A Haitian Treasure: Jirof (Clove)

Cloves are arguably the most common spice used in Haitian cuisine, even though they aren&amp;#8217;t cultivated as widely as in other parts of the world. &nbsp;Because cloves are so potent, only a few pieces are needed to give mega flavor to a dish. Cloves blend beautifully with a variety of herbs and spices which is another reason why they are so popular.&nbsp;Think about all of your quintessential Haitian treats. The diri ak&nbsp;djon djon, jambon,&nbsp;mayi moulen, griyo (for some), CREMAS, etc.&nbsp;As a kid&nbsp;and even now, I remember accidentally biting on cloves in these different dishes and literally crying with frustration because it tasted so bad. I&amp;#8217;m sure all Haitians have had this experience! It&amp;#8217;s quite inevitable actually. &nbsp;My cousins and I used to try and pick them out before eating ANY of our grandma&amp;#8217;s dishes because we knew they had to be in there somewhere! Thanks manman. But it&amp;#8217;s also so worth it because I&amp;#8217;ve eaten food that hasn&amp;#8217;t been flavored with jirof and they&amp;#8217;ve all been uninspiring.

(via Na&iuml;ka in Balance)