V.
THERE are four dishes which are the holiday luxuries of the
poor:—manicou, ver-palmiste, zandouille, and
poule-épi-diri. *
The manitou is a brave little marsupial, which might be called
the opossum of Martinique: it fights, although overmatched, with
the serpent, and is a great enemy to the field-rat. In the
market a manicou sells for two francs and a half at cheapest: it
is generally salted before being cooked.
The great worm, or caterpillar, called ver-palmiste is found in
the heads of cabbage-palms,—especially after
the cabbage has been
cut out, and the tree has begun to perish. It is the grub of a
curious beetle, which has a proboscis of such form as suggested
the creole appellation,
léfant: the "elephant." These worms are
sold in the Place du Fort at two sous each: they are spitted and
roasted alive, and are said to taste like almonds. I have never
tried to find out whether this be fact or fancy; and I am glad
to say that few white creoles confess a liking for this barbarous
food.
The zandouilles are delicious sausages made with pig-buff,—and
only seen in the market on Sundays. They cost a franc and a half
each; and there are several women who have an established
reputation throughout Martinique for their skill in making them.
I have tasted some not less palatable than the famous London
"pork-pies." Those of Lamentin are reputed the best in the
island.
But poule-épi-diri is certainly the most popular dish of all: it
is the dearest, as well, and poor people can rarely afford it.
In Louisiana an almost similar dish is called jimbalaya: chicken
cooked with rice. The Martiniquais think it such a delicacy that
an over-exacting person, or one difficult to satisfy, is reproved
with the simple question:—"Ça ou lè 'nco-poule.épi-diri?"
(What more do you want, great heavens!—chicken-and-rice?)
Naughty children are bribed into absolute goodness by the promise
of poule-épi-diri:—
—"Aïe! chè, bó doudoux!
Doudoux ba ou poule-épi-diri;
Aïe! chè, bó doudoux!" …
(Aïe, dear! kiss
doudoux!—doudoux has rice-and-chicken for you!
—
aïe, dear! kiss
doudoux!)
How far rice enters into the success of the dish above mentioned I
cannot say; but rice ranks in favor generally
above all cereals;
it is at least six times more in demand than maize.
Diri-doux, rice
boiled with sugar, is sold in prodigious quantities daily,—especially
at the markets, where little heaps of it, rolled in pieces of banana
or
cachibou leaves, are retailed at a cent each.
Diri-aulaitt, a
veritable rice-pudding, is also very popular; but it would weary
the reader to mention one-tenth of the creole preparations into
which rice enters.
[_]
* There is record of an attempt to manufacture bread with one
part manioc flour to three of wheat flour. The result was
excellent; but no serious effort was ever made to put the manioc
bread on the market.