The African Gourmet: African Cuisine, Folktales and Cultural Stories

Understanding the history of African wild dogs helps raise awareness about their conservation needs. Efforts to protect their remaining populations and habitats are crucial for ensuring the long-term survival of this unique and endangered species. The endangered African Wild Dog differs from others in its class for example wolves in that they have four toes instead of five. African wild dogs have distinctive coat patterns, characterized by patches of black, yellow, and white fur.  These markings are unique to each individual, acting as a form of identification within the pack. Unlike other large predators, African wild dogs are cursorial hunters, meaning they rely on endurance running to pursue and wear down their prey. They are known for their remarkable stamina, which allows them to cover long distances during hunts. All About The Endangered African Wild Dog also known as Lycaon pictus, Cape Hunting Dog, and the Painted Hunting Dog. African wild dogs belong to the Canidae fam...

Dominique Saatenang the first Black African Shaolin master Former African Prince Dominique Saatenang is Africa’s Bruce Lee who learned Kung Fu at China’s famous Shaolin Temple. The Chinese call Saatenang, DMS The Black Eagle. Former African Prince Dominique Saatenang ( in yellow) is Africa’s Bruce Lee Africa's answer to Bruce Lee Dominique Saatenang. Dominique Saatenang, a Cameroonian tribal king's son swapped his royal robe for that of a Chinese Kung Fu fighter determined to master Kung Fu after watching Bruce Lee's “Enter the Dragon. “ His mission, he says, is to train international "ambassadors of Kung Fu ".   Saatenang soon after met a Chinese doctor living in Cameroon, who also knew Kung Fu. They co-founded a martial arts association in Gabon. Saatenang began traveling throughout the country to organize Kung Fu performances and training courses.   Saatenang is cooperating with the governments of five African countries to send two univers...

Zulu King Goodwill is a monarch who holds no formal political power, fulfilling the spiritual and ceremonial needs of the South African Zulu nation. The capital of KwaZulu-Natal is Pietermaritzburg. KwaZulu-Natal province stretches from Port Edward in the south to the borders of  eSwatini  and  Mozambique  to the north. North Coast of KwaZulu-Natal is renowned for its beaches and also known as the place where the Zulu King, Shaka, was buried. KwaZulu-Natal is the only province with a monarchy specifically provided for in South Africa's Constitution that was created in 1994 when the Zulu bantustan of KwaZulu and Natal Province were merged. KwaZulu-Natal is the home to the Zulu monarch, King Goodwill Zwelithini kaBhekuzulu who receives an income from the government for his position.  The Zulu royal family consists of the reigning monarch of the Zulus of South Africa, King Goodwill Zwelithini kaBhekuzulu son of Cyprian Bhekuzulu kaSolomon. His wives Sibon...

Mango Beet Chutney Recipe What is chutney you ask, popular in South Africa, chutney is a sort of a combination pickle and preserve. It is usually made rather sweetly and very hot, and is eaten with curry and rice. Durban South Africa has one of the largest concentrations of Indian people outside of India and South African Indian food recipes are a source of pride. South African Indian Mango Beet Chutney Recipe. African Recipes by African Gourmet   Use Mango Beet chutney in place of relish, mustard, ketchup and salsa. Beets and mangoes are among the sweetest natural foods and contain even more sugar that carrots.   Prep time: 10 min  Cook time: 30  Total time: 40 min Beta vulgaris or beets come in a range of colors, from dark red to red-and-white striped to deep gold to milky white. Beets are mainly grown for their large roots but the leaves can also be eaten as spinach. In South Africa beets are widely grown in home gardens throughout the co...

