Anyone who knows Haiti or Haitians knows that coffee is synonymous with this culture. Arabica Coffee is grown in the Haitian mountains at high altitudes and the beans are roasted artisanally all over the country by locals for consumption by Haitians from all walks of life. “Bonjou, koumen nou ye? Ou vle yon ti kafe?” “Good morning,…
CocoNut Choco-Oat Bars
If you love the combination of coconut and chocolate, as well as the goodness of oatmeal and the stickiness of a caramel; then you’ll love these bars I came up with a few weeks ago. This recipe contains no flour or eggs but there is dairy involved. I toasted some oatmeal and ground half of…
The Versatility of the Papaya or Pawpaw
Papaya, papaye or pawpaws are found all over the Caribbean and South and Central America as well as in Southeast Asia. If you are lucky to have a tree in your yard , there a bounty of goodness to look forward to at various stages of maturity. I recently had a tree that produced a…
Coconut Culture
My childhood memories growing up in Guyana are ones of family, love, laughter, good food and friends. My homeland is situated in the North of South America, and is the only English-speaking country on the continent. Guyana is an ex-British colony, and gained its independence from Great Britain in May, 1966. Guyana means “Land of…
Homemade Crunchy Granola
Granola is nutritious and a delicious little snack. I love it added to my yoghurt, sprinkled on banana bread before baking, added in cookie dough, or just on its own. It’s also very easy to make. Here is a little recipe I made up this weekend for my homemade yoghurt parfait. They were so pretty…
A Mojito with Passion
Have you ever tasted passion fruit? If you haven’t, then you’re missing out on a flavor which the people of Latin America, South America and the Caribbean have been enjoying for ages. The Passiflora edulis is a vine fruit and is also known as maracuya, parcha, grenadille, fruit de la passion, maracuja and in Hawaii…
Haitian flag day & Pikliz, the ubiquitous Slaw that elevates foods to another level
Today is Haitian Flag Day. This year marks the 214th anniversary of the “bicolor” flag. The beloved flag was adopted on May 18, 1803, in Arcahaie. It is said that Jean-Jacques Dessalines created the flag by taking the French flag, ripping the white section from it. This symbolized the breaking away from the French colonial masters….
Avocados, the ambrosia of the Americas
How I love Avocados!! Let me count the ways… Rich, creamy, and nutritious. This superfood is calorific but filled with “good fats”. Versatile, tropical, luxurious yet simple; avocados can be used in salads and smoothies or dessert. With so many wonderful options and varieties from which to choose, how can one ever tire of this…
Quiche as easy as pie
PIE CRUST ( PATE BRISEE) INGREDIENTS 2 1/2 cups flour, all purpose 1 tsp salt 1 tsp sugar 1 1/2 stick butter or margarine (6 oz or 3/4 cup), cold 1/2 stick (2 oz or 1/4 cup) crisco shortening 1/4 to 1/2 cup iced cold water METHOD Hand method Mix flour, salt, and sugar with…
May is a beautiful month and the one during which we celebrate our Mothers
Every year at this time, the weather warms up as the axis of the earth is increasing its tilt relative to the sun. The Northern hemisphere begins to defrost from the winter months at the end of March and May blossoms into the most beautiful month. Our dark cooler mornings start a little earlier, as…