ABSTRACT
This chapter examines more closely the food and drink prepared with sugar, as well as specific foodways, whose arrival in the Caribbean were most closely associated with sugar's history. The term 'King Sugar' has been used widely in Caribbean circles to refer to the central importance of sugarcane crops not only in the economy, but also in food culture of the region. As a world food, sugar has uniquely satisfied the human appetite for sweetness without greatly altering the flavor of foods it complements. The history of sugar marked the commoditization of labor and food, both tied to imperial control over markets and food systems. The globalization of slavery changed the role of sugar in the modern diet. The expansion of production using slave labor in the seventeenth century fed a demand for the sweetness of sugar in Europe. The commodity's global history connects Asia, Europe, and Africa to the Americas.
