 Memorable experiences
Exquisine is focused on providing our clients and their guests with a pleasurable and memorable culinary experience. We are committed to excellence and use only the highest quality ingredients.
We set the same standard for our Chocolate Fountains, using only the finest Belgian chocolate and freshest dipping items available.
We believe that memories last an entire lifetime so let Exquisine create pleasurable, memorable experiences for you and your guests.
A Customer focused approach.
We prioritise customer service; every special event is different and each customer has a personal vision for their special day. We pride ourselves on our flexibility and in our ability to work with customers to achieve exactly what they require. Our business is built on our valued reputation.
Going the extra mile.
Our reputation is built on our friendly, accommodating and reliable service that is second-to none! We go the extra mile so that you have a great experience and take pride in playing a special role in your event!
Health and safety
We have full public liability insurance, PAT tested equipment and Food Hygiene Certificates.
A Taste of the History behind Caribbean Food
The food of the Caribbean is a great example of how a multitude of influences can combine to form an incredibly unified and coherent national cuisine. However, to the uninitiated, Caribbean food is something of a mystery.
Unlike Thai, Chinese and Japanese food, it has never really made the transition from "interesting and exotic" to "credible alternative to European". Added to that, until recently there were few Caribbean restaurants outside areas housing large Caribbean populations, but this is beginning to change.
Tribes
The islands of the Caribbean were originally home to two North American tribes, the Caribs and the Arawaks. The Caribs are believed to be the first people to develop the institution of spicing food with chili peppers. The diet of these two tribes was based around root vegetables and nuts, though the Caribs were also partial to a bit of human flesh occasionally!
It wasn't till the first European invaders, sorry (!), adventurers arrived that the food of the Caribbean started to get a bit more interesting. Christopher Columbus presented the lucky locals with sugar cane.
Not long after this the inhabitants discovered that they could ferment the stuff, and as a result rum was born. Other Spaniards introduced a wealth of other foods, which all thrived in the tropical Caribbean atmosphere. These included chickpeas, aubergine, onions, garlic and coconut, and they form the basis of much of what is eaten in the Caribbean today.
Other European colonists introduced oranges, lemons, mangoes, rice and coffee. Later, the African slave trade meant that quite a few West African foods were introduced, such as okra, plantain, breadfruit and ackee.
Different islands have different emphases depending on which European country had a colony there. Thus Puerto Rico and Cuba have a Spanish slant, Guadeloupe and Martinique are more French-ified, and Jamaica has the most African connections (though it was a British colony, the major slave-trading centre there ensured the African influence was the strongest).
Staples
Peas and Rice is one of the most common Caribbean staples, often spiced up with some coconut milk. Callaloo is a stew made from salt pork, crabmeat, okra and spinach, and is a combination not to be sniffed at!
Jerk flavoring (whether it be a dry rub, a wet rub or a marinade) is a Jamaican specialty. The basic ingredients for a jerk flavoring are thyme, pimento, spring onion, ginger,scotch bonnet chilies, black pepper, nutmeg and cinnamon. Jerk Chicken is the most common way in which this flavor is employed, but there are hundreds of variations possible. Most Caribbean desserts are based around tropical fruit, with dishes such as stuffed papaya and roasted breadfruit popular.
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