Cocorico, cocorico, cocorico…
You’re awakened by the rooster in the garden of your Haitian Airbnb located in Cap-Haitien, Haiti. The sun shining through your windows and the birds chirping outside make you pleased with your decision to escape the cold weather of Boston. World travel has always been so alluring to you, and since Haitian Flag Day on May 18th is coming up, you’ve decided to travel to Haiti to learn more about its culture, specifically its cuisine. Your host lets you know that throughout the day, you will be given two choices for all the meals.

Your other option is Bannan Bouyi ak Ze Fri, which translates to Boiled Plantains with Fried Eggs. This Haitian-style omelet is served with regular or sweet plantains. Both dishes can also be served with avocado on the side.

Your second option is Pâté Kòdé which are crispy patties filled with your choice of filling which range from hot dogs, eggs, smoked herrings, chicken, and beef. Keep in mind that the Pâté Kòdé can be placed on a fritay platter.

Your second choice is called Diri Djondjon. It is a dish that consists of rice made with black mushrooms. This plate can be paired with fried poulet *chicken* in sauce, salade russe *Russian salad.* It is absolutely delicious and has amazing health benefits.

Your second dessert ranges between sweet and savory saveur *taste.* The name is tablèt which is essentially brittle. Now, there are different varieties such as tablèt pistach (peanut brittle), tablèt kokoye (coconut brittle), and tablèt nwa (cashew brittle). However, the tablèt pistach is the most popular snack in the streets of Haiti. How is it made? It is caramelized roasted peanuts seasoned with ginger, cinnamon, and nutmeg; then placed aside to dry which forms the rock texture. Absolute wonders, but not recommended for people with a nut allergy.
Just like that, your wonderful day in Haiti has come to an end and I hope you have enjoyed your meals. However, if you are keen on tasting the culture of Haiti through its food, you are more than welcome to visit any of these four places that I have listed below:
Toutwèl Restaurant - 643 River St, Mattapan, MA 02126
Le Foyer Bakery - 132 Babson St, Boston, MA 02126
Highland Creole Cuisine - 2 Highland Ave, Somerville, MA 02143
Signature Kitchen - 1289 Main St, Brockton, MA 02301

Carmaïssa Etienne
Receptionist
Born and raised in Haiti, Carmaïssa moved to the United States at the age of thirteen years old. With her ability to adapt and learn quickly, being trilingual became an advantage. However, over the years, she noticed that her fluency in French had lessened due to the lack of use. Working at the French Library is the epitome of the blessing that she was looking for to regain fluency in her native language. It has also opened countless doors of opportunities for her to connect with people from all over the world about their love for French culture and language. In her free time, she enjoys reading, writing novels, journaling her thoughts, and having deep conversations with loved ones.