mardi 19 novembre 2013
Women of Haiti... A better Future: Love is such a beautiful thing.
Women of Haiti... A better Future: Love is such a beautiful thing.: It started with the wanting , out in the limbs a call... First look at life , the view, the colors, the shapes, the smell of mother ear...
Love is such a beautiful thing.
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It started with the wanting , out in the limbs a call...
First look at life , the view, the colors, the shapes, the smell of mother earth
Nature is so beautiful.
Shopping in time, life moments , first experiences, touching souls throughout our journey.
Finding beauty in everything.
LOVE, four letters, so many meanings, so many interpretations, so many acts of mischief in his name.
LOVE, so rare, so pure , so difficult to find.
Souls searching for eternal love, if you are among the luckiest, it hits you like lightning and you realize that you taught you loved before but it was nothing compare to now because.,
" ONE" you finally understand the full meaning of this word.
LOVE in white, loving in the moment, for eternity and beyond is such a beautiful thing.
by ; Natacha Gomez ( Chef T, nov 2013 )
Women of Haiti... A better Future: US women
Women of Haiti... A better Future: US women: I came across this picture on the internet taken at a cultural event in the northern part of Haiti, precisely at the King Henry Christoph...
US women
Strong image, strong interpretation and meanings and most of all a reminder to me and to all my sisters around the world.
we may bend from all kind of situations, but a woman is very hard to break. As a nation, as individuals , within ourselves we can find the strength and the power to achieve and reach our goals.
Never quit .
Natacha Gomez ( Chef T)
dimanche 16 juin 2013
Vivir lo nuestro Marc Anthony y La India
Vivir Lo Nuestro
On a vast plain,as vast as the sky,
I will shape a garden
on which your body can sleep.
In an ocean dense and wide
wider than the universe,
I will build a boat
on which a dream can sail.
In a black universe,
like the purest ebony,
I will build in white
our love for the future.
In a closed night
I will stop time,
to dream by your side
that our love is eternal.
And fly, fly so far away.
Where no one can obstruct
our thoughts.
Fly, fly fearlessly,
like free doves,
as free as the wind.
And live, live out what we have.
And love to the point of
breathlessness,
Dream, dream awake.
In a world without race,
without color, without woe.
Without anyone to oppose
That you and I...
love each other.
From a high mountain,
high like the stars,
I will shout that I love you,
to let the world know,
that we are one for the other
and we will never leave each other
and even if no one understands us
we will live for our love.
jeudi 6 juin 2013
Haitian Cuisine
Haiti 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 derives from French and African cuisine, with notable derivatives from native Taíno andSpanish culinary techniques. 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 (e.g.: Levantine from Arab Migration to Haiti) merging with Haitian cuisine.
"Manje Kreyòl" (Haitian food) is the equivalent of criollo cooking (criollo meaning "creole") in other countries. This encompasses most of what is regularly cooked in Haiti, involving the extensive use of herbs, and somewhat unlike Cuban cooking, the liberal use of peppers. A typical dish would probably be a plate of diri kole ak pwa (rice and beans), which is brown rice with red kidney or pinto beans glazed with a marinade as a sauce and topped off with red snapper, tomatoes and onions. The dish can be accompanied by bouillon (bouyon), known as sancocho in some neighboring countries. Bouillon is a hearty stew consisting of various spices, potatoes, tomatoes, and meats such as goat or beef.
Rice is occasionally eaten with beans alone, but more often than not, some sort of meat completes the dish. Chicken (poul) is frequently eaten, the same goes for goat meat (kabrit) and beef (bèf). Chicken is often boiled in a marinade consisting of lemon juice, sour orange, scotch bonnet pepper, garlic and other seasonings and subsequently fried until crispy.
Legim is a thick vegetable stew consisting of a mashed mixture of eggplant, cabbage, chayote, spinach, watercress and other vegetables depending on availability and the cook's preference. It is flavored with epis, onions, garlic, and tomato paste, and generally cooked with beef and/or crab. Legim is most often served with rice, but may also be served with other starches, including mayi moulen (a savory cornmeal porridge similar to polenta or grits), pitimi (cooked millet), or ble (wheat groats).
Other starches commonly eaten include yam, patat (neither of which should be confused with the North American sweet potato), potato, and breadfruit. These are frequently eaten with a thin sauce consisting of tomato paste, onions, spices, and dried fish.
