Destination Haitian Cuisine
Haitian food is similar to the rest of the Latin-Caribbean (the French and the Spanish-speaking countries of the Antilles) however it differs in several ways from its regional counterparts. Its primary influence derive from French, and African cuisine, with notable derivatives from native Taíno and Spanish culinary technique. Though similar to other cooking styles in the region, it carries a uniqueness native only to the country and an appeal to many visitors to the island. Haitians use vegetables and meats extensively and peppers and similar herbs are often used for strengthening flavor. Dishes tend to be seasoned liberally and consequently Haitian cuisine tends to be moderately spicy, not mild and not too hot. In the country, however, many businesses of foreign origin have been established introducing several foreign cuisines into the mainstream culture. Years of adaptation have led to these cuisines (ie: Levantine from Arab migration to Haiti) to merge into Haitian cuisine.
Rice and beans in several differing ways are eaten throughout the country regardless of location, becoming a sort of national dish. They form the staple diet, which consists of a lot of starch and is high in carbohydrates. In the more rural areas, however, at great distances from the major cities, other foods are eaten to a larger degree such as mais moulu (mayi moulen), a dish comparable to cornmeal that can be eaten with sauce pois (sos pwa) [a bean sauce made from one of many types of beans such as kidney, pinto, or garbanzo beans, or pigeon peas]. Mais moulu can be eaten with fish (often red snapper), or alone, depending on personal preference. Tomato, oregano, cabbage, avocado, and red and green peppers are several of the many types of vegetables and fruits that are used in Haitian dishes. Banane Pésée (Bannan Pézé), flattened plantain slices that are fried in oil (known as tostones in the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico), are eaten frequently in Haiti as both a snack food and as part of a meal. They are frequently eaten with tassot and/or griot, deep-fried goat and pork respectively.
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New Cuisine or Recipe??
Is there a particular cuisine that you have never tried but would like to try it someday? How about a recipe?
I would like to try Cambodian, Tunisian or Portuguese cuisine, I have never had anything from these countries.
I would like to try cooking some Creole and Cajun foods, this is new territory for me but I love Creole dishes.
****FOLKS: read my questions!
BTW, Thanks for the recipes, they look yummy!
Great question! I would like to try some authentic & traditional Scandinavian dishes. Also, I’ve always wanted to try some Maori (NZ) dishes.
Recipe wise: would love to do up a good classic NE Crab Boil one of these days!
Links to sites, Tell em JB sent ya
Louisiana southern styleCan some one help me find a restaurant please?
My birthday is in August..and its also the Anniversary of me and my boyfriend. Im turning 21 and this will be our 4 year anniversary. Can anyone please help me with a GREAT restaurant to go to where we have to kinda dress up, foods good, and possibly have Cajun Seafood (optional) lol..in Houston (or surrounding area)…
Well Pappadeaux (off I-10) has cajun food but it’s not the dressiest place ever. (It is nice though and if you’re 21 it might be good for your budget)
Good company seafood is a nice place (quite near pappadeaux). If you don’t care about the cajun, Benihanas is always a fun celebratory place. Yao’s (Yao Ming’s restaraunt) has good Chinese food and is pretty.
If you’re looking for something even classier and fancier I would recommend La Griglia which is a super posh Italian place on West Gray (sort of near to Downtown but not in it), or Bank (which is muy expensive but awesome).
Of course, just google downtown Houston restaraunts to search downtown but I personally don’t really like going downtown.
kick ass creole dishes?
I have the desire to cook some deep South foods. I have a lot of rice and some basic creole spices. Someone throw me a recipe for some jambalaya or gumbo or something tasty.
You can find all that stuff and more on the Gumbo pages… written by a New Orleanian.
http://www.gumbopages.com/food/basics/
why is cajun food so spicy?
I’m doing a project about Louisiana food and i really need this question answered! please help me any websites or personal opinion is great thanks
when Cajuns moved from Canada into Louisiana they we poor country folks.and the land on which they settled was not the best..usually in the swampy areas…where most foods they were accustomed to eating would not grow…so they ate what was available to them and things that could be grown in that area,,like alligator…and rice..and okra…as time went by the food was influenced by other cultures like the Spanish and native American,,who introduced the heat factor to Cajun cooking.
What style of cuisine do you prefer?
I am interested in learning about which styles of cooking the general public prefers. Italian pastas or Greek ourzi? Do you prefer Japanese, Chinese, Vietnamese, or is it a Thai? Does your palate crave Hungarian goulash or Ethiopian rice? Do you know the difference between Creole and Cajun?
I personally prefer the cuisine of my hometown, New Orleans. I love Creole food and will go out of my way to get the right ingredients to make it. Give me spice and the Holy Creole Trinity: green peppers, onions, and celery! I can make a roux, I can eat hot sauce and garlic on ice cream if I have to, and I cannot live without Creole tomatoes and red beans.
What about you?
Hello Vatican Lokey !
My mother’s family comes from South Carolina; nothing beats southern food; smothered pork chops, dirty rice, biscuits, gravy, peach cobbler, creamed potatoes, gravy, chicken fried steak, blueberry cobbler, gravy, fried chicken, apple pie, potatoe salad, and more gravy..
I also love Thai food, Chinese, Indian, Congolese, Mexican, Greek, Dominican, Italian; need I go on ?
If you put your heart in it when you prepare your food, it officially becomes "soul food" ; it doesn’t matter what you look like, or where you come from…
Now let’s talk New Orleans, I can’t wait until I try craw fish etouffee, the famous red beans and rice, creole gumbo, and a po’ boy sandwhich, to name a few.. Lawdy !!!
Good Lord !! I am hungry !
I will try anything, I love all foods; I can’t wait until I go to New Orleans! I’m going to the best restaurants, and every little fast food eatery, and I’m going to take millions of pics !!
I do not discriminate against food; although, I have just started to eat lima beans; who knew they could be so tasty ?
Love, light, and peace
tishy
Do you think Cajun food would be popular in the UK?
I was talking to a friend of mine over in Basingstoke area had mentioned the lack of spicy foods other than curry rice. I mentioned Cajun food- asked him if he liked it. He did not know what Cajun was at all… BUT, he told me that most people in the UK are seeking spice in their food, and I thought perhaps it would be cool to give them more than curry, or Indian food. SO, do you think it would be a successful venture to perhaps go and try to start a Cajun food restaurant there in the UK? And if so, can you think of a specific area it might be go over really well? (Not looking for big city- perhaps Southampton area?)
Think this is a good idea if you can find the right medium-sized community to give it a go. You can’t do a small community as it won’t offer enough diners consistently to thrive. Doing it in a huge community, you would get lost in the hundreds of other restaurants. Go for a mid sized area to offer a new taste choice, and have enough consistent numbers of people out looking for a meal (in the midst of the credit crunch, that isn’t easy).
To correct one post; please note that cajun cuisine isn’t soul food – they are two very different cultures and sets of flavours.
Cheers & good luck
trying to find a southern cookbook ,cajun foods with recipes by alex patout,millie brooks,celia davis,jo ann w?
looking for a cajun cookbook the front cover is green , the year 1980′s i bought in new orleans
PATOUT, ALEX Patout’s Cajun Home Cooking
Westminster, Maryland, U.S.A., Random House Inc 1986, First, Hard Cover. . 039454725x Author inscription, date front free-endpaper. Light stains to page edges; Signed by by Author. Very Good in Very Good dust jacket.
Offered for US$ 40.00 by: Books On The Boulevard – Book number: 26856
**not sure if this is the exact one you are talking about**