December 8, 2024 • 6 mins
Have you ever wondered how food can bridge cultures and connect us to our roots? Join us as we uncover the delectable secrets of Henry's family heritage, where a simple school assignment turns into a magical culinary adventure. Inspired by his grandmother and the enchanting story "Plantains Go With Everything" by Lissette Norman, Henry embarks on a quest at the local library, leading him and his grandmother into a world where the aromas of plantains weave tales of tradition and family.
As the magical journey unfolds, Henry discovers the flavors of his Haitian ancestry through the delicious dish with plantains prepared with love by his family. The kitchen becomes a canvas of storytelling, with Henry's dad sharing heartfelt memories of his parents and their journey from Haiti to the United States. Friends are drawn by the enticing smells, turning an ordinary evening into a vibrant celebration of culture, storytelling, and shared meals. This episode of Henry's Library paints a vivid picture of how books can bring stories—and flavors—to life, deepening the bonds of family and friendship.
What is Black Social Media Links:
https://www.instagram.com/whatisblk/
https://www.facebook.com/WhatisBlk/
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:03):
Welcome back to Henry's Library, the podcast,
where books come to life andincredible adventures await.
I'm your host, and today weembark on a journey into Henry's
family heritage, exploringdelicious traditions and
discovering new stories.
It's a bright morning atHenry's school.
Henry's teacher announces thenext reading assignment for his
(00:24):
class Class.
I'd like you all to find a bookthat discusses different
cultures, the foods eaten andhow similar those foods are to
your family's culture.
I want you to write a reportand give a presentation to the
class on Monday.
After class, henry walks homeand thinks about the book he
wants to read.
He knows much about his mom'sside of the family, but not as
(00:45):
much about his father's family,who lived in Haiti.
Mom, grandma, can we go to thelibrary to borrow a book?
Of course, henry.
I need to finish up dinnerbefore I can take you Ivy, don't
rush.
I'd love to take Henry to thelibrary.
Henry and his grandmother arriveat the library, where they are
greeted by Mrs Simon, thelibrarian.
Hello Henry, hello Evelyn, whatbrings you here today?
(01:13):
Hi, jocelyn, henry has a newproject for his class.
Henry tells Mrs Simon about hisproject.
What book are you thinkingabout?
I know about my mom's family inNew Orleans, but not much about
dad's family in Haiti.
Mrs Simon walks away to helpanother family while Henry and
his grandmother think aboutideas.
Henry, what about a book abouta family from the Dominican
Republic?
Grandma, that's a great idea.
They're on the same island,next to each other.
(01:33):
Mrs Simon returns.
I see you're excited about anidea.
What story are you thinkingabout?
I'd like to read a book about afamily from the Dominican
Republic.
They find Lizette Norman's bookPlantain Oats Go With Everything
, and then Henry and hisgrandmother settle into a cozy
corner to read it.
This is a lovely book, grandma.
Did dad's family use plantainstoo?
Yes, henry.
(01:54):
As they read, the magicalfeather bookmark in Henry's
pocket starts to glow.
Suddenly, henry and hisgrandmother are transported into
the world of the book.
Grandma, hang on.
Wow, we're inside the book.
I forgot how much wind there iswhen we travel in the book.
Let's explore Yesenia's worldand see how plantains are used
in her family's meals.
I'm right behind you, grandma.
(02:15):
It smells delicious.
You're right, henry, I'mgetting hungry.
They journey through Yesenia'skitchen, seeing plantains being
prepared in many delicious ways.
Grandma, this is amazing.
I can't wait to tell mom anddad about this.
Henry and his grandmotherreturned home eager to share
their magical adventure withHenry's parents.
Mom, dad, we had the mostamazing adventure.
(02:36):
In the book, grandma and I sawall the ways Yesenia's family
uses plantains.
That sounds wonderful, henry.
It reminds me of the dishes mymom used to make with plantains.
One of my favorites was bananplantains, farcis Plantains
wrapped around ground beef withrice and beans.
Can we make it together, dad?
I want to learn more about yourfamily.
(02:57):
The next day, henry, hisgrandmother, his dad and mom
gathered the ingredients andstarted cooking the Haitian dish
.
Henry's dad shared storiesabout his parents as they
prepared the meal.
My parents moved to the UnitedStates from Haiti before I was
born.
They loved cooking meals thatreminded them of home, and this
dish was one of my favorites.
Your dad's parents would be soproud of you to learn about your
heritage, henry.
(03:17):
I wish I could have met them.
Henry's dad begins to tell Henrymore about his grandparents and
, as the delicious aromas filledthe house, henry, henry's
friends, dogbear, curry andBirdie arrive, drawn by the
smell.
Hey, henry, what smells so good?
Yeah, we could smell it fromoutside.
What are you making?
Can we join you for dinner?
Of course, birdie, curry andDogbear.
(03:38):
We're making a dish my dad usedto cook.
It's called Benan PlantainFarsits.