Tchaka is a hearty stew consisting of hominy, beans, joumou (pumpkin), and meat (often pork). Tchaka is eaten by people and also used as an offering to the lwa in Vodou.
Spaghetti is most often served in Haiti as a breakfast dish and is cooked with hot dog, dried herring, and spices, served with ketchup and sometimes raw watercress.
One of the country's best known appetizers are Pate, which are meat or salted cod patties surrounded by a crispy or flaky crust. Other snacks include akra (crispy, spicy fried malanga fritters), banann pese, and marinad (fried savory dough balls). For a complete meal, they may be served with griyo (fried pork) or other fried meat. These foods are served with a spicy slaw called pikliz which consists of cabbage, carrot, vinegar, scotch bonnet pepper, and spices. Fried foods, collectively known as fritay, are sold widely on the streets.
Regional dishes also exist throughout Haiti. In the area around Jérémie, on Haiti's southwest tip, people eat a dish called tonmtonm, which is steamed breadfruit (lam veritab) mashed in a pilon, and is very similar to West African Fufu. Tonmtonm is swallowed without chewing, using a slippery sauce made of okra (kalalou in Haitian Creole), cooked with meat, fish, crab, and savory spices. Another regional dish is poul ak nwa (chicken with cashew nuts), which is from the north of the country, in the area around Cap-Haïtien.
Waves of migration have also influenced Haitian cuisine. For example, immigrants from Lebanon and Syria brought kibbeh, which has been adopted into Haitian cuisine.
The flavor base of much Haitian cooking is epis, a combination sauce made from cooked peppers, garlic, and herbs, particularly green onions, thyme, and parsley. It is used as a basic condiment for rice and beans and is also used in stews and soups.
Increasingly, imported Maggi bouillon cubes are used by Haitian cooks. This is indicative of the growing availability of imported, often artificial and inexpensive, foods, such as Tampico beverages.
Beer is one of several common alcoholic beverages consumed in Haiti, often drank at festivals, parties, and occasionally downed with a meal. The most widely drank brand of beer in Haiti is Prestige, a nationally popular mild lager with a taste similar to many commercialized beers such as Budweiser and Miller Light. The beer has a light and crisp yet mildly sweet taste with a vague yet strong flavor reminiscent of several American-style beers. Prestige is brewed by Brasserie Nationale d'Haiti (owned by Heineken).
Haiti's rum is extremely popular among its inhabitants , in addition to those in other societies. The most known company in the country is the world-renowned Rhum Barbancourt; one of the nation's most famous exports and by international standards, the country's most popular alcoholic beverage. It is unique in that the distilleries use sugarcane juice directly instead of molasses like other types of rum. The rum is marketed in approximately 20 countries and uses a process of distillation similar to the process used to produce cognac. The liquory creamed drink called crémas is also drunk in Haiti. It is a popular beverage usually consumed as part of dessert or simply by itself. It has a sweet like flavor that you can taste.
Clairin or kleren is another popular drink; it is equivalent to moonshine and is distilled from molasses, it is distilled twice sometimes to have a higher proof of alcohol. It is widely popular and small distilleries can be found throughout the countryside. Clairin is at least 100 to 120 proof. Double distilled, it can easily be 150 to 190 proof. Clairin may be more popular than rum, because it is much cheaper and less labour intensive to make.
Cremas, also spelled Cremasse (Kremas in Haitian Creole), is a sweet and creamy alcoholic beverage native to Haiti. The beverage is made primarily from creamed coconut, sweetened condensed and/or evaporated milk, and rum. The rum used is usually dark; however, white rum is used frequently as well. Various other spices are added for additional flavoring such as cinnamon, nutmeg, anise, as well as miscellaneous ingredients such as the widely used vanilla extract or raisins. Recipes vary from person to person with a few differences in ingredients here and there. However the overall look and taste is the same. The beverage possesses a creamy consistency similar to a thick milkshake and varies from off-white to beige in color. The drink is popular in Haiti and is served regularly at social events and during the holidays. It is usually consumed along with a sweet pastry of some sort. The drink is often served cold however it can be served at room temperature. The beverage has become recently marketed in Haiti as well as the United States. One of the popular brands is Dorobe. It is similar to Puerto Rican Coquito.
