There are four dishes which are the holiday luxuries of the poor:—manicou, ver-palmiste, zandouille, and poule-épi-diri.[52]
MARKET, FORT-DE FRANCE
Daily, at dawn, these carriers stream in from the country with burdens of fruit upon their heads.
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, bò doudoux!
Doudoux ba ou poule-épi-diri;
Aïe! chè, bò doudoux!"...
(Aïe, dear! kiss doudoux!—doudoux has rice-and-chicken for you!—aïe, dear! kiss doudoux!)