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Have you ever heard of green seasonings ? Sofrito perhaps ? Well Epis, for us haitians sums it up to the best base to have in order to create great dishes from our rice, to our stews to our meats, everything gets a little Epis and it’s so easy to make. The great thing about Epis is that it has a long shelf life in the fridge, it can be kept for months at a time. The longest batch of Epis we’ve had in the house lasted 2 months. That’s a pretty long time considering this is a house of cooks hunny. When you make it, make sure to make A LOT so you have something to prep any dish you want to make.

Let me describe it to you : it is rich, creamy, fragrant and tasty. It can also be spicy if you add habanero peppers. The reason why it’s a staple it’s because it goes well with everything. You’re making soup or a sauce ? use it as a base. You’re marinating meat ? Great for that, helps it taste incredible. You’re cooking rice, also great to start your delicious broth. For any savory dish, epis will be a great companion. 

Simply blend 6 small peeled Garlic cloves, 2-3 scotch bonnet peppers (if you like it spicy), 2 sweet Bell peppers, 4 branches of  thyme, small bunch of cilantro, half of cup ok lime juice, 1 cup of oil, 2 Leaks or 4-5 green onions, vinegar (a third of a cup), 2 maguy cubes, paprika for color, 1 whole onion (preferably red or yellow)

Don’t worry about  exact measurements, as many would say, listen to your ancestors. They will guide you.

Feel free to ask any questions down below. Now that you’ve learned the basics, would you try it?

I want to thank you personally for reading my first blog post. If you haven’t – scroll down a little and please read. Today I will be engaging in a war that has been going on for far too long – the battle of the rice ! There seems to be an ongoing battle over which country makes the best rice. As a proud first generation Haitian immigrant, let’s settle this once and for all it’s Haiti. No shade to the other countries chile we are all one but I must dive into the variety of our rice. It is made so fluffy not sticky, not mushy, it compares to none. It has a distinct taste thanks to our magic base ingredient  epis, which can also be found in other countries under different names. Just to name a few, and not to brag AT ALL here are some of our rices : 

• Diri djondjon which is depicted in the picture above, is made out of a special black mushroom that grows in the moutains of Haiti. Some people make that rice with different type of green peas (sweet green peas  or lima beans) it can also be made with or  without shrimp. This is the one that you buss out at a very special event because Djondjon is expensive !
• Diri colle or rice and beans : THIS is our staple rice, it’s fragrant fluffy and the taste is wonderful, you can have it with stewed chicken or anything really, it’s amazing
• Diri macédoine : This is a colourful rice with mixed vegetables that has a yellowish colour and is perfect for parties
• Diri blan : The best white rice you’ll ever have, you can either use jasmine rice for this or regular long grain but it is best enjoyed with some LEGIM (vegetables) best combo ever

I know having food and buying groceries in this economy is a luxury am I right ? I also know that having Haitian food is the most comforting, in my eyes at least. It is comforting and you should know that if someone takes their time to offer or cook you some, it is a form of love language. It should definitely be added to the official list.

I had the privilege to grow up with a food-forward grand-mother and mom who both are passionate individuals. They taught me the basics but I was always curious to watch them whisk away their favorite meal, whether it was mayi moulen or kalalou.

L’union fait l’assiette was created in 2019 and its name is inspired by our country’s slogan L’union fait la force. It resonates because the union of different hand picked ingredients make the best plate of food, as simple as that. With this blog I hope to achieve one thing, open your eyes and stomach to the endless possibilities that food, especially Haitian food, has to offer as you discover or rediscover new recipes through visual experiences. I’m also happy to share a few recipes that were passed down to me as a first generation haitian immigrant.

I want to finish on this note : What is YOUR favorite haitian dish ?