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Best Haitian Foods
Tassot is a traditional dish made with goat meat or beef as the main ingredient. Cubed meat is usually marinated in a combination of onions, orange juice, and lemon juice. It is then fried until it develops a crispy, brownish exterior. The dish is typically served with fried plantains, rice and beans or mushroom rice, and a spicy sauce known as ti malice on the side.
Heavily influenced by African cooking traditions, legim is a popular Haitian dish with many variations regarding the ingredients. It typically consists of various mixed vegetables that are cooked with meat (usually beef) and then mashed together.
Legim (meaning legumes or vegetables) usually contains cabbage, eggplant, watercress, green beans, carrots, and chayote squash. The stew is traditionally prepared on Saturdays, and it is often accompanied by cornmeal or rice.
Bouillon is a hearty and slightly thick Haitian soup made with meat, epis, yams, kelp, cabbage, plantains, potatoes, scotch bonnet peppers, and celery. It is sometimes served with small dumplings which are made by rolling the flour into a small amount of broth.
The name of the soup is derived from the French word bouillir, meaning to boil. It is recommended to serve bouillon piping hot, preferably on rainy days.
Haitian pumpkin soup is traditionally served on New Year's Day as a celebratory reminder of Haiti's hard-won liberation from slavery and independence from France. The soup was once a delicacy reserved only for white masters, while the slaves who prepared it were forbidden to eat it, but ever since January 1, 1804 — the day when Haitian revolutionary leader Jean-Jacques Dessalines declared Haiti’s independence—joumou has become a symbol of liberty that graces every Haitian's table on the first of every January.
Apart from pumpkin or squash, the thick, savory joumou is loaded with various other vegetables, beef, and flavorings such as thyme, parsley, and chili peppers.
Griot is a typical Haitian dish consisting of pork meat cubes slowly simmered in a sweet, spicy, and tangy marinade of chile peppers, onions, and orange, lime, or lemon juice until tender, then fried in a skillet. Instead of developing the flavor from the pan drippings, the sauce acts as a cooking liquid, typically reduced to a shiny glaze.
The dish is an homage to the griot, a person of high social status in many West African countries, traditionally a local historian, diplomat, warrior, tribal chief, community leader, or a teacher. As pork meat was scarce and expensive in Haiti, the dish was made only for special occasions and festive events, and the link between the two griots is obvious - they are both very important to their respective cultures.
MOST ICONIC Griot
Dous makos is the Haitian version of fudge. This sweet dessert originates from the town of Petit-Goave and dates back to 1939, when it was invented by Fernand Macos, a Belgian entrepreneur. It is made from sugar, milk, flavorings, and colorings.
Dous makos usually has three or more distinctive layers which are all colored and flavored differently. Usually, the flavors come from chocolate, cinnamon, almonds, vanilla, rum, peanut butter, or citrus peels. Before the fudge hardens, it is typically placed in rectangular molds, and it is then cut by hand into smaller pieces before consumption.
OTHER VARIATIONS OF Fudge
MAIN INGREDIENTS
In Haiti, pwason boukannen refers to fish that has been grilled using a traditional technique called boukan. It is prepared by taking a large piece of wood and splitting it into two, then tying one end and leaving the other end open so the fish can be inserted in between.
Before the fish is inserted, it is sliced, seasoned (usually only with salt, pepper, and chili), and then a small stick is inserted through the fish, from its mouth to the tail. It is recommended to use cinnamon sticks as they impart a unique flavor to the fish.
MAIN INGREDIENTS
Diri ak pwa, also called diri kole ak pwa, is the national dish of Haiti, consisting of rice and beans. The dish became a common, everyday staple during the period of slavery, when rice and beans were two of the few ingredients that were fed to the slaves by their owners.
It can be made with a variety of beans, but pinto, red kidney beans, and black beans are the most common options. Diri ak pwa is exceptionally nutritious as rice is rich in starch and contains iron, vitamin B, and protein, while the beans also contain iron and a greater amount of protein than rice.
MAIN INGREDIENTS
Diri ak djon djon is a Haitian dish consisting of rice combined with black mushrooms. During the boiling process, these mushrooms release a natural coloring (gray to black), giving the dish its distinctive colors and flavors. Black mushrooms are native to the northern parts of the island, so diri ak djon djon is considered a regional delicacy in Haiti.
The dish can be consumed on its own, when it is typically paired with a salad, but it is also served as an accompaniment to various meat and fish dishes.
MAIN INGREDIENTS
Haitian bread is the most common type of bread that can be found in Haiti. It consists of flour, yeast, sugar, butter, and salt, although every baker has its own twist on the ingredients. This bread may be prepared in various sizes and shapes, and it is typically served with a cup of Haitian coffee on the side.
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Best Haitian Food Producers
Rhum Barbancourt is a renowned Haitian rum producer, established in 1862 by Dupré Barbancourt, a native of the Cognac region in France. The company is celebrated for its high-quality rums, crafted from pure sugar cane juice and distilled using methods similar to those employed in cognac production.
Over the years, Rhum Barbancourt has become a national institution in Haiti, embodying the country's rich cultural heritage and commitment to excellence.
AWARDS
SFWSC - San Francisco World Spirits Competition - Double Gold
2024
IWSC- International wine & spirit competition - Silver
2024
BEST Barbancourt Spirits
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Best Haitian Food Products
Rhum Barbancourt introduce you to the overproof Caribbean Rhums. When distilled from pure cane juice, 110 proof is the strength that best reveals the rhum essences and savor. Perfectly crystalline, Rhum Barbancourt Haitian proof is an outstanding floral rum with green notes of fresh sugar cane juice, hints of tart citrus fruits and light peppery tone. 110 proof for creative, full-strength cocktails.
Rhum Barbancourt Haitian Proof is distilled in copper columns, following traditional methods. Typically Haitian, with green notes of fresh sugar cane juice and eucalyptus, this outstanding white rum can be sipped neat or as part of the most creative cocktails.
AWARDS
SFWSC - San Francisco World Spirits Competition - Double Gold
2024
Rhum Barbancourt 15 Year Old Estate Reserve is a premium Haitian rum crafted from pure sugar cane juice. Distilled and aged for 15 years in French Limousin oak barrels, this amber-hued rum offers a nose with hints of vanilla and dried fruits, such as grapes and prunes.
On the palate, it presents fruity notes dominated by prunes in a fine and elegant manner, leading to a long, rich, and complex finish with notes of dried fruits. Originally reserved exclusively for the Barbancourt family, it has been available to the public in limited quantities since 1960.
AWARDS
IWSC- International wine & spirit competition - Silver
2024
Rhum Barbancourt Haitian Proof is an overproof white rum crafted from pure sugar cane juice, embodying the essence of Haitian rum-making traditions. Distilled in copper columns using traditional methods, this rum is bottled at 55% ABV (110 proof), offering a robust and authentic flavor profile.
It presents a crystalline appearance with floral aromas and hints of tart citrus fruits. On the palate, it delivers spicy notes with green nuances reminiscent of fresh sugar cane juice and eucalyptus, culminating in a dry finish with light peppery undertones.
AWARDS
IWSC- International wine & spirit competition - Silver
2024
TasteAtlas food rankings are based on the ratings of the TasteAtlas audience, with a series of mechanisms that recognize real users and that ignore bot, nationalist or local patriotic ratings, and give additional value to the ratings of users that the system recognizes as knowledgeable. TasteAtlas Rankings should not be seen as the final global conclusion about food. Their purpose is to promote excellent local foods, instill pride in traditional dishes, and arouse curiosity about dishes you haven’t tried.