Caribbean Food Made Easy Cook Book Review

Levi Roots has now become part of everyday food with some of his products after his successful Dragons Den appearance. I have met Levi and his son on a number of occasions at various food festivals and chili events round the county. I have to be honest and say that I don't like his famous reggae reggae sauces even though I have a signed bottle on my shelf! However I can say that his cook book is great. In the BBC2 program, Caribbean Food Made Easy, Levi Roots travels around the UK and the Caribbean and reveals how delicious Caribbean food can be prepared at home with easy to prepare, mouth-watering recipes using fresh, healthy and readily available ingredients. The show consisted consist of four 30 minute shows demonstrating 3-4 dishes per program. The book that you get accompanying this mini show includes 100 delicious Caribbean recipes, including all of those that appear on the TV program.

The book wonderfully colorful and well illustrated with a nice introduction to the common ingredients in Caribbean cooking at the front of the book easing you into the recipes ahead. The recipes are divided into several sections like: one pot & suppers, fish and seafood, beach and street food, drinks and deserts. The use of fresh ingredients such as pineapple and hot scotch bonnet really bring this food to life is you are willing to experiment. I can definitely recommend the Jamaican pork chops and sticky jerk wings with sugared oranges!

Pick up a copy of this scotch bonnet laden recipe book from amazon by clicking here of the picture below and get some fruity Caribbean food into your regular cooking

Why not add some authentic caribbean hot sauce to your food too by clicking Ned's Old Time Hell Hot Pepper Sauce here or on teh picture above to get a bottle from scorchio.

Pictures of Chilli Plants I have Grown

Here are some pictures of chili plants I have grown throughout the 2010 and 2011 season. Hopefully they will inspire you to grow some yourself

Red Jalapeno Chilli Plant

Twilight Chilli Pepper Plant

Big Jim Chilli Pepper Plant

Scotch Bonnet Chilli Plant

White Fire Chilli Pepper Plant

The Evil One

@GrimReaperFoods were a new company to me. On a regular trip to Chilli Pepper Petes store to stock up I noticed that this sauce first had a very cool name The Evil One Hot Sauce and was Fiery Foods UK chilli award winner 2010.

“and so it was, with the sands of time expired, the Reaper came for what now was his to collect, however his plans were far more sinister, his instructions were simple, to remain amongst us, to increase the heat, and to be known from now and for ever as ‘the Evil one’

With a build up like that and always eager to try a new hot sauce and support new uk chili suppliers I picked up a bottle. Grim Reaper Foods are a very new company and their first sauce lives up to its name. The 100ml bottle of hot sauce contains Scotch Bonnet chile, orange capsicums, red capsicums, onions, cider vinegar, oranges, white wine vinegar, sugar, lemons, carrots, naga jolokia chillies, salt, citric acid, chilli oleoresin @ 6% Pure (1 million Scovilles) So as you might guess it has a good kick to it!

Alongside the kick you get a delicious combination of citrus flavours from the orange and a hint of sweetness with the heat making this a sauce like no other I had tried before.

I have used this Evil One Hot Sauce covering chicken wings and drumsticks to take advantage of the sweet sticky flavour and caramelising through cooking. Its great too with fish,  burgers or just to spice up your favourite dish. Beware though a bottle this size and this tasty will not last you very long and you could be calling on the reaper sooner than you expect. If you would like to try some pick up a bottle by clicking here to challenge the Reaper! Enjoy.

Since writing this review for Grim Reaper Foods I have learnt that the reaper has now launched his second sauce The Rookie Goblin currently available from the reaper himself on his very own store I have yet to try some but hope to soon and will let you know what it is like.