Tamara Apollon sells baked goods — such as her famous Mango Tart — to fund an education center in her native Haiti.
When Americans think about the nation of Haiti, a rich culinary tradition is not the first thing that comes to their minds.
Which is unfortunate, says Haitian emigrant and baker Tamara Apollon. Few in the developed world, she says, can look beyond her country’s poverty and reliance on foreign aid. “People think we only take and do not give,” she says
She hopes to change that perception by bringing a variety of French-inspired Haitian treats to the American palate.
Apollon’s repertoire includes Marquise, a creamy, frozen dessert with layers of cookie and ice cream; Buche de Noel, a log-shaped Christmastime cake flavored with chocolate or Gran Marnier liqueur; mango cheesecake, and cupcakes with pineapple and grandia (passion fruit) topping. She also makes gingerbread and peanut butter cookies.
Though she has yet to take her business full-time, Apollon’s desk-bound day job provides ample opportunities for market research. “Every time I cook for work,” she says, “people are saying, ‘When are you going to start your own business?’”
Now, her business, Kids Can, allows her to boost appreciation of her native culture, and eventually, she will use its proceeds to improve the lives of her compatriots. Her goal is to generate enough revenue to create a center for disadvantaged girls in Les Cayes, a city on Haiti’s southern shore.
Apollon says that a lack of education and job skills forces many Haitian females into domestic slavery. She wants to hire teachers to train them in hairdressing, cooking, sewing, and starting a business. “I want to empower them,” she says.
Kids Can can be reached at (908) 400-0910.
Their Marquise serves 7 to 8 people and costs $15. Cheesecakes are $20 to $30 and serve 10, Buche de Noel costs $30 to $40 and serves 20.
Cookies cost $7 per pound, and a dozen cupcakes costs $15.