Due to its tropical climate, juice is a mainstay in Haiti. Juices from many fruits are commonly made and can be found everywhere. Guava juice, grapefruit juice, mango juice, along with the juices of many citrus fruits (orange, granadilla, passion fruit, etc.) are popular. Juice is the de factobeverage because of its variety of flavors, easy production, and widespread accessibility. Malta is also a popular non-alcoholic drink consisting of unfermented barley with molasses added for flavor. In more urban areas of the nation, the people enjoy Americanized drinks such as an array of soft drinks, in which Coca-Cola dominates all other local soft drinks. Milkshakes are also drunk regularly.
Many types of desserts are eaten in Haiti ranging from the mild to sweet. Sugarcane is used frequently in the making of these desserts however granulated sugar is also used often. One very popular dessert is fresco which can be whipped up quickly. Fresco is similar to an Italian Ice, however it consists primarily of fruit syrup. The syrup is moderately thick and very sweet. It is frequently sold by street vendors. The sweet smell of this candy-like snack often attracts honeybees and a common sight on the streets is a hurried vendor handing out frescos surrounded by swirls of bees. Pen Patat is a soft sweet bread made using cinnamon, evaporated milk, and sweet potato. It is usually served cold from the refrigerator but it can also be eaten at room temperature. Akasan is a thick corn milkshake with a consistency similar to that of labouille (in Creole, "labouyi") (a popular porridge made from corn). It is made using many of the same ingredients as Pen patat consisting of evaporated milk, sugar, and corn flour.
List of some Haitian dishes Chef Lemaire -
Rice is occasionally eaten with beans alone, but more often than not, some sort of meat completes the dish. Chicken (poul) is frequently eaten, the same goes for goat meat (kabrit) and beef (bèf). Chicken is often boiled in a marinade consisting of lemon juice, sour orange, scotch bonnet pepper, garlic and other seasonings and subsequently fried until crispy.
Legim is a thick vegetable stew consisting of a mashed mixture of eggplant, cabbage, chayote, spinach, watercress and other vegetables depending on availability and the cook's preference. It is flavored with epis, onions, garlic, and tomato paste, and generally cooked with beef and/or crab. Legim is most often served with rice, but may also be served with other starches, including mayi moulen (a savory cornmeal porridge similar to polenta or grits), pitimi (cooked millet), or ble (wheat groats).
Other starches commonly eaten include yam, patat (neither of which should be confused with the North American sweet potato), potato, and breadfruit. These are frequently eaten with a thin sauce consisting of tomato paste, onions, spices, and dried fish.
Tchaka is a hearty stew consisting of hominy, beans, joumou (pumpkin), and meat (often pork). Tchaka is eaten by people and also used as an offering to the lwa in Vodou.
Spaghetti is most often served in Haiti as a breakfast dish and is cooked with hot dog, dried herring, and spices, served with ketchup and sometimes raw watercress.
One of the country's best known appetizers are Pate, which are meat or salted cod patties surrounded by a crispy or flaky crust. Other snacks include akra (crispy, spicy fried malanga fritters), banann pese, and marinad (fried savory dough balls). For a complete meal, they may be served with griyo (fried pork) or other fried meat. These foods are served with a spicy slaw called pikliz which consists of cabbage, carrot, vinegar, scotch bonnet pepper, and spices. Fried foods, collectively known as fritay, are sold widely on the streets.
Regional dishes also exist throughout Haiti. In the area around Jérémie, on Haiti's southwest tip, people eat a dish called tonmtonm, which is steamed breadfruit (lam veritab) mashed in a pilon, and is very similar to West African Fufu. Tonmtonm is swallowed without chewing, using a slippery sauce made of okra (kalalou in Haitian Creole), cooked with meat, fish, crab, and savory spices. Another regional dish is poul ak nwa (chicken with cashew nuts), which is from the north of the country, in the area around Cap-Haïtien.
Waves of migration have also influenced Haitian cuisine. For example, immigrants from Lebanon and Syria brought kibbeh, which has been adopted into Haitian cuisine.
The flavor base of much Haitian cooking is epis, a combination sauce made from cooked peppers, garlic, and herbs, particularly green onions, thyme, and parsley. It is used as a basic condiment for rice and beans and is also used in stews and soups.
Increasingly, imported Maggi bouillon cubes are used by Haitian cooks. This is indicative of the growing availability of imported, often artificial and inexpensive, foods, such as Tampico beverages.
Beer is one of several common alcoholic beverages consumed in Haiti, often drank at festivals, parties, and occasionally downed with a meal. The most widely drank brand of beer in Haiti is Prestige, a nationally popular mild lager with a taste similar to many commercialized beers such as Budweiser and Miller Light. The beer has a light and crisp yet mildly sweet taste with a vague yet strong flavor reminiscent of several American-style beers. Prestige is brewed by Brasserie Nationale d'Haiti (owned by Heineken).
