Author debuts Haitian cookbook at Sip This

Visitors to Sip This on March 31 had the opportunity to learn about authentic Haitian cuisine, as author Nadege Fleurimond showed off her self-published cookbook, Haiti Uncovered.

Fleurimond was born in Haiti but moved to Brooklyn as a child. She said she hoped the collection of recipes would help give both Haitians and non-Haitians a better idea of the cultural and culinary traditions of the island nation.

“Typically, whenever you hear about Haiti here in the United States, it’s something negative or tragic that’s being covered on the news,” she said. “I wanted to educate people so they can better understand that while there are some very negative things that have happened in my country, there is a great culture and a lot to learn from Haiti.”

One of the biggest misconceptions she said she hoped to correct is the idea that her culture’s food is simple and not nutritious

“There is a misconception that Haitian food is unhealthy and limited, that there are only a few options, like rice and beans, pork, things like that,” Fluerimond said. “I wanted to correct that idea and show how flavorful, how healthy, how diverse the food can be … as a caterer, I know how important presentation can be, so I wanted the book to be hardcover with full color photos, so readers can see how beautiful these dishes really are.”

Those in attendance sampled pâté and ginger tea and learned about the book, which features recipes from each of Haiti’s ten provinces.

Denise Corcoran, a Valley Stream resident and self-described amateur chef, said she would put the book to use.

“I was a little familiar with Haitian cooking before, but I didn’t know too much about it,” she said. “After reading through some of the book already, and after tasting some of the dishes today and learning more about the recipes, I’m excited to try them.”

Chantal Antoine, of Valley Stream, said she was impressed by the accuracy and the presentation of the recipes.

“I was born in Haiti, so I’m extremely familiar with the food and I can say that these recipes really stay true to the Haitian tradition,” she said as she took a bite of pâté. “I’m already finding new recipes that I can’t wait to try … all the photos in the book make the dishes look so good.”

Marsha Guerrier, also from Haiti, said she was glad to see a new resource for Haitian families to use in passing on their culture and traditions.

“I had heard about the author and was following her on Facebook, so I was really looking forward to the book coming out, and I was not disappointed,” she said. “So many people, even Haitian people, don’t truly know how to cook Haitian food. This should help people pass down their recipes and traditions and show what ingredients really go into their food.”