Caribbean Food – A Little History

February 3rd, 2012

The Arawak, Carib, and Taino Indians were the first inhabitants of the Caribbean islands. These first inhabitants occupied the present day islands of British Virgin Islands, Cuba, Dominica, Grenada, Haiti, Trinidad, and Jamaica. Their daily diet consisted of vegetables and fruits such as papaw, yams, guavas, and cassava. The Taino started the process of cooking meat and fish in large clay pots.

The Arawaks are the first people known to make a grate of thin green wood strips on which they slowly cooked meat, allowing it to be enhanced by the flavor of the wood. This grate was called a barbacoa, and the word we know today as barbeque is taken from this early Indian cooking method.

The Carib Indians added more spice to their food with hot pepper sauces, and also added lemon and lime juice to their meat and fish recipes. The Caribs are said to have made the first pepper pot stew. No recipes exist since every time the Indians made the dish, they would always add new ingredients. The Carib had a big impact on early Caribbean history, and the Caribbean sea was named after this tribe.

Then the Caribbean became a crossroads for the world . . .

Once the Europeans brought Africans slaves into the region, the slaves diet consisted mostly of food the slave owners did not want to eat. So the slaves had to be inventive, and they blended their traditional African foods with staples found on the islands. The Africans introduced okra, callaloo, fish cakes, saltfish, ackee, pudding and souse, mangos, and the list goes on.

Most present day Caribbean island locals eat a present diet that is reflective of the main ingredients of original early African dishes, and includes cassava, sweet potatoes, yams, plantains, bananas and corn meal.

African men were hunters in their homeland, and often away from home for long periods of time. They would cook spicy pork over hot coals, and this tradition was refined by the early slaves in Jamaica. The technique is known today as “jerk” cooking , and the secret involves a slow meat cooking process. Jamaica is famous for jerk chicken and pork, and you’ll find jerk all over the island.

After slavery was abolished, the Europeans went to India and China for labor, and more cooking styles were introduced. Much of the Indian cooking culture remains alive and well in the Caribbean of today with the introduction of curried meats and curry powder. Indians call it kari podi, and we have come to know this pungent flavor as curry.

The Chinese introduced rice, which is always a staple in home cooked island meals. The Chinese also introduced mustard, and the early Portuguese sailors introduced the popular codfish.

Most visitors to the Caribbean have no idea that the fruit trees and fruits so familiar to the islands were introduced by the early Spanish explorers. The fruit trees and fruits brought from Spain include orange, lime, ginger, plantains, figs, date palms, sugar cane, grapes, tamarinds and coconuts.

Even the Polynesian islands play an important role in Caribbean cooking. Most of us remember the movie “Mutiny on the Bounty”, but do not know that particular ship carried breadfruit, which was loaded on board from the islands of Tahiti and Timor. In the movie the crew took over the ship, forced the captain into a small boat to fend on his own, and they threw the breadfruit, which they considered “strange fruit” overboard. Another ship was more successful in bringing breadfruit from Polynesia to Jamaica and the St Vincent and the Grenadines. Breadfruit is a staple diet in the current day Caribbean

America is responsible for introducing beans, corn, squash, potatoes, tomatoes, and chili pepper to the Caribbean. In fact these particular foods had never been seen in Asia, Europe or Africa, so America actually introduced these foods the rest of the world via the Caribbean.

So it’s no wonder Caribbean cooking is so rich and creative with the flavors of Africa, India, and China, along with Spanish, Danish, Portuguese, French and British influences. Food served in the Caribbean islands have been influenced by the cultures of the world, but each island adds its own special flavor and cooking technique.

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Startup Small Business Tips and Inspiration for Women Entrepreneurs

January 31st, 2012

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Characteristics of Effective Goals

January 28th, 2012

Effective goals share the following seven characteristics:

I. Owned by those affected m Goals which are defined by those who are effective are much more likely to be carried out with enthusiasm and commitment. People have a better understanding of a goal when they have participated in its development. They are also far more motivated to carry it out.

When people in organizations together develop goals consistent with their mutual success, they have taken the first step toward highly effective time management. They have created a standard for evaluating whether or not their is activities make sense in whether or not their use of time makes sense.

II. Demanding Goals that are not demanding are barely goals at all. Nothing is more motivating than setting demanding goals that reflect your values and then figuring out how to achieve them systematically.

III. Achievable

Goals must be feasible enough for you to achieve them. If you set goals that are so unrealistic you have no hope of attaining them, you set yourself up for frustration and failure. However, if you have an “impossible dream” that you really want, don’t abandoned it. Break it up into smaller, more realistic, attainable goals and begin achieving them, one at a time.

IV. Measurable Your goals must be measurable so you can judge your progress so you know when you have succeeded. Measuring progress is also an excellent motivator and enables you to correct your course when necessary.

V. Given Deadlines

Goals need deadlines. Otherwise, they will be shifted aside to whatever seems pressing at the moment.

VI. Written

Goals should be written so they won’t be forgotten. One person said “Out of sight, out of mind.” Another reminded us that “The palest ink is better than the best memory.”

VII. Flexible

Goals must be flexible enough to accommodate changing conditions.

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Tube Mogul – My Video Results One Week After Tube Mogul

January 23rd, 2012

Tube Mogul’s video uploading service is a great free tool. I’ve been using it to upload videos for www.lrsconsulting.ca and http I’ve been trying to borrow attention from other people like David Frey and Rich Schefren to promote our own free LRS Consulting e-book. These Tube Mogul results demonstrate how great Tube Mogul is at keeping traffic statistics for all your videos in one easy dashboard.

