Today is Thursday and I am taking a break from prepping for a wedding at St Peters in down town St Pete I will be the first Caterer to use their new space, a beautiful lobby and gardens watch for pictures the Bride is from Japan and will be in traditional Japanese  Dress.

Also wanted to mention two other Locations that I am working at this weekend.

Tampa Bay Watch on the way to Fort De Soto, a beautiful Unique water front event space, get married on the grass down stairs and come upstairs to a room of windows with a view of the bay perfect for an Island wedding or any event where you want great food let Saffrons be your Caterer of choice.

The Island Bamboo gardens a much smaller venue filled with bamboo trees, bubbling fountains tucked away in a corner off 49th Street in St Petersburg, Great for rehearsal dinners, birthday parties, or the smaller intimate wedding again adding Saffrons food makes your event something to remember.

Just a note to my brides and grooms, I truly enjoy spending the time with you finding out about your big day sharing my expertise and allowing you to taste my delightful cuisine, so if you can find time please set an appointment with me so I can assist you with your needs.

Type talk to you soon

Chef Jackie

What is great about Caribbean food is the influences from all over the world that make it special. The original inhabitants of the Caribbean islands were South American Indians, the Tainos, Carib and Arawak Indians. The European occupation of the islands during the colonial periods, brought food influences from Spain, Portugal, France and England, and also new fruits and vegetables trees and plants, now associated with the Islands. Post colonial Caribbean food influences including from China and India.

When you begin to cook Caribbean food, you will notice that you will use lots of different spices. This is a significant component of Caribbean food. What is increasing interesting is the stories and histories that are associated with some quite famous dishes such as Jerk Pork

What makes Caribbean food so unique? Could it be that it is an amalgamation of cuisine from many different cultures? Caribbean cuisine takes its influences from African, Indian, Chinese and European communities. The wealth of colonizers from Europe that brought enslaved Africans to the islands and the further influx of Indians and Chinese who came to the islands as indentured workers all fused their food influences to create the Caribbean cuisine as we know it today.

Most people believe Caribbean food to be spicy. Although some cuisine cooked in the Caribbean is hot, Caribbean cooking uses lots of herbs and spices that are blended together to form a marinade for meats, whilst vegetables are steamed or roasted with a minimum of flavorings depending on the dish being prepared.