When I think of family, I associate the word with great love, happiness and appreciation. For me it is a word which is sacred and all important. It means the source and foundation on which love and security is built. It’s my support system through good and bad, happy or sad. Family is there at…
Category: culture
Beignets de Figues or Banana Fritters
These banana fritters are made in Haïti during the carnival season. They are not to be confused with the beignets of New Orleans, which are the raised fried pastry doused in tons of powdered sugar. This Haitian fried sweet snack is made when there are lots of delicious organic bananas available, as they are the…
Carnival in Haïti
In Haïti, once the Christmas and New Year festivities are over, it immediately signals that the pre-Carnival season is imminent. You have to understand that for Haitians, Carnival is probably the biggest celebration of the year. For many here, Carnival is greatly anticipated and it is truly a time where people of all walks of…
The Story Behind Guyanese Girl Haitian Soul [Part 2]: The Joy of Cooking
From as far back as I can remember, I have always been intrigued by flavors and food. I am utterly fascinated by the alchemy which occurs in the kitchen, when different spices are blended together producing an amalgamation of wonderful tastes. Sheer magic occurs in the cooking process which imparts the most delicious flavors into…
Happy New Year and Haitian Independence
It’s a New Year…out with the old, in with the new. At midnight, all around the world people celebrate the passing of the old year and happily welcome the beginning of a new year. The calendar year is based on the Earth’s 365 day cycle around the Sun. This journey around the sun enables the…
Season’s Greetings
Christmas is a bustling and happy time. Synonymous with family, good friends and happy moments, the month of December is usually a busy one. As the year winds down to an end, I always find that preparing a meal whether elaborate or simple, and sharing the moments with family and friends is one of the…
Christmas Traditions Then and Now
December is a busy month of family traditions. Many of you are likely to be planning Christmas celebrations and parties as it is traditionally a month of festivities. For me, the season is usually a busy and happy one. Christmas has always been my favorite season. My traditions are a mixture of Guyanese and Haitian…
Sugarcane Field Memories of Greenfield Park
When I think of Guyana, I am automatically drawn back to my home in Providence. Growing up in Greenfield Park, on the East Bank of the Demerara river in Guyana, was an unforgettable part of my childhood. The compound housed a few original colonial plantation style homes which were once built for the British staff…
The Story Behind Guyanese Girl Haitian Soul [PART 1]
Living in Haiti these last 27 plus years has been a blessing as well as a test of the strength of my character. I remember the early days after I got married when I did not speak the language and missed my family and familiar things so much. It was not the era of FaceTime…
How Tending to My Garden Became The Metaphor For My Life
I have always enjoyed cooking and baking since I was very young. I come from a family of great cooks for several generations, so it was pretty natural that the heart of the home revolves around the kitchen and dining table. I also love nature and my garden very much. Initially in the early…