The island of Hispaniola, which encompasses both Haiti and the Dominican
Republic, was inhabited by hunter-gatherers as early as 5000 B.C. Fruits
and vegetables such as guavas, pineapples, cassava, papayas, sweet
potatoes, and corn were cultivated by early Haitian tribes, particularly
the Arawak and Taino Indians.
It was not long before the first European
arrived on the island and began introducing oranges, limes, mangoes, rice,
and sugarcane. Slaves from Africa were eventually transported to Haiti to
work the sugarcane plantations.
Haitian food is often lumped together with other Caribbean islands as
"Caribbean cuisine."
Fruits
and vegetables such as guavas, pineapples,
cassava, papayas, sweet
potatoes, and corn were cultivated by early
Haitian tribes, particularly
the Arawak
and Taino Indians.
first European
arrived on
the island and began introducing oranges, limes, mangoes, rice,
and
sugarcane.
The Spanish established sugar plantations and made the native Indians work as
slaves.
The Africans introduced okra (also called gumbo; edible pods), ackee (red
and yellow fruit), taro (edible root), pigeon peas (seeds of an African
shrub), and various spices to the diet. They later introduced such Haitian
specialties as red beans and rice and mirliton (or chayote ; a
pear-shaped vegetable) to Louisiana's Creole cuisine.
The Africans introduced okra (also called gumbo; edible pods), ackee
(red and yellow fruit), taro (edible root), pigeon peas (seeds of an
African
shrub), and various spices to the diet. They later
introduced such Haitian
specialties as red beans and rice and
mirliton (or chayote ; a
pear-shaped
vegetable) to Louisiana's Creole cuisine.
The
African
s introduced okra (also called
gumbo; edible pods), ackee (red and yellow fruit), taro (edible
root), pigeon peas (seeds of an African
The
African
s introduced
okra (also called
gumbo; edible pods), ackee (red and yellow
fruit), taro (edible
root), pigeon peas (seeds of an African
shrub), and various spices to the diet. They
later
introduced such Haitian
specialties
as red beans and rice and
mirliton (or chayote ; a
pear-shaped
vegetable)
to Louisiana's Creole cuisine.
The French colonists successfully cultivated sugarcane, coffee, cotton, and
cocoa with the help of African slaves.
the average Haitian diet is largely based on starch staples such as rice (which
is locally grown), corn,
Fruits and vegetables such as pineapples, sweet potatoes, and corn were cultivated by early Haitian tribes.
Throughout its history, several countries controlled Haiti, introducing food from their native lands. Haitian cuisine is mainly a mixture of those countries.
The country was once almost covered in virgin forests but these have now been reduced and now only cover about 4% of Haiti.
Tubers were also cultivated as food. Sweet potatoes, one of the
nation's largest crops, grew on an estimated 100,000 hectares, and they
yielded 260,000 tons of produce a year in the 1980s.
The tropical Pacific tuber
taro, called malangá in Haiti, grew with other tubers on more
than 27,000 hectares.
Red, black, and
other kinds of beans were very popular; they provided the main source of
protein in the diet of millions.
Mangoes, another tree crop, were a daily source of food, and they
provided some exports.
In addition, Haitians
grew a wide variety of spices for food, medicine, and other purposes,
including thyme, anise, marjoram, absinthe, oregano, black pepper,
cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, garlic, and horseradish.
COVER STORY PODCAST Globalization has been brutal to midwestern manufacturers like the Pap
factory, its oiled wooden factory floors worn smooth by work boots, thrived by making ever-more-complex equipment to weave, fold, and print packaging for everything from potato chips to baby wipes.
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