Summer Sangria

This summer feels like it will be a scorcher as it is only mid-June. I like to entertain at my home and I prefer to hosts things in the late afternoon or early evening as the sun shifts to another phase; lifting the oppressive heat so common at this time of year here in Haïti….

Delicious Quick Bread Caribbean Coconut Bake

The smell of fresh bread baking is one which has charmed me as far back as I can remember. I am always awed by the way a few ingredients like flour, shortening, yeast or baking powder and salt can be kneaded and can be baked into bread. For thousands of years in so many cultures,…

Delicious Chicken Fritter (Haitian Marinade au Poulet)

One of the great pleasures in life is good food. All around the world, people enjoy snacks both sweet and savory. It’s funny how different cultures have similar foods, with maybe a few seasonings which differentiate them. All over the world people eat a form of fried batter basically made of flour and water. The…

Haitian Hot Chocolate “Chokola Peyi”

Chocolate has often been referred to as “The food of the Gods.” The Aztecs and Mayas drank a spicy libation made from the cocoa bean during their religious ceremonies and was considered a drink of the elite. Cocoa was a very important commodity in Mesoamerica and was even used as a currency and payment for…

Magnificent Mango Smoothie

It’s mango season in Haïti and the bounty of fruit is just amazing. So many varieties to choose from, it’s mind boggling sometimes. I received a case of Baptiste mangoes for my birthday from a friend who knows how much I enjoy this particular variety. They are very fragrant as they ripen and the flesh…

The Amazing Power of Lemons and Limes

There are so many awesome flavors which are fresh and exciting but the ones which truly stands out to me are the flavors of lemons and limes. I always keep a good quantity of both of these citrus varieties on hand and store them in my refrigerator cooling drawer as they remain fresher for a…

The Flavors of Haïti

When I got married and moved to Haiti I was introduced to a new culture and cuisine. I realized early on that although Haiti was part of the Caribbean, the culture and food was quite unlike the other neighboring countries. The rich bold flavors of Haitian foods were delicious and I immediately loved the different…

Banana Jam Is The Ultimate Comfort Food

Living in the Caribbean, means that great bananas are always plentiful and reasonably inexpensive. Every week I buy a bunch, but sometimes the heat can make them ripen faster than they can be eaten. As we all have a tendency to like to eat fresh fruit which looks appealing, ripening bananas with their blotchy peel…

Tea Party in the Tropics

I have always loved tea and tea time. On week days when I am busy with work and my daily activities, tea time is just a pot of good strong English tea and maybe a slice of cake or a small pastry if I have fresh baked goods on hand. I also really enjoy the…

Carambola Jam

In my yard in Guyana stands a beautiful,mature and very prolific carambola tree. In my memory it was the perfect tree. It was not too tall that the fruit were inaccessible, nor too flimsy that it could not bear the burden of the fruit it bore; it was just right. Its mature trunk was thick…