You won't find any golden arches on the corner of busy intersections here but the streets are full of fast food joints. You will smell the hot grease heating up as you wait for your order. The food can be really wonderful, but there are a few rules you should follow before you eat food that has been cooked on the side of the road at a local Haitian drive up (vs drive through). Depending on where you stop you will have your choice of filling, just like any good drive up...goat, pork, hot dogs, chicken, egg. These rules are not posted any place for viewing, nor is there an inspection notice posted that tells you what score they got out of a 100. Some details are better unknown. But, like I was saying, the rules are only to help you avoid what is better known as Haitian Happiness, a.k.a. one really bad case of the runs and I mean bad. Maybe after we have lived here a good long time we won't need to follow these rules but I just can't seem to get used to the idea of a thousand or more flies landing at random on my food while it sits in the hot sun being lightly dusted with diesel fumes and a fine layer dust just for good measure.
Here is a quick rule of thumb, make sure the grease is hot and clean. Well, you know, as clean as possible and if you can get your order as soon as it comes out of the pot that is always best so you avoid any extras being added. (Did you ever wonder how they wash their hands after they go to the bathroom as they sit on the side of the road all day long with no port-a-potty?)
You may be saying there is no way I would ever eat food cooked on the street. My advise - Come on, live a little!
Oh, rule number two: don't use the street ice.
5 comments:
What is street ice? Maybe I'm just having a blonde moment?!
street ice is a block of ice that has been drug down the street and then is chopped up and used in slushy type drinks :)
Thanks Jessica! I guess if you get one of those slushy type drinks and bite into something hard, you shouldn't be too surprised, right?!
Now, I just have to remember all these tips when I get to come to Haiti! Someday, I pray!!! :)
ewwwww Haitian Happiness. I shiver at the thought! Just seeing someone go through it is enough to take as many procautions as you can get!
p.s How are you? I miss you guys! So I saw on your facebook you need fabric. Is it still a need? I'll bring as much as I can down there when I come.
love,
Grace
...but it's so delicious it's almost worth the 'Haitian Happiness'! There is a lot of love in that food that you can taste...or maybe it's all the salt and fat...either way, it's a winner.
Tim
Post a Comment