The holiday season is a special time of year for a variety of reasons. From gifts, decorations, cheesy hallmark movies, family gatherings, not to mention running into that crazy uncle of yours! It seems as if the holiday season can’t get any better. Well we’re here to tell you otherwise.
You see Cayman possesses something that simply cannot be outdone, and that is our food. Oh the glorious food! Rice and beans, plantains, oxtail, mac and cheese, conch fritters, and jerk chicken are some ofour favourites; however, there are three words in the English dictionary that will evoke an uncontrollable mouth-watering sensation if spoken in sequence.
CAYMAN
STYLE
BEEF.
Cayman style beef is very special to Cayman culture. Back in the day, beef was expensive and not easily accessible. Traditionally, people would kill the family cow at the end of the year in order to have beef for Christmas dinner and for the upcoming New Year. As you can imagine, this was a long drawn out process which aided in building the importance and significance of the dish as a whole. Each family would then add their own spin on the dish by adding in various ingredients such as garlic, scotch bonnet peppers or onions and would then slowly simmer the beef on low heat all day until dinner time. This process allows the beef to meld into the spices and other ingredients and evolves the beef into a delicious and tender consistency that we have all come to love.
Not only does this dish portray the love, care, and time Caymanians have for their food but also for the people they serve. All in all Cayman Style Beef will remain a staple within Cayman culture for years to come and will unceasingly signify a true Taste of Cayman.
How good is your Cayman Style Beef? Prove it at Taste of Cayman 2019 by entering the Cayman Style Beef competition. To entre call 623 6700 or email abby@tower.com.ky.
