The African Gourmet

The beautiful thing about African food is that it is never boring. The diversity of spices tickles the senses and awakens the food pallet. There are more exciting spices in your food life than just salt and pepper. Spices bring the flavor of Africa right to your front door. Spices such as cardamom, rose flower water, mint, and turmeric add depth and dimension to food and shape the taste intensity. From such an enormous continent different styles of cooking, diverse flavors, textures and ingredients are condensed into one blog. Ja! We will delight in food from savory appetizers, fiery main courses, and rich soups to flavorful chutneys. Some major African countries cater to tourists with resort areas and serve food such as pepperoni pizza. In Africa, a distinction is made between tourist food and local food just as it is in the United States. The basic art of traditional African cooking lies in the blending of herbs and spices to yield delicate distinctions in the flavor of food.The suggestion that African cooking may become part of your everyday food life may seem “out of the ordinary” at first but as you will soon learn, the ingredients are scrumptious and common. There is no better way to understand a culture than though its food. Food bonds families, friends and communities as well as giving everyday nourishment. African cooking is an oral tradition and traditional recipes were handed down by word of mouth rather than writing a recipe. My recipes have been adapted for the modern kitchen so everyone can enjoy a taste of Africa. Lets embark on a culinary tour of Africa from The Rift Valley, Ethiopia rich coffee producing region, South African aromatic chutneys, Morocco’s fragrant Tajine’s and pastries to Gambia’s flavorsome soups and stews. Ja!