Pepper pot is a hearty, spiced meat stew made primarily with beef, hot peppers, and spices like cinnamon and cloves with cassareep as a key ingredient.
Special Occasion Foods: Traditional Rituals, Celebrations, and Holidays Te celebration of holidays and special occasions reflects the history and diversity of the Caribbean population. Many festivals and celebrations held throughout the Caribbean have origins in the deeply held faiths of the cel- ebrants. Tere is often a deep connection between the foods eaten and the belief systems practiced. Box 5 describes various holidays and a description for some celebratory foods. Refer to Chapters 25 through 29 for more about holiday practices and foods of various religions. While these practices may be considered typical for the culture in general, individual practices vary from island to island and among families.
Current Food Practices For those with Caribbean heritage, adaptation to US culture and food practices likely depends on the length of residency in the US, the extent of socialization (and with whom), current lifestyle, family dynamics, and overall socioeconomic status. Assessing the degree of acculturation, a process that occurs
progressively and affects food decisions and, over time (noted in Chapter 2), a person’s health status, is important when counseling those from Caribbean countries about their nutri- tion, health, and dietary practices. Te increasing prevalence of obesity is diet and lifestyle related, as food is often a cultural expression of care.21
Research is limited regarding dietary
acculturation among non-Hispanic Caribbean immigrants living in the US; however, a limited study of Caribbean or Latin American-born Blacks expressed the importance of cul- tural identity in their dietary preferences and found adaptive strategies to maintain their cultural diet.22