Haiti's rum is extremely popular among its inhabitants , in addition to those in other societies. The most known company in the country is the world-renowned Rhum Barbancourt; one of the nation's most famous exports and by international standards, the country's most popular alcoholic beverage. It is unique in that the distilleries use sugarcane juice directly instead of molasses like other types of rum. The rum is marketed in approximately 20 countries and uses a process of distillation similar to the process used to produce cognac. The liquory creamed drink called crémas is also drunk in Haiti. It is a popular beverage usually consumed as part of dessert or simply by itself. It has a sweet like flavor that you can taste.
Clairin or kleren is another popular drink; it is equivalent to moonshine and is distilled from molasses, it is distilled twice sometimes to have a higher proof of alcohol. It is widely popular and small distilleries can be found throughout the countryside. Clairin is at least 100 to 120 proof. Double distilled, it can easily be 150 to 190 proof. Clairin may be more popular than rum, because it is much cheaper and less labour intensive to make.
Cremas, also spelled Cremasse (Kremas in Haitian Creole), is a sweet and creamy alcoholic beverage native to Haiti. The beverage is made primarily from creamed coconut, sweetened condensed and/or evaporated milk, and rum. The rum used is usually dark; however, white rum is used frequently as well. Various other spices are added for additional flavoring such as cinnamon, nutmeg, anise, as well as miscellaneous ingredients such as the widely used vanilla extract or raisins. Recipes vary from person to person with a few differences in ingredients here and there. However the overall look and taste is the same. The beverage possesses a creamy consistency similar to a thick milkshake and varies from off-white to beige in color. The drink is popular in Haiti and is served regularly at social events and during the holidays. It is usually consumed along with a sweet pastry of some sort. The drink is often served cold however it can be served at room temperature. The beverage has become recently marketed in Haiti as well as the United States. One of the popular brands is Dorobe. It is similar to Puerto Rican Coquito.
Due to its tropical climate, juice is a mainstay in Haiti. Juices from many fruits are commonly made and can be found everywhere. Guava juice, grapefruit juice, mango juice, along with the juices of many citrus fruits (orange, granadilla, passion fruit, etc.) are popular. Juice is the de factobeverage because of its variety of flavors, easy production, and widespread accessibility. Malta is also a popular non-alcoholic drink consisting of unfermented barley with molasses added for flavor. In more urban areas of the nation, the people enjoy Americanized drinks such as an array of soft drinks, in which Coca-Cola dominates all other local soft drinks. Milkshakes are also drunk regularly.
Many types of desserts are eaten in Haiti ranging from the mild to sweet. Sugarcane is used frequently in the making of these desserts however granulated sugar is also used often. One very popular dessert is fresco which can be whipped up quickly. Fresco is similar to an Italian Ice, however it consists primarily of fruit syrup. The syrup is moderately thick and very sweet. It is frequently sold by street vendors. The sweet smell of this candy-like snack often attracts honeybees and a common sight on the streets is a hurried vendor handing out frescos surrounded by swirls of bees. Pen Patat is a soft sweet bread made using cinnamon, evaporated milk, and sweet potato. It is usually served cold from the refrigerator but it can also be eaten at room temperature. Akasan is a thick corn milkshake with a consistency similar to that of labouille (in Creole, "labouyi") (a popular porridge made from corn). It is made using many of the same ingredients as Pen patat consisting of evaporated milk, sugar, and corn flour.
List of some Haitian dishes Chef Lemaire -
mercredi 17 avril 2013
Women of Haiti... A better Future: Footprints in the Sand.
Women of Haiti... A better Future: Footprints in the Sand.: Footprints in the Sand. That cold winter breeze was playing in my hair ,enlacing me ,putting a balm of comfort on my hot feverish skin,...
Footprints in the Sand.
Footprints in the Sand.
That
cold winter breeze was playing in my hair ,enlacing me ,putting a balm of comfort
on my hot feverish skin, feeling the salt on my lips I smiled, the waves were inviting,
looking at them ,my wish goes to you.
I’m
woman of the oceans, my other world, the call is getting stronger time to go is
near, I want to let go, to embrace my destiny, but like the sailor’s wife I’m
waiting .seconds ,minutes ,hours days
goes by slowly .I’m waiting for you .
