Haitian Cuisine
When I think Caribbean, I think pirates and food. The idea of pirates is the result of watching too many Disney films, but the thought of food comes from all of the influences from the Caribbean that have become popular in many restaurants. Through my experiences with food culture I have developed the idea of the Caribbean being a very tropical place. My recent move to Miami has brought me closer to the Caribbean, physically and socially. In class I have made friends with people from the Caribbean, and at working in kitchens as well. One culture in particular that seems to heavily influence local food is Haiti. I had the experience of working with a chef that is from Haiti, and he has a big culinary knowledge. Through recent research I have discover the island of Haiti and its history, the foods that grow in its tropical climate, and the dishes that have been developed from influences all around the world.
Just East of Cuba sits the tropical island of Haiti. The beautiful landscape makes it seem like a paradise; however the islands history has been covered in oppression and bloodshed since the 1400’s. Hispaniola was the name given to the island (which includes the current Haiti and Dominican Republic) by Christopher Columbus after his arrival in 1492. At this time the Arawak Indians who called their island “Hayti”, which meant mountainous land, had inhabited the island. Although the Spanish rule was devastating to the indigenous tribes, it brought new foods and techniques this part of the world. By the middle of the 17th century the island became a French colony and as always the French had a massive influence with its culinary methods. A result of French colonization was the importation of African slaves (olgp.net). This has devastated living standard in Haiti, it has resulted in a melting pot of world cuisine. The island of Hispaniola has many native foods such as guavas, pineapples, cassava, papayas, sweet potatoes, and corn. Because the climate is so
Just East of Cuba sits the tropical island of Haiti. The beautiful landscape makes it seem like a paradise; however the islands history has been covered in oppression and bloodshed since the 1400’s. Hispaniola was the name given to the island (which includes the current Haiti and Dominican Republic) by Christopher Columbus after his arrival in 1492. At this time the Arawak Indians who called their island “Hayti”, which meant mountainous land, had inhabited the island. Although the Spanish rule was devastating to the indigenous tribes, it brought new foods and techniques this part of the world. By the middle of the 17th century the island became a French colony and as always the French had a massive influence with its culinary methods. A result of French colonization was the importation of African slaves (olgp.net). This has devastated living standard in Haiti, it has resulted in a melting pot of world cuisine. The island of Hispaniola has many native foods such as guavas, pineapples, cassava, papayas, sweet potatoes, and corn. Because the climate is so
Cited: • Johnson, Monica. A Brief History of Haitian Cuisine-A True Multi-cultural Experience. multiculturalcookingnetwork.wordpress.com. 2012. • Food in Every Country. Haiti. foodbycountry.com. 2013. • Jeannot, Beluchi. Haitian Cuisine. EverythingHaitian.com. 2013. • Merrian Webster Inc. Merrian-Webster Collegiate Dictionary 11th Edition. Merrian Webster, 2008. • olgp.net. The History of Haiti. olgp.net. 2012.