My second love

The first time I laid eyes on you my heart did not even skip a beat. My senses did not trigger any feelings even though your arrangement was stunning and your aroma was unique. You did not leave me speechless nor breathless. Instead, I only wanted to satisfy my primal need to feed. My stomach was only preoccupied with the hunger I felt at the time. The way you tasted was good. But then again it was only after several occurrences, on various occasions over the years, that I finally developed an appreciation for your flavour.

Despite being from Haitian decent, growing up in Canada exposed me to many types of foods. These dishes were far different than what I was accustomed to on a daily basis. At a young age I preferred such foods as hamburgers, pizzas and chicken nuggets. A side of French fries often accompanied my favorites. I guess that there was such an emotional attachment to this North American menu because they were often served during special occasions most notably birthday parties.

It wasn’t until I was in high school that I started truly appreciating Haitian food. Certain things grow on you. I can’t pin point why my love for my native cuisine grew on me. My mom has always been a great cook so it wasn’t like her culinary skills drastically improved over night. All I know is that now I would choose eating lanbi ak du ri djon djon with bannan fri over hamburgers and fries. Or mayi moulen ak hareng over pizza. And better yet, pwason fri ak pikliz over chicken nuggets.

I took Haitian food for granted for far too long. It took me a while to actually value its worth. My love for the type of food I grew up on is unwavering. Haitian food is so good and flavourful. From the various spices that are used to the elaborate food items that bring colour and delicious variety to our menu. It’s the only culture I know of that prepares rice and beans in twenty different ways. Special occasions are now even more memorable since there is an emotional attachment that links back to my roots.

Glossary lanbi ak ri djon djon – mushroom rice with conch bannan fri – fried plantain mayi moulen ak hareng – corn mill with herring pwason fri ak pikliz – fried fish with spicy coleslaw

Lenard Sémajuste