Haiti just celebrated its 222nd anniversary as a country. Jan. 1 is their Independence Day. The whole country eats soup joumou, (pumpkin soup). During slavery, this soup was reserved exclusively for colonial masters, even though slaves prepared it. After independence, Haitians claimed soup joumou as their own. It became a lasting symbol of freedom, emancipation, and national pride.
Made from scratch, a squash-like vegetable called a pumpkin is cooked and pureed. This puree is the base of the soup. Chunks of beef, chicken, or goat are added, along with spaghetti or another noodle, vegetables such as carrots, cabbage, turnips, onions, and potatoes, and spices (garlic, celery, cloves, thyme, salt, pepper, and many others). It takes a while to make the soup- a big pot is made, so the preparations start the night before. It stews for quite a while. When it is done, usually in the morning, family and friends gather to eat it with homemade bread and butter. It’s a tasty treat.
Friends and family drop by for a visit on the first and the second of January. Fireworks are lit on the night of the first if the family can afford them.
