Cindy Similien-Johnson is the author of the “Cook Like a Haitian” book series. The idea was spurred by her desire to preserve the meals she had while growing up in a Haitian household.
In the video below 1 Minute Meal: “Recipe for Heritage”, Johnson explains why she decided to write this book about Haitian food.
1 Minute Meal: “Recipe for Heritage” from James Boo on Vimeo.
One of her earliest childhood memories was the time she visited relatives in Haiti one summer. For breakfast, she had meals like Mayi Moulen (Cornmeal) with Sòs Pwa Nwa (Black Bean Sauce). Those precious memories stuck with her through the years. However, as she got older, somehow (and unfortunately), she got disconnected from her roots. She lost her sense of cultural identity and the ability to understand and speak the Haitian-Creole language. There’s an African proverb that says, “We must go back to our roots in order to move forward.”
A few years ago, she decided to learn everything she could about her Haitian culture. Consequently, she began cooking and compiling the recipes from her childhood. The “Cook Like A Haitian” cookbook series is her way of not only persevering traditional Haitian recipes but also helping others reconnect to their Haitian roots through food.
Story curated from: csjmediapublishing.com and cooklikeahaitian.com
