food - Haiti Observer Blog

On Friday, March 13 2015, the Department of Quality Control and Consumer Protection (DCQPC) under the Ministry of Trade and Industry (MCI) celebrated 'the World Consumer Rights Day' with a series of conferences and debates aimed at raising awareness of the issues related to the need of healthy diets. During the occasion, Hervé Day, the Minister of Trade and Industry (MCI) delivered a speech mentioning the role and action of his Ministry for securing and protecting the legal rights of the consumers in the country. To guarantee quality food in correct measures to the consumers, the Haitian Bureau of Standards and Metrology has made several plans and for approval, the same have been submitted to the parliament. MCI would keep constant vigil on the distribution of consumer products to ensure compliance with the requirements for the labeling of prepackaged products and hygienic conditions. On May 23, 2012, President Martelly inaugurated a new sewage plant in Titanyen for supplying quality treated water to the people of Port-au-Prince and its surroundings. For the last two years, MCI with supports from DCQPC, has established 10 departmental federations of associations for consumers so that from a close proximity, they can monitor the standard and quality of goods and services offered. Further, they are raising the awareness among the consumers about the improved and effective patterns of consumption, considering the protection of the environment and social justice.

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Haiti's School Children need Clean Drinking Water and Toilets. Human Rights Watch (HRW) has urged the World Bank, international donors, and the government of Haiti (GOH) to begin providing school children with clean toilets and safe drinking water. They are gathering at a donors' conference in Washington D.C., to increase funding commitments toward clean drinking water and an improved sanitation and health system on the island.

HRW has discovered almost 60% of Haitian schools lack toilets, with over 75% having no access to water. Even recently completed schools, built with funds contributed by international donors, HRW found did not meet government guidelines, lacking both sufficient water and sanitation facilities. Consequently, students are missing classroom time, at home ill with diarrhea. HRW is asking the World Bank to lead on this issue by supporting basic rights of school children to clean drinking water, and proper and adequate sanitation facilities at their schools. HRW's Amanda Klasing says "The majority of children in Haiti attend schools in such poor condition . . . they risk contracting disease . . ."

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Griot is a Haitian staple, and there is also a certain level of mystery to its preparation as the unsuspecting wonder about the pleasant, undefinable aftertaste from the fried pork dish.

Serving the Haitian Griot on Thanksgiving would definitely leave a memorable taste to some of your guests, specially if they have not tasted the Haitian Griot before.

Now how do you make a good Haitian griot to serve on Thanksgiving

The trick, it seems, is in the sour orange and the salt used to treat the pork during preparation. Oranges are halved and then squeezed, the juice saved, and then the halves are rubbed on the salted meat. After this soaks in, the meat is washed and then boiled in an assortment of spices before being fried.

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When dining out, there are several strategies you can use to keep from overeating, or consuming too many fat- or sugar-ladened calories.

For starters, avoid cream-based soups and opt for lighter-calorie varieties such as broth-based vegetable, chicken, or won-ton, or a cold-based soup like gazpacho. Salads are a great way to eat lightly, and enjoy vegetables in their raw state. Just have the server put the dressing in a ramekin on-the-side. Eschew creamy dressings like Ranch, Caesar, French, and Thousand Island. Go with vinaigrette or oil and vinegar.

Pick entrees containing vegetables like broccoli, green beans, spinach, carrots. Avoid items like Mac and Cheese, Fettuccini al Fredo, and Spaghetti Carbonara, all made with rich cheeses and fatty bacon. Stay away from deep-fried or sautéed foods: calamari, shrimp, and prawns. Instead choose steamed, grilled, or broiled menu items.

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One of the most important crops grown in Haiti is peanuts. The call for its increased production has led to a tripartite collaboration between the University of Georgia's (UG) research project, Feed the Future Innovation Lab; the Clinton Foundation; and the U.S. Agency for International Development.

Ex-president, Bill Clinton, and patron, Frank Giustra, formed the Clinton Giustra Enterprise Partnership (CGEP) to start Acceso Peanut Enterprise Corporation, which is developing a supply chain, to raise the living standards of 12,000-plus peasant peanut farmers. The first of a network of supply chains is beginning operations at the Acceso depot, based in Tierra Muscady, followed by 35 other centers. Acceso depots are all-purpose facilities for instruction, seed purchases, and other inventory-related tasks, storage, and distribution operations.

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A plan to help residents in Little Haiti to improve their lives has to go back to the drawing board. Little Haiti garden as established in 2012 to provide to low income local families with fresh vegetables and also to educate residents and kids about sustainable food. The garden is scheduled to be demolished soon to give way to a parking lot

Welcome to Little Haiti Business Directory: http://haitianbusiness.com/business-directory/wpbdm-tags/little-haiti/

The Little Haiti Community Garden covers close to three acres. It was supposed to provide to ab out 200 families with 70-square-foot plots for family gardening.

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Poisson Gros Sel is a rich, traditional Haitian dish using red snapper, catfish, or tilapia. The preparation of the fish before cooking is essential. You must first remove both the genitals and gills of the fish, then use fresh limes to get rid of the fishy smell, by squeezing the limes all over the fish.

While the fish is resting for five to ten minutes, put the rest of the ingredients out: parsley, thyme, butter, garlic, more fresh limes, and salt. The most essential ingredient of all is Grandma's Marinating Sauce, which you will marinate the fish with for 30 minutes in a covered bowl in the refrigerator.

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With a thick air of mystery surrounding all aspects of the production of their finger-licking good fried chicken legs, Pack Super Market has found a sure winner they can sell on the 'cheep'.

16 years ago, Kernizan Philias' family opened the market which supplies food items in bulk in an establishment that resembles no fine eatery you've ever seen. Still, despite the less-than Michelin ready environ, the over-the-counter treat they provide for only $7 gets as much attention as would warrant a formal write-up.

Basing it on the popular Haitian fried pork shoulder recipe, griot, the family tried the recipe themselves before offering it up to customers. After deciding it was a 'flavorable' take on an old classic, the decision was made to use only chicken drumsticks as a way to keep costs down. As they explained, even wings would have been too expensive for the production, which would have pushed the cost up for the consumer. Today, for that measly $7 price-tag, patrons are able to receive a Styrofoam container of three to four drumsticks, fried plantains and a cascading pile of steaming rice and peas.

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Near the end of November a forum, attended by at least 12 internationally known panelists on the subject of Haitian coffee, was held to jumpstart the Korekafe project. Held in Thiotte, Haiti's first international 'Coffee Cupping Event' saw the participation of those such as: France's Christophe Eberhart and Florent Gout, Canada's Guylaine Pelletier, the USA's Brad Brandhost and Casey Blanche and Diane Nsengiyumva and Edouardo Ramos Samahoya from Haiti, among others.

The project was the brain child of Agronomists and Veterinarians Without Borders (AVSF), various partners locally as well as the French NGO. The panel gathered on the 28 and 29 of November to discuss Haitian coffee, its mysteries and the potential for its flavors in the presence of those players active in the local coffee industry.

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Fair Trade Café is located at 4882 Palm Coast Parkway North West, Florida. They serve coffees that are harvested by hardworking men and women in Haiti. Your purchase at 'Fair Trade Café' will help people in an impoverished country to earn a living. Haitian coffee is a wonderful product that simply needs a proper market where it can be sold. Fair Trade Café works jointly with 'Singing Rooster', which is a certified 501 (c) (3 ) nonprofit enterprise that offers on-ground assistance and partnership to the coffee harvesters and makes direct buyer relationships. They also assist in cultivating high quality gourmet Haitian coffee, buy, sell and export bulk quantities of Haitian coffee beans.

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