Chic African Culture Africa Factbook

Did you know?

1. No African country names begin with the letters F, H, I, J, O, P, Q, V, W, X, or Y.

2. Africa is surrounded by water but by definition Africa is not an island because Africa is a continent.

3. The Republic of the Congo is one of the most urbanized countries in Africa.

African and American kitchens are not so different

From Africa to America, the world is one big flavorful kitchen

African, and American kitchens
If you look below the surface you will discover people of all races, ethnic origins and religious backgrounds have more in common than what is seen at first glance.

Making vegetable stew in Ghana

From Africa to America, the world is one big flavorful kitchen.


Explore and Understand Africa Through Her Food and Culture

3-30-2009



Both fufu and mashed potatoes have very similar qualities

Starchy foods are the body human main source of carbohydrates and play an important role in our diet.Starchy foods are the body human main source of carbohydrates and play an important role in our diet. 

 Starchy foods have fiber, calcium, iron and B vitamins. The world over the emphasis is on starch and one main starchy side dish in Africa is fufu.

What is fufu you may ask? 

 Well, fufu is to West Africa as mashed potatoes are to North America. 


1. Prepared in similar ways
2. Filling
3. Versatile
4. Easy to make
5. Kitchen staple

Just like mashed potatoes, fufu is bland until seasonings are added. 

 Fufu is made from either boiled green plantains, rice, corn meal, corn, yams or sweet or white potatoes. 

 Fufu is made by mashing starchy foods such as potatoes, yams, cassava, plantains or flour with a liquid such as water or broth.


Just like mashed potatoes, fufu is bland until seasonings are added. Fufu is usually served with soups and stews replacing the conventional spoon of North America. You pinch off a little ball of fufu and use this to scoop up the soup or stew. 

 Mashed potatoes are made by smashing boiled potatoes with a potato masher or a fork. Fufu is also made by pounding the potatoes with a mortar and pestle. The mortar and pestle is one of the oldest most recognized pharmacy and kitchen tool used throughout the world. Use a mortar and pestle to grind and mix spices, crush herbs and nuts or pound starches such as fufu. African and American kitchens are not really so different. Most everyday meals consist of vegetables either from home gardens or from market stores. 



Africa is surrounded by water but is not an island, here are a few African Island facts.

Madagascar is the 4th large island in the world and is located in the Indian Ocean supporting a unique biology, about 90% of its plants and animals are found nowhere else on earth.

Composed of 155 islands, Seychelles is Africa's smallest country. By far the largest island is Mahe, home to about 90% of the population and the site of its capital city of Victoria.

Cabo Verde has a strategic location 310 miles or 500 km from the west coast of Africa near major north-south sea routes; important communications station; important sea and air refueling site.

Africa is surrounded by water but by definition Africa is not an island because Africa is a continent. Continents can not be considered islands because of their size and also by historic definition since many people who study geography define islands and continents as two different things.

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Around 5% of mainland Africa is covered by water, including lakes, rivers, estuaries, bays, straits, gulfs and other bodies of water.  Africa is home to some of the world's largest rivers and lakes, such as the Nile River and Lake Victoria. While up to 60% of Africa is classified as desert or drylands, a total volume of around 626.4 million cubic miles (2.616 billion cubic kilometers) of water surrounds Africa. The water resources of Africa play a vital role in supporting the continent's ecosystems, as well as the lives and livelihoods of millions of people who depend on them for drinking water, agriculture, energy generation, industry and commerce. Water is life Exploring the Rich Waterways of Africa: A Look at the Number and Diversity of Lakes and Rivers on the African Continent. Two oceans border Africa. The five major oceans of the world are the Pacific Ocean, Atlantic Ocean, Indian Ocean, Southern Ocean, and Arctic Ocean. There are two oceans that border Africa - the Atlan
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How to make the popular African recipes Ugali and Fufu and what is the difference.  Ugali is a starch dish in Kenya and Tanzania made of fine cornmeal cooked in boiling water into a soft dough. Fufu is a thick, dough-like West African food made by boiling then pounding a starchy vegetable such as yam, plantain, or cassava or a mixture of starchy vegetables. The main difference between fufu and ugali is fufu is boiled first then pounded while ugali is simply boiled. Ugali recipe. Easy Ugali Recipe Prep time 5 minutes Cook time 30 minutes Total time 30 minutes Ingredients 4 cups finely ground cornmeal 8 cups water Directions Heat water to boiling in a saucepan. Slowly pour cornmeal into boiling water stirring continuously. Add more cornmeal if necessary until it is thick as soft bread dough. Serve immediately with vegetables, stew, or any dish you would use a spoon with to soak up the sauce, ugali is purposely bland tasting on its own. What is the difference between ugali and
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African cultures express, encourage, and communicate energy

African cultures express, encourage, and communicate energy

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Being African in America I have grown up learning about different ethnic cultures. My father and mother are historians of African culture and history and their influence expanded my activities to several best-selling cookbooks, magazine columns, self-branded products, and a popular African culture and food blog.

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