It's plantains wrapped aroundand we're going to have rice and
beans with it.
After eating, the family sitswith Henry's friends looking
through old photo albums.
This is your grandmother andthis is your grandfather and me
playing soccer.
Dad, you guys look so happy.
I'm glad we're keeping theirtraditions alive.
(04:00):
Like Yesenia's family, plantainsare a way to stay connected and
share our love.
That's right, ivy.
Every time we cook and sharethese meals, we honor those who
came before us and keep theirstories alive.
It's amazing how food can bringus together and teach us about
our heritage.
I love learning about my family.
Henry reflects on the day andhis new connection to his
heritage.
(04:20):
I'm so happy we did this.
I feel closer to my family andtheir traditions.
I know a lot about Grandma'sfamily from Louisiana and the
yummy food that she makes for us.
That's right, henry.
There are many more stories andrecipes to discover.
We'll keep exploring themtogether.
Buddy, our heritage is a partof who we are.
Henry, embrace it and carry itforward.
Henry is back at school onMonday ready to present his
(04:41):
report on Plantinose Go WithEverything.
I read Plantinose Go WithEverything by Lissette Norman.
It's about Yesenia, who lovesplantains.
In her Dominican family,plantains are used in many meals
.
This book made me think aboutmy dad's family from Haiti.
They also use plantains a lot.
Henry continues sharing hisdad's favorite recipe, just like
the book shares one ofYesenia's favorite foods mangout
(05:04):
or mashed plantains.
My dad's favorite dish isground beef with plantains, rice
and beans.
We cooked it together andtalked about my grandparents
from Haiti.
It was amazing.
Thank you, henry, for sharingsuch an incredible story and
recipe.
It's amazing how food canconnect us to our heritage and
bring families together.
We conclude another episode ofHenry's Library.
Remember, exploring yourfamily's history and traditions
(05:26):
can be a magical journey full ofdelicious discoveries and
meaningful connections.
History and traditions can be amagical journey full of
delicious discoveries andmeaningful connections.
Thanks for listening to Henry'sLibrary.
Visit our website atwhatisblackco backslash Henry's
Library to learn about the booksmentioned in this episode and
find fun activities for yourfamily.
Please follow, rate and review,and share the podcast with your
(05:47):
friends.
We'd love to hear from you.
Email us at hi at whatisblackcoto share your family's favorite
foods and suggest books forHenry to read in future
adventures.
Remember you can find the booksfrom this episode at your local
library or bookstore.
We encourage you to supportyour local independent
bookstores and you can supportour podcast through purchasing
books from this episode, andalso support independent
(06:09):
bookstores by visitingbookshoporg.
Backslash lists.
Backslash Henry hyphen S hyphenlibrary.
Stay tuned for the next episodeof Henry's Library, where more
magical journeys of learning andimagination Bye.
Welcome back to Henry's Library, the podcast,
where books come to life andincredible adventures await.
I'm your host, and today weembark on a journey into Henry's
family heritage, exploringdelicious traditions and
discovering new stories.
It's a bright morning atHenry's school.
Henry's teacher announces thenext reading assignment for his
(00:24):
class Class.
I'd like you all to find a bookthat discusses different
cultures, the foods eaten andhow similar those foods are to
your family's culture.
I want you to write a reportand give a presentation to the
class on Monday.
After class, henry walks homeand thinks about the book he
wants to read.
He knows much about his mom'sside of the family, but not as
(00:45):
much about his father's family,who lived in Haiti.
Mom, grandma, can we go to thelibrary to borrow a book?
Of course, henry.
I need to finish up dinnerbefore I can take you Ivy, don't
rush.
I'd love to take Henry to thelibrary.
Henry and his grandmother arriveat the library, where they are
greeted by Mrs Simon, thelibrarian.
Hello Henry, hello Evelyn, whatbrings you here today?
(01:13):
Hi, jocelyn, henry has a newproject for his class.
Henry tells Mrs Simon about hisproject.
What book are you thinkingabout?
I know about my mom's family inNew Orleans, but not much about
dad's family in Haiti.
Mrs Simon walks away to helpanother family while Henry and
his grandmother think aboutideas.
Henry, what about a book abouta family from the Dominican
Republic?
Grandma, that's a great idea.
They're on the same island,next to each other.
(01:33):
Mrs Simon returns.
I see you're excited about anidea.
What story are you thinkingabout?
I'd like to read a book about afamily from the Dominican
Republic.
They find Lizette Norman's bookPlantain Oats Go With Everything
, and then Henry and hisgrandmother settle into a cozy
corner to read it.
This is a lovely book, grandma.
Did dad's family use plantainstoo?
Yes, henry.
(01:54):
As they read, the magicalfeather bookmark in Henry's
pocket starts to glow.
Suddenly, henry and hisgrandmother are transported into
the world of the book.
Grandma, hang on.
Wow, we're inside the book.
I forgot how much wind there iswhen we travel in the book.
Let's explore Yesenia's worldand see how plantains are used
in her family's meals.
