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Hey Guys!!! So welcome back to my holiday blog mini-series, titled “Making Spirits Bright,” where we dive deep into unique facets of my personality & cultural upbringing while intertwining them alongside an array of cocktails & cuisine. So in being a 1st born Haitian-American, I’ve had the luxury of being raised with my mom’s wonderful cooking & she’s definitely quite the lil chef and actually enjoys the process. BUT not only that, she also makes sure to maintain our cultural traditions. And so, I’m definitely at the point in my life where I want to be able to continue carrying on these said traditions, meanwhile developing a true passion for cooking, not only for myself, but my future family as well.
Photo Credit: Purroy Productions
So having said that, in this blog post, I am sharing with you how my mom she is showing me the intricacies of making one of THEE most prominent Haitian dishes of all-time, and that’s Soup Joumou!!! More specific, English-translation “pumpkin or squash soup,” as the creole word “joumou” translates to either or ANDDD I’m also going to get into the cultural significance & impact this dish has had on Haitian history. So sit-tight & read-on, as you just might learn something new. Let’s get it!
If you didn’t know the country of Haiti made history by becoming THEE world's first black-led republic & first independent Caribbean state when it overturned French colonial rule & abolished slavery in the early 19th century. So needless to say, we’re kinda a big deal to say the least, even in spite of what the media chooses to relentlessly portray. Native to Haitian cuisine, soup joumou is a heartier soup that serves as a symbol of Haiti’s independence & is traditionally consumed on January 1st to celebrate the country's liberation from French colonial rule in 1804. Back in the 1600s & 1700s, when the country was colonized by the French, enslaved people were forced to harvest the squash & were forbidden from eating it themselves, as this luxury was mainly reserved to that of slave owners & their families. When the Haitian Revolution ended, Haitians celebrated by consuming soup joumou all day, savoring & rejoicing in the taste of freedom. It’s customary that we eat this for breakfast, lunch,on New Year’s Day into the next day as part of Ancestry Day, a holiday honoring Haitian revolutionaries on January 2.
"Soup Joumou"
Ingredients
-Butternut Squash;
-Penne Pasta
-Beef
-Ginger
-Epis (aka Haitian seasoning
-Maggie Seasoning
-Red & Green Pepper
-Kosher Salt
-Garlic cloves
-Lemons or Limes
-Sage -Cabbage
-Olive Oil
-Fresh Parsley
-Vegetable Broth
Directions
Step 1 - Wash & cut up all your vegetables; Pound, parsley, garlic, and epis in a pilon.
Step 2 - Clean & marinate your preferred cut of beef with epis. Pressure cook the beef. When beef is done cooking, we add veggies to continue cooking
Step 3 - Cut up the butternut squash & blend pieces then boil it them.
Step 4 - Transfer squash to pot with beef & vegetable mixture
Step 5 - Let simmer for 5 min.
Step 6 - Enjoy1
So that’s how it’s done guys! If you have a Haitian friend that hooks you up w/soup joumou on New Year’s day consider yourself very special in that person’s eyes.
"Hmm...hmmm!! The taste of freedom!!!
Until next time....
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