Washing chicken

When I say, ‘wash the chicken’, everyone knows what I mean at home. When I say it overseas, people often look at me as if a significant part had dropped off my face. As Caribbean people, what we do with chicken, regardless of whether it is freshly butchered, presented in a Styrofoam tray or wrapped up in waxy paper from the best delicatessen in town, is to wash it. Wash with salted water, with vinegar or in a bath of lime juice (no rinsing necessary). For whatever reasons, it is standard procedure and we insist on it. Pat dry and then get on with the seasoning. Trust me, it will taste better.