I
dreamt of you, I could describe your face, the way you walk, your smile, I saw
us on that beach laughing, I saw the love in your eyes, I saw the needs.
I’m
waiting ,standing on the beach like a salt statue, I want the re-birth, I heard
lots of noises , I saw them coming, listening to their conversations, I saw their hopes, I saw envy, I saw plots and
again I smiled for eternity and beyond no creatures can’t erase or destroy what
was written centuries ago.
Time
is not a matter anymore because our souls already met ,faith have taken over
,my heart is beating faster , anticipation makes me dizzy, A radious smile is
on my face ,people are starting to look at me differently and saying maybe.
And
then I saw you, my humans eyes are now open, I feel the tingling of life
rushing thru my veins, I’m your every woman, my feet start moving and I start
running to you .You opened your arms, you enlaced me, my friend, my lover and
you whisper to my ears <<Honey I’m home, and the world suddenly is brighter,
I now hear not only the song of the ocean but the birds singing because for
eternity and beyond my love in white is here.
samedi 13 avril 2013
Caribbean Lovers Recipe (modified for Ireland) original calls for plantain
Caribbean Lovers on potato rosti
This recipe was created by Natacha Gomez, Chef T and Kokiyaj Market Bar/Grill. Natacha wants to empower other Haitian women and put her country on the tourist map.
Natacha started to cook at just 8 years old with her grandmothers. The men in her family liked to hunt. From an early age Natacha learned how to choose produce and cuts of meat. Her father opened his first restaurant when she was nine. ‘I was in heaven, they could always find me in the kitchen and I have some burn scars to prove it…my war badges’. Natacha worked under the supervision of the chefs while also studying tourism, catering and gourmet cooking. Natacha opened her catering business 14 years ago and 4 years ago she helped her parents open their second restaurant. She opened her own fast food restaurant, Chef T in The Dominican Republic, 4 months ago which she hopes will become a chain.
This recipe uses green plantain, which is a savoury vegetable that looks like a large banana. They can only be eaten when cooked. When green, the plantain are used as a savoury dish and when ripe they are sweeter and are therefore used as a dessert. They are available at some vegetable shops and international food shops but if you cannot find them, potatoes can be used instead.
Caribbean Lovers on potato rosti
Prep Time: 15 mins
Cook Time: 35 mins
Serves 6
Cook Time: 35 mins
Serves 6
Ingredients:
- 2 boiled green plantain or 1 lb baking potatoes, peeled and grated
- Fresh parsley
- 4 cloves of garlic
- 1 pound uncooked shrimp
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- ½ cup chopped onions
- ½ cup green bell peppers
- 1 tsp minced scotch bonnet pepper or habanero
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 tbsp fresh lime juice
- ½ cup shallots
- 1 tablespoon of rum
- 1tsp of sugar
- 3 Tbsp olive oil
- Salt and pepper
- 1 avocado
- 1/3 cup reduced passion fruit puree with a dash of hot sauce.
Method
- Heat 3 tbsp of oil in a large frying pan on medium high heat
- While the pan is heating, squeeze out as much moisture as you can from the grated potatoes, using paper towels.
- In a bowl mix the grated potato with crushed garlic and parsley.
- When the oil in the pan heats up to the point of shimmering, but not smoking, add the grated potato mix, spreading them out along the bottom of the pan. The potatoes should not be too thick in any one place, no more than a half inch thick. Sprinkle some salt and pepper on the potatoes. After a few minutes, lift up one edge of the potatoes and see how done they are. If they have fried to a golden brown they are ready to flip. Use a large spatula to flip the potatoes over all at once, or divide the large potato rosti into halves or quarters and flip. Continue to cook until they are golden brown on the bottom
- Place cleaned shrimp into a bowl with the chopped onions, green bell peppers , scotch bonnet and salt
- In another frying pan, heat some oil. Add the shrimp mix, and cover for 5 mins.
- Add a tbsp of rum, the lime juice and sugar to the shallots, and in a separate pan cook for 2 mins
- Place the rosti on a plate, with a tsp of the passion fruit puree. Arrange some slices of avocado on top, put the shrimp on that and garnish with the glazed shallots.
Enjoy!
Please let us know how you get on with this dish below…
vendredi 12 avril 2013
PinkEggshell: My Dream Home Experience -Curacao
PinkEggshell: My Dream Home Experience -Curacao: I just returned from a six day trip to the Island of Curacao. Located in the Caribbean, this colorful island is a true gem....
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