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Sunday Morning (Creative Business Futures & World Famous Pike Place Fish Market)

January 21st, 2012

Creative Business Futures is a Seattle based consulting firm that specializes in bringing out the creativity, power and performance of people in organizations. We offer custom seminars and workshops, executive coaching and full blown, long term cultural transformation programs to organizations around the world. Visit: www.bizfutures.com Facebook: www.facebook.com Contact us at 360-734-4900

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Free Enterprise | Social Media Marketing!

January 17th, 2012

Justin Powell and Matt Heffner’s submission for the US Chamber of Commerce Free Enterprise Video Contest. Social media marketing is free enterprise! Social Media Consulting from www.encountermarketingonline.com. Music Credit Kevin Macleod

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Welcome to Rolling Thunder

January 11th, 2012

www.rebelbrown.com I’ve successfully launched over 100 companies, products and services as in international consultant. My new Rolling Thunder system is designed to help entrepreneurs use proven techniques to power launch success – in the form of revenues!

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How to Start a Natural Products or any FOR PROFIT Business 101

January 9th, 2012

***READ MORE WISDOM HERE*** Thanks for all of you that have inquired about how to start your OWN Natural Hair Products business. You can do it! My business started as a business right away because I wanted the tax benefits. I made over $12k in 6 months working only on the weekends. I spent a lot of money purchasing items, paying booth rent, building the business, etc. I work FT and run this as a PT business that I intend to use to pay off student loan debt. Then we’ll see about going at it FT. My business is Organic Life Products, Inc. and we create all natural products that enhance beauty, build confidence and improve overall health. Our site is www.organiclifeproducts.com Want to start your own Natural Products store? Check it out! We do all the work and you earn 30%. http If you have additional questions or want one on one Consulting visit here www.organiclifeconsulting.com to pay and book an appointment. Consulting begins at $40 per hour (2 hour minimum.) I will help you from start to finish to build your own business. :) This opportunity is best for people that have a job and want a multiple income. I made $12k with my business from July – Dec working only on the weekends (20 days total). I can help you build any business, YOU CAN DO IT! “Teaching Part-time Entrepreneurs how to Achieve Full-time Success!” Tina Follow your OWN order. *Make a sell *Study, study, study your products *Add a medical disclaimer to your site *Secure url (www.godaddy.com) *Establish business

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How to Write a Fabulous Vision Statement

January 7th, 2012

As a small business coach helping entrepreneurial women start up businesses, one of my favorite things to do is help my clients write vision statements for their businesses. However, this isn’t always easy for them to do.

Why? Because like many people, they think vision statements and mission statements are one and the same. They haven’t really stopped to consider what the purpose of a vision statement is or why having one could be an asset.

Vision statements are meant to be big and bold. They’re meant to inspire, energize, and create a captivating picture of where you see your business going in the future.

If you don’t write a vision statement, your business will be without direction. When you complete one, your vision statement will then supply the inspiration for the daily operations of your business and motivation for its strategic decisions.

Every business needs a vision statement. Want to make sure you’ve written a great one? Just follow these guidelines, fill out the vision statement formula at the end of this article, and you will have created a vision statement that clearly articulates the future of your business and paints a vivid picture for its success!

What’s the difference between a vision statement and a mission statement?

Vision and mission statements are two separate entities that answer two different questions about your business. Questions that are complementary in nature.

Simply put, your vision statement answers the question, “Where do I see my business going?” Your mission statement answers the question, “Why does my business exist?”

From the start, vision statements are future-focused and written with the end result in mind. Mission statements are focused in the present and state the fundamental purpose of your business.

Which comes first: the vision or the mission?

If you are a new business just starting up, a larger company getting ready to add a new program, or an existing organization planning to overhaul your current services, then write your vision statement first.

If you are an established business with a mission statement already in place, then let your mission guide the writing of your vision statement.

Top Five Things to Keep in Mind When Writing Your Vision Statement

1. Describe outcomes that are five to ten years out.

2. Dream big and focus on success.

3. Write your vision statement in the present tense, as if it has already happened.

4. Infuse your vision statement with passion.

5. Paint a graphic mental picture of the business you want.

There is no space limit when writing a vision statement. They often contain one or more paragraphs. Write as much as you need to in order to create a dynamic mental picture of your business that will serve to energize and inspire you and your team.

Two Vision Statement Formulas for Success

Here are two basic vision statement formulas. The first one is for any business starting up without a mission statement. The second is for businesses that already have a mission statement in place.

1. Five years from now, _______________________________ (name of your business)

will become a successful ___________________________ (type or description of business including whether it will be local, regional, national, or international in its scope)

by providing ____________________________(description of your products and/or services)

to _____________________________________________(your customers).

Example: Five years from now, the Sierra Women’s Shelter will become a successfully run non-profit shelter serving the Greater Pittsburgh regional area providing education, life-skills training, and the necessary support to help women who have been previously battered or abused build self-sufficient, sustaining, prosperous lives.

2. Within the next ________ (add a number) years,

grow ___________________________________ (name of your business)

into a successful _______________________________________ (type or description of business including whether it will be local, regional, national, or international in its scope),

increasing revenues to ____________________________ (amount) by _________________ (date)

providing _______________________________(description of your products and/or services)

to _____________________________________________(your customers).

Example: Within the next five years, grow Cultural Awareness Travel into the premier North American women’s tour company increasing revenues to $225,000 by 2012 by becoming known for helping women to develop greater self-awareness and confidence and to discover a new respect for diversity through cross-cultural exposure.

Your vision statement sets the tone for your business. It defines its future. It inspires, energizes, motivates, and, above all else, describes what will be achieved if your business is successful. It is nearly impossible to plan the direction of your business without one. Follow these guidelines, and use the vision statement formula to perfectly articulate your dream, your passion, and the direction you envision for your business.

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