French Colonial Influence: Technique Meets Tradition

French colonizers brought techniques that créolized in Caribbean hands:

Refined Methods, Local Materials

- Sauce bases: French roux made with local oils and spices - Braising: Slow-cooking tough meats into tenderness - Pastry: French techniques using tropical fruits - Wine: Cooking with rum when wine wasn't available

"French technique is our grammar, but Caribbean ingredients write the poetry," philosophizes Chef Joël Kichenin. "We learned their rules then broke them beautifully."

The Great Houses' Dual Kitchen

Plantation houses maintained two kitchens: The European kitchen: Where French dishes were attempted The outdoor kitchen: Where enslaved cooks created miracles

"The real cooking happened outside," states culinary historian Dr. Mylène Danglades. "Enslaved women took French recipes, made them possible with local ingredients, improved them with African techniques. Créole cuisine was born in those outdoor kitchens."