Ananse carrier of messages teller of stories and means spider in Akan. This is why the carrier of messages or stories is usually depicted as a spider. Ananse is very clever and can change into many forms of life. Being so clever Awuku also goes by the name Ananse or Anansi the great spider, owner of all of the stories of the Gods, swift messenger of Nyame the sky God who knows all and sees all. Awuku (ah-woo’-koo) is the communicator of information between the mortal and divine.  The Akan Awuku opens the mouth of the departed so that they may be able to communicate with Gods. Awuku is also known as the creator of clever and cunning acts.  Being so clever Awuku also goes by the name Ananse the great spider, owner of all of the stories of the Gods, swift messenger of Nyame the sky God who knows all and sees all.  Awuku or Ananse carries messages for the great mother Nyamewaa and father Nyame who are the Supreme Being . ...

Guinea-Bissau is the world's fifth-largest cashew exporter behind India, Vietnam, Cote d'Ivoire, and Brazil and a major exporter of illegally logged African Rosewood.  Cashew Nut Tree Cashew Nuts and Rosewood from Africa's Guinea-Bissau Average daily consumption of the Guinea-Bissau people is .85 cents, which means the average amount of money people live on in Guinea-Bissau, is .85 cents per day. The World Bank defines extreme poverty as living on no more than $1.25 per day. It is not surprising to see a potentially profitable illegal logging of African Rosewood emerges in a society with such high levels of poverty. The Republic of Guinea-Bissau exports cashew nuts, shrimp, peanuts, palm kernels, sawn timber particularly illegal logging of African Rosewood. Guinea-Bissau is one of the world's biggest producers of cashew nuts, however; profitable illegal logging of African Rosewood caused a decrease in the pr...

Christian growth on the continent is strong, by 2025 there will be 633 million Christians in Africa. Currently in Ghana, 62 percent of the population is of the Christian faith, 22 percent are Evangelical Christians Ghana Africa is holding tight to the Christian faith doctrine. Ghana Africa 62 to 71 percent of the population profess Christianity as their religion. The Presbyterian Church of Ghana is a Protestant church in Ghana founded by the Basel missionaries in 1828. The church is a founding member of the Christian Council of Ghana.  The Christian Council of Ghana (CCG) was founded on October 30, 1929 by five churches namely African Methodist Episcopal (AME), Zion Church, English Church Mission, Ewe Presbyterian Church now Evangelical Presbyterian Church; Presbyterian Church of the Gold Coast and Wesleyan Methodist Church now the Methodist Church Ghana. Currently the CCG comprises fifteen member churches and two Christian Organizations. The CCG over the years has gone th...

God Couldn’t Be Everywhere — So He Created Mothers Mother carry me; I will carry you as well in the future. Mothers and Children — African Proverbs We Treasure If the herders are lost, the sheep will get lost. — African Proverb A small hole not mended in time will become a big hole, much more difficult to mend. — African Proverb Work the clay while it is still wet. — African Proverb Love has twenty pairs of eyes. — African Proverb Trust is built and maintained by many small actions over time. — African Proverb Love, like rain, does not choose the grass on which it falls. — African Proverb A child can ask questions that a wise man cannot answer. — African Proverb Honor a child and he will honor you. — African Proverb Motherhood — Wisdom Across Africa A child may have too much of its mother's blessing. — African Proverb Wars are always detested by mothers. — African Proverb Children suck the mother when they are young, and the father when they are old....

Sierra Leone, Liberia, and Equatorial Guinea — Africa’s Wettest Countries Explained Sierra Leone, Liberia, and Equatorial Guinea: Africa’s Wettest Countries Sierra Leone , Liberia, and Equatorial Guinea are the wettest countries in Africa, according to climate statistics from The World Bank. Africa has one of the world’s least developed weather and water observation networks — nearly half of its surface weather stations do not report reliable data. Rainfall shapes everything in Africa — farming, food security, and settlement patterns. Too much water can flood crops and damage soils; too little during the growing season leads to crop failure. Understanding rainfall patterns is essential for agriculture and rural livelihoods. Sierra Leone: Rainfall and Farming Sierra Leone receives about 2,526 mm of precipitation per year . Along the coast, rainfall can reach 495 cm (195 inches) annually, making it one of the wettest places in coastal West Africa...

