The Sugar Mill Caribbean Cookbook: Casual and Elegant Recipes Inspired by the Islands [Paperback]

Jinx Morgan (Author), Jefferson Morgan (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 19, 1996

250 sumptuous island recipes for home cooking from Bon Appetit columnists.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Jinx and Jefferson Morgan own the Sugar Mill, a much-loved resort on the island of Tortola in the British Virgin Islands. From there, they have explored the Caribbean and packed their culinary discoveries into The Caribbean Cookbook. There are dishes suited to company dinners, as well as easy-going food like Rum-Glazed Chicken Wings, Red Bean and Rice Salad, and Rasta Pasta. Some dishes are traditional, others use the ingredients and flavors of the islands in original ways. The Morgans are friendly and free-wheeling and pack lots of local lore and culinary information into this sunny book.

From Publishers Weekly

Columnists for Bon Appetit magazine, the Morgans also own the Sugar Mill resort in Tortola, British Virgin Islands, and so are no strangers to the Caribbean and its culinary delicacies. The 250 recipes gathered here come mainly from their restaurants' menus, which in turn draw from the region's cuisine and ingredients. Directions are friendly and straightforward yet detailed enough to help even a kitchen tyro succeed. Organized by meals ("Sunrise Specials") and main ingredients ("From the Fish Pot," "Sugar Island Sweets"), recipes range from Sweet-Potato Waffles with Orange Butter to such late-day libations as a Banana Daiquiri or Coffee Rumba. Salad specialties include Hearts of Palm Carnival, brightened with hot peppers; Green Papaya Salad with a mustard dressing; and Green Bananas simmered in milk and served with an olive vinaigrette. The fish and seafood recipes are understandably strong: Ginger-Lime Scallops with Toasted Walnuts; Coconut Shrimp with Vegetables; a variety of firm fresh fish fillets can be used in dishes like Fish with Tomato and Banana. Many of the recipes for beef and, especially, pork, use barbecue and grilling techniques. Such sauces as Major Morgan's Mango and other chutneys, sauces and salsas accompany many recipes.
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 272 pages
• Publisher: Harvard Common Press (November 19, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1558321217
• ISBN-13: 978-1558321212
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 7.2 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #178,838 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #34 in Books > Cookbooks, Food & Wine > Regional & International > Caribbean & West Indian

More About the Author

Not long after graduation, my college roommate, Judy Perry (then Pascoe) and I ran up a little cookbook called "Saucepans and the Single Girl" which was published by Doubleday in 1965 and, believe it or not, was reissued by Warner Books this year. As Bon Appetit said of the book recently, "It's so retro it's cool again." We hope we are too.
It's been a jam-packed four and a half decades with marriages (two), stepchildren (three) and grandchildren (seven), much joy and only a few bumps along the road. Almost thirty-five years ago I married journalist and author Jeff Morgan and for more than two decades we've been living on a wacky, wonderful and heart-stoppingly beautiful Caribbean island where we own a small hotel called the Sugar Mill. For two rookies, learning the hotel business was a real challenge, but we've rarely regretted our decision to move to the British Virgin Islands ' usually in hurricane season.
Jeff and I also have been lucky enough to explore the world writing about food, wine and travel for a number of magazines. In what we laughingly call our spare time, we've written a number of books, including "The Sugar Mill Caribbean Cookbook" published by The Harvard Common Press and "Two Cooks in One Kitchen" published by Doubleday. We were contributing editors and columnists for Bon Appetit magazine for over twenty five years. For a spell I was contributing editor on food and wine for American Airlines in-flight magazine. As I recall, the only stipulation they made was that I never write about airline food. Who could blame them?
About fifteen years ago an interest in watercolor painting led me to a third career. Now my paintings hang on the walls of the Sugar Mill Hotel (it's great to have your own gallery) and are shown in several galleries in the British and US Virgin Islands. Four of my paintings were selected to hang on the walls of the Legislative Council of the British Virgin Islands and one is in Government House. This May I will join several other island artists for a show at BVI House in London. Check out my work at www.watercolorsbyjinx.com.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Full of Good Food and Fond Memories, April 23, 2006

By 

Scarlet Harlot "Scarlet Harlot" (New Hampshire) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: The Sugar Mill Caribbean Cookbook: Casual and Elegant Recipes Inspired by the Islands (Paperback)

I had been eyeing this book for quite awhile, for more than a year actually, because my husband and I were going to the BVI for our honeymoon. When we finally went on our honeymoon, through dumb luck and fate, we got a room down the road from the Sugar Mill, and we decided to go to their famous restaurant for a night out. That night out turned into one of the most fantastic, memorable dining experiences we'd ever had... The night was like something out of a fancy movie. Blown away by the food, I bought the cookbook at the gift shop after dinner. Flipping through it in the hotel, I almost couldn't wait to go home and try out some of their recipes. I ended up scribbling down drink mixes we had when we went out and about town in the BVI, so this cookbook has turned into a honeymoon food scrapbook for me.