I'm right behind you, grandma.
(02:15):
It smells delicious.
You're right, henry, I'mgetting hungry.
They journey through Yesenia'skitchen, seeing plantains being
prepared in many delicious ways.
Grandma, this is amazing.
I can't wait to tell mom anddad about this.
Henry and his grandmotherreturned home eager to share
their magical adventure withHenry's parents.
Mom, dad, we had the mostamazing adventure.
(02:36):
In the book, grandma and I sawall the ways Yesenia's family
uses plantains.
That sounds wonderful, henry.
It reminds me of the dishes mymom used to make with plantains.
One of my favorites was bananplantains, farcis Plantains
wrapped around ground beef withrice and beans.
Can we make it together, dad?
I want to learn more about yourfamily.
(02:57):
The next day, henry, hisgrandmother, his dad and mom
gathered the ingredients andstarted cooking the Haitian dish
.
Henry's dad shared storiesabout his parents as they
prepared the meal.
My parents moved to the UnitedStates from Haiti before I was
born.
They loved cooking meals thatreminded them of home, and this
dish was one of my favorites.
Your dad's parents would be soproud of you to learn about your
heritage, henry.
(03:17):
I wish I could have met them.
Henry's dad begins to tell Henrymore about his grandparents and
, as the delicious aromas filledthe house, henry, henry's
friends, dogbear, curry andBirdie arrive, drawn by the
smell.
Hey, henry, what smells so good?
Yeah, we could smell it fromoutside.
What are you making?
Can we join you for dinner?
Of course, birdie, curry andDogbear.
(03:38):
We're making a dish my dad usedto cook.
It's called Benan PlantainFarsits.
It's plantains wrapped aroundand we're going to have rice and
beans with it.
After eating, the family sitswith Henry's friends looking
through old photo albums.
This is your grandmother andthis is your grandfather and me
playing soccer.
Dad, you guys look so happy.
I'm glad we're keeping theirtraditions alive.
(04:00):
Like Yesenia's family, plantainsare a way to stay connected and
share our love.
That's right, ivy.
Every time we cook and sharethese meals, we honor those who
came before us and keep theirstories alive.
It's amazing how food can bringus together and teach us about
our heritage.
I love learning about my family.
Henry reflects on the day andhis new connection to his
heritage.
(04:20):
I'm so happy we did this.
I feel closer to my family andtheir traditions.
I know a lot about Grandma'sfamily from Louisiana and the
yummy food that she makes for us.
That's right, henry.
There are many more stories andrecipes to discover.
We'll keep exploring themtogether.
Buddy, our heritage is a partof who we are.
Henry, embrace it and carry itforward.
Henry is back at school onMonday ready to present his
(04:41):
report on Plantinose Go WithEverything.
I read Plantinose Go WithEverything by Lissette Norman.
It's about Yesenia, who lovesplantains.
In her Dominican family,plantains are used in many meals
.
This book made me think aboutmy dad's family from Haiti.
They also use plantains a lot.
Henry continues sharing hisdad's favorite recipe, just like
the book shares one ofYesenia's favorite foods mangout
(05:04):
or mashed plantains.
My dad's favorite dish isground beef with plantains, rice
and beans.
We cooked it together andtalked about my grandparents
from Haiti.
It was amazing.
Thank you, henry, for sharingsuch an incredible story and
recipe.
It's amazing how food canconnect us to our heritage and
bring families together.
We conclude another episode ofHenry's Library.
Remember, exploring yourfamily's history and traditions
(05:26):
can be a magical journey full ofdelicious discoveries and
meaningful connections.
History and traditions can be amagical journey full of
delicious discoveries andmeaningful connections.
Thanks for listening to Henry'sLibrary.
Visit our website atwhatisblackco backslash Henry's
Library to learn about the booksmentioned in this episode and
find fun activities for yourfamily.
Please follow, rate and review,and share the podcast with your
(05:47):
friends.
We'd love to hear from you.
Email us at hi at whatisblackcoto share your family's favorite
foods and suggest books forHenry to read in future
adventures.
Remember you can find the booksfrom this episode at your local
library or bookstore.
We encourage you to supportyour local independent
bookstores and you can supportour podcast through purchasing
books from this episode, andalso support independent
(06:09):
bookstores by visitingbookshoporg.
Backslash lists.
Backslash Henry hyphen S hyphenlibrary.
Stay tuned for the next episodeof Henry's Library, where more
magical journeys of learning andimagination Bye.
Popular Podcasts
24/7 News: The Latest
The latest news in 4 minutes updated every hour, every day.
Therapy Gecko
An unlicensed lizard psychologist travels the universe talking to strangers about absolutely nothing. TO CALL THE GECKO: follow me on https://www.twitch.tv/lyleforever to get a notification for when I am taking calls. I am usually live Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays but lately a lot of other times too. I am a gecko.
The Joe Rogan Experience
The official podcast of comedian Joe Rogan.