The relationship between Kwame Nkrumah and President John F. Kennedy was marked by both cooperation and conflict, reflecting the complex political and ideological landscape of the early 1960s. Kwame Nkrumah and President John F. Kennedy  History of the relationship between Kwame Nkrumah and John F. Kennedy. Kwame Nkrumah, the first President of Ghana, and President John F. Kennedy of the United States had a complex relationship that was influenced by both politics and personal factors. Nkrumah and Kennedy both came to power around the same time, in the early 1960s, and were leaders of countries that were trying to assert their independence and position in the world. Nkrumah was a leading figure in the Pan-African movement and advocated for African unity and socialism, while Kennedy was a strong advocate for democracy and free markets. Despite their ideological differences, Nkrumah and Kennedy had a good personal relat...

What does goat meat taste like? Goat meat tastes like a cross between lamb and venison but honestly goat meat taste like goat meat similar to chicken tastes like chicken. Certain religions, the process of preparation of the meat rather than the meat itself are examined. In Arabic, the word halal means permitted or lawful. Halal foods are foods that are allowed under Islamic dietary guidelines. Islamic laws, divide foods into Ḥarām, which are forbidden or sinful, and halal, which are permitted foods. Goat meat is an important source of meat for centuries around the world. Turmeric Pan Fried Goat Recipe Ingredients ½ pound goat fillets cut into 1-inch strips ½ turmeric ½ garlic powder ½ teaspoon salt ½ cumin ½ curry ½ cup fresh coriander leaves Ghee for frying Directions Fill pan with ghee to come just 1/8-inch up the side of a 12-inch cast iron skillet or heavy frying pan. Mix all ingredients in a large bowl. Sauté goat meat and spices in ghee about 3 minutes. Remove fr...

Learn How to Cook Healthy Slow Cooker Curry Goat Stew Slow Cooker Curry Goat Stew is delicious; the recipe is full of flavor and spice lovingly prepared by African families for generations.  You don't need to brown the meat before cooking it in a slow cooker since goat meat is very low in fat. Remember, every time you lift the lid, you lose heat especially if you are cooking on low, therefore, each time you lift the lid, extended cooking time 25- 30 minutes.   Slow Cooker Goat Stew Slow Cooker Curry Goat Stew Recipe Ingredients 5 cloves of garlic crushed 1 ½ pounds goat cut into 1” cubes 1 cup chopped onions 2 heaping tablespoons tomato paste 1 tablespoon curry powder 2 cups beef stock Salt and pepper to taste 14 ounce can stew tomatoes Directions Add all ingredients in the slow cooker. Simmer on high 4-5 hours or on low 8-10 hours. Add tomatoes the last hour if cooking on low or 30 minutes if cooking on high. More easy breakfast, lunch and dinner recip...

Nigeria has some of the most delicious food in the world. Its dishes are full of flavors and use many different ingredients and spices from its many cultures and areas. Popular meals like egusi with pounded yam and spicy jollof rice give a tasty experience that makes people happy.  Peppery stews hold a significant place in the culinary traditions of Nigerian households, often serving as a centerpiece for daily meals. One popular variant of these rich stews is groundnut stew, known for its creamy texture and robust flavor. Groundnut stew is traditionally enjoyed with Fufu, a starchy side made from fermented cassava or plantains that complements the stew perfectly.  In this variation of groundnut stew, chicken is incorporated to enhance its taste and nutritional value. The chicken absorbs the rich flavors of the spicy, nutty sauce, creating a hearty dish that is both comforting and satisfying. This combination not only showcases the vibrancy of West African cuisine but also high...

On Senegal's Goree Island outside of its capital Dakar, an important historical site sits as a memorial to the human toll of African slavery. But, at what point does the symbolism overshadow the reality? Statue of captured slaves on Goree island The House of Slaves and its door of no return is a museum and memorial opened in 1962 but many believe Senegal's Goree Island is marginal to the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade. The House Slaves in Goree is the former home of the merchant Nicolas Pépin, built on ancient walls in the late eighteenth century. From 1501 to 1866, an estimated 12 million slaves from Africa were captured, bought and enslaved thru the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade; of these, 33,000 came from Goree Island.  That means only 0.27 percent of slaves ever actually stepped through the door of no return. The House of Slaves plaque states millions of slaves passed through its walls and the door of no return. In 1978, UNESCO officially named The House of Slaves a world h...

