiku (chocolates made with roasted peanuts, prepared with almond essence and brown sugar) and tentalaria (finely ground peanuts and cashews served in fresh sugar cream).

Even some traditionally savory items served for lunch and dinner are prepared with a sweet tooth in mind. For example, a dish called ayaka is cooked as a traditional tamale meat, but banana leaves are used instead of corn stover to give a little sweetness in the dish. For those who want to know the best Caribbean destinations to visit different culinary traditions of Curacao certainly give travelers a reason to visit this unique island paradise.