Now, I know that back story makes me a little biased, but I have to say that even if I just bought it without going to the restaurant, I'd still think this cookbook is superb. It's so clearly written and each recipe has a little paragraph "bio" associated with it discussing either its creation, history, or interesting info on the ingredients or the tradition behind the food. That little paragraph adds to the local color and feel that resonates through this whole cookbook. You can almost taste and feel the Caribbean when you read this book. Another thing I really like is that this book will give you the recipe as it's served at their restaurant, adding to the authentic feel of the book... But the book also acknowledges that some of the ingredients easily available to them in the BVI might be hard to impossible to find on the mainland, so they give you feasible substitutions that don't hurt the taste or presentation at all. Also included are little blurbs on the various Caribbean islands, customs, or other interesting facts.

I'd say most of these recipes are what I like to call "grown-up recipes." Meaning, not all of them you'll throw together in 30 minutes, that these recipes are sophisticated, adult foods that will probably require a little planning and time, perfect for special occasions (or a nice dinner you'd like to feel like a special occasion). I know this is a big negative for some people, but for me it's nice to own a recipe book that involves some serious cooking. I own far too many cookbooks with recipes that call for throwing together various canned soups and canned vegetables, or other processed foods like Bisquick or freezer rolls, and baking it for 30 minutes, and serving. It's nice to have a recipe book that doesn't include 45 different ways to use "cream of" Campbell's soups, and talks about cooking with things like star fruit and plantains and all sorts of exotic fruits and ingredients you see at the grocery store and wonder "I wonder what you use that for?" :D This is certainly a "from scratch" cookbook, not a "30 minute meals" sort of deal.

The categories in this book are: Sunrise Specials (breakfast foods), Snacks, Nibbles, and Island Appetizers, Carnival of Soups, Calypso Salads and Side Dishes, Pastas Under the Palms, From the Fish Pot (seafood), Birds of Paradise (poultry), Tropical Meat Waves (all other meat), Sugar Island Sweets (desserts), and Trade Wind Cocktails (an essential for summer parties as it's the drink recipes... :D). Some of my favorite recipes are curried citrus rice, christophene and sausage filled flank steak, lime cream pasta, pina colada pancakes and cake (the latter being my husband's new favorite birthday cake), lobster chowder, and conch chowder. And I have a list of "need to try" recipes from this book as long as my arm.

I love this cookbook. It's the BVI wrapped up in a 245 page book. There are only two downsides as far as I can see to this book... The first one being that it doesn't include this awesome drink recipe that we had while we were there and are just dying to have again but nobody knows how to make... And the second being that every time I cook something from it, my husband and I remember how much fun we had and how beautiful this restaurant was, and then we start missing Tortola terribly... :)

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars the cookin corkster, July 20, 2006

By 

Thomas E. Hendricks "The Corkster" (Florida Keys) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Sugar Mill Caribbean Cookbook: Casual and Elegant Recipes Inspired by the Islands (Hardcover)

I live in the Florida keys and foods from the islands of the caribbean are all over the islands, however, this book of recipes by far expands ones selection of choices. The recipes are well written for following instructions easily. the added info in the side bars is interesting and easily put to use with other recipes in the book. If you like food from the islands, all the islands of the caribbean, this book is a source for a quick trip to the island of your choice.
I lost my first copy to Wilma (the huricane). Had to buy another because this book is that good. But it, you'll love it! ;-)

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Awesome, October 25, 2004

By 

T. Kinney "2GourmetCooks2" - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Sugar Mill Caribbean Cookbook: Casual and Elegant Recipes Inspired by the Islands (Paperback)

My husband and I both love to cook and we picked up this cookbook shortly before our carribean cruise to introduce ourselves to the cuisine. We haven't stopped using the book since. The recipes are easy to follow and a great selection. The ingredients are for the most part easy to find or substitute for. I've won several cook-offs with recipes from this book, the rum glazed ribs and black bottom banana pie is to die for.