The Union of the Comoros is actually three poverty ridden islands and the Fomboni Agreement is a major piece of Legislation governing Comoros. In 2001, the Union of the Comoros; Anjouan, Moheli and Grande Comore signed the Fomboni Agreement. The Fomboni Agreement states the federal presidency rotates among the three islands of Anjouan, Moheli and Grande Comore, however, each island maintains its local government. The Fomboni Agreement is named after the capital of the island of Moheli in the Union of Comoros The African nation Comoros is actually three small islands; Anjouan, Moheli and Grande Comore. Comoros: Anjouan, Moheli and Grande Comore In Southern Africa lies a group of African islands at the northern opening of the Mozambique Channel in the Indian Ocean , Anjouan, Moheli and Grande Comore volcanic islands collectively known as Union of the Comoros. In 1997, the islands of Anjouan and Moheli declared independence from Comoros. In 1999, military chief Azali As...

Popular African Food Spices List of popular African cooking spices you need to know​.  Africans have developed a distinctive food pallet using a myriad of popular African spices in stews and soups, chutneys, fruits and vegetables and so much more. There are more exciting spices than salt and pepper. African food and culture explain a small sampling of common herbs and spices used in African cooking. Maggi cubes are used in almost every African recipe. Popular African Food Spices and Recipes African Bird Pepper African Bird Pepper comes in a scorching 70,000 -150,000 Scoville Heat Units. African bird pepper, commonly referred to also as piri piri (pepper-pepper) Cardamom Cardamom has a gingery pine flavor and if using whole seeds crack before using. Cinnamon Cinnamon is made of ground dried tree bark, sometimes left whole. Most of the cinnamon comes from trees of the cinnamon cassia family. Coriander Coriander is the seed of the cilantro plant, the taste is citr...

Sugarcane Juice Drink Aseer asab is a sweet Egyptian drink made by pressing peeled sugarcane stalks into a sugarcane press. Drinking Raw Sugarcane Juice Interesting Sugarcane Facts and An Easy Sugarcane Drink Recipe Explore and Understand Africa Through Her Food and Culture Facts About SugarCane Sugarcane is cultivated in Upper Egypt in spring and autumn each year. Sugarcane is much sweeter than processed sugar. Native to the warm temperate to tropical regions sugarcane is a natural sweet treat. Sugarcane is cultivated for its natural sweet juice; there are many uses of sugar cane including the production of table and brown sugar, molasses, rum and soda. Aseer asab is a sweet Egyptian sugarcane drink made by pressing peeled sugar cane stalks into a sugarcane press. If you don’t have a sugarcane press use sugarcane syrup.  Sugarcane is much sweeter than processed sugar.   Egyptian Summer Aseer Asab Sugarcane Juicer African Recipes by The African Gourmet...

The African Green Kitchen: Where Ancestral Science Shapes Modern Sustainability Long before the world spoke of “eco-friendly living,” African kitchens practiced sustainability through seed-saving, composting, and cooking with resilient crops. What we now call environmentalism was—and still is—ancestral science taught at the kitchen table. Breadfruit growing on a tropical tree, a sustainable African food source Growing Food is the First Science Across Africa, planting was both food security and a scientific tradition. Families selected crops that could survive drought, rebuild soil, and nourish bodies across generations. Some of the most beloved and environmentally resilient plants include: Okra — drought-tolerant and rich in fiber Sweet potatoes — calorie-dense and soil-fortifying Pole beans — nitrogen-fixing vines that repair the soil Breadfruit — a generous tree that feeds families for decades This knowledge wasn’t written in textbooks—it wa...