Happy Independence Day, St. Kitts and Nevis! On September 19th, 1983, this Caribbean country gained independence from the British. Today we are exploring the history and cuisine of this Caribbean country. 

St. Kitts and Nevis, also called St. Christopher and Nevis, is made up of two islands, St. Kitts and Nevis, which are two miles apart. Although the previous inhabitants of the islands were the Kalinga and Taino people, the Anglo-French colonialists slaughtered them. After the French, Spanish, and British fought for control of the island, the British, who eventually took control of both islands, brought enslaved Africans to produce agriculture on the lush terrain. In 2000, Encyclopedia Britannica reported that 90.4% of the population was Black.

Kittitian and Nevisian cuisine consists of dishes that merge African, British, Puerto Rican, and Trinidadian influences, and incorporates seafood, tubers, vegetables, and fruits into many of its recipes. Some of the country’s signature Caribbean dishes include curry dishes such as curry potato, curry chicken, curry goat, and more. 

(A vendor serves Kittitian and Nevisian cuisine. Image by Heather Cowper via Flickr)

“Johnny Cakes”, a fried biscuit dish, is commonly found in the country, and in other Caribbean countries, and is usually eaten as a snack or consumed with breakfast or lunch. The national dish of the country is stewed saltfish, accompanied by spicy fried plantain and coconut dumplings. The country’s black pudding dish, interestingly enough, is not pudding. The sausage dish, which originated in Europe, is usually made from pig meat, pig fat, pig blood, seasoning, and casing.

 (Goat water. Image by Cbeanstudios via WikimediaCommons)

“Cook Up” is a popular rice and beans dish that normally consists of a varying type of meat, including chicken, pigtails, and salted fish, vegetables, and seasonings. Goat water is a delicious, savory soup dish that includes ingredients like onions, cloves, thyme, garlic, potatoes, boiled dumplings, yam, seasonings, and pieces of goat meat. Conch water is a dish akin to goat water, but with conch instead of goat. Other dishes in the country include conch fritters, sugar cake, roti, and lobster.

Have you had any Kittitian, Nevisian, or other Caribbean-style dishes? Comment below and tell us which one is your favorite!

Works Cited

https://www.britannica.com/place/Saint-Kitts-and-Nevis

https://www.iexplore.com/articles/travel-guides/caribbean/st-kitts-and-nevis/history-and-culture

https://www.britannica.com/place/Saint-Kitts-and-Nevis#/media/1/517489/209644

http://veganisethis.blogspot.com/2012/10/vegan-mofo-stopover-1-st-kitts-and-nevis.html

https://experienceskn.com/tag/black-pudding/

https://www.carnival.com/awaywego/travel/caribbean/top-9-things-to-eat-in-st-kitts

https://recipes.fandom.com/wiki/Kittitian_Cuisine

https://www.refworld.org/docid/4954ce0ec.html

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