Food for the Body Food for the Soul by Fendy Lamy
Thank you for sharing your desire in wanting to cook Haitian food. I believe there’s nothing more comforting than being in the presence of great company and amazing food. In my special new cookbook, I share some of my favorite recipes, from my beautiful country of Haiti, as well as other countries in the West Indies. This is the food I was raised on as a young girl, and that was passed down for generations. Working side by side with my amazing photographer and dear friend Eric Acquaye, I chose the artistic approach to display the food that I love, and that has helped raise me along the years.
Be aware that some of the recipes in this book are both traditional and non-traditional to as I do enjoy adding a twist to my dishes from time to time. Keep in mind that everyone’s cooking isn’t the same, but it’s unique in its own way. In addition, as you may or may not know, there is no such attribute as exact measurements in Haitian cuisine. Like seriously, never.
Growing up in Haitian a household, I used to feel overwhelmed watching my mother, aunt, and grandmother quickly chop, pour and sprinkle all sorts of amounts of ingredients in a pot, while gossiping on the phone with friends. It was an incredible sight to see and the food always came out tasting amazing! Oh boy! If I even asked how much they added to the pot, I would either get a lingering stare or this phrase in Kreole: “Mwen pa mezire ti fi!” In the English translation: “I don’t measure girl!” However, for the sake of creating a cookbook, my goal is to remove any confusion or possible mishaps, that may come with making such dishes, by adding exact measurements.
While cookbooks are great books, “Food For the Body Food for the Soul” isn’t just a cookbook filled with delicious recipes. As a God-fearing woman, I believe that we must be fed both spiritually and physically. For the bible says,
“Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.”