Shopping for Caribbean Ingredients

Different types of grocery stores and the Caribbean ingredients you can usually find there:

Mexican - you can find a good amount of Caribbean ingredients at grocery stores that cater to Mexican shoppers. Plantain and many root vegetables [LINK TO NAME TRANSLATION SPREADSHEET]. Habanero pepper, which has a similar flavor profile to the harder to find scotch bonnet pepper. Seafood, you can usually find red snapper, (prason gros sel), shell and head on shrimp/prawn. Meat, you can find stewing beef, bone-in cuts of beef, beef shank, oxtail, goat, turkey legs and wings year round. Smoked turkey and other smoked meats that add great flavor, and you're likely to find a butcher who can cut these for you.

Asian - some root vegetables, of note boniato potato. Often a wider variety of seafood than average grocery stores. Curry powders, especially in Asian markets that cater to a wider Asian audience. RICE, you can find a variety of types, brands, and sizes. In Caribbean households, the rice is often the base or main part of a meal, so the type and brand is important and many cooks prefer to use 1 or 2 different brands. (I use Jasmine rice almost exclusively and there are 2 brands I like, with only one being available in Chicago. For rice and beans, I use par broiled rice, and only about 2 brands depending on availability). Keeping in mind that many Caribbean cuisines have Asian influences (Trinidad, Jamaica) you can also find other ingredients, such as soy sauces, seasoning sauces and other ingredients for more specific dishes.

European - currently researching and will update soon

American - currently researching and will update soon

Farmer's Market - currently researching and will update soon