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The African Gourmet

The African Gourmet: Explore African Culture & Recipes

One bowl of fufu can explain a war. One proverb can outsmart a drought.
Welcome to the real Africa—told through food, memory, and truth.

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FOOD PROVERBS

Chewing the Khat | Social Custom the Drug Khat

Khat is a stimulant drug containing cathinone and cathine, chewing Khat is a historic traditional drug or illegal depending on where you live in Africa. Khat stimulant drug is derived from a shrub named Catha edulis.

Khat is a stimulant drug containing cathinone and cathine

Khat is a Schedule 1 stimulant drug with deep rooted social customs in East Africa particularly in Ethiopia.


Khat (pronounced cot) is an evergreen shrub that grows in areas bordering the Red Sea, including countries in East Africa particularly Ethiopia. Cathinone and cathine are chemicals similar to the effects of amphetamines and result in similar stimulant effects in the brain and body.
 
Khat is the locally chewed social drug in places such as Ethiopia and has a long history as a social routine dating back thousands of years. Khat plant is widely cultivated and known by a variety of names, including qaat and jaad in Somalia, and chat in Ethiopia.

Khat is grown in groves and three to four hours per day is devoted to striping the branches chewing the leaves releasing the drug. The khat chewer plucks the tender leaves from the branches and tucks the leaves into their cheeks, eventually forming a wad similar to chewing tobacco.


At the Chat Market by A. Davey

Khat is a stimulant that speeds up the heart and breathing and increases blood pressure. Khat makes a person feel alert and relieves stress, that makes it a popular simulate among students.

In some countries, 15–20% of children under the age of 12 are also daily users of khat. Khat is a controlled substance in some countries, such as the United States, Canada, and Germany, while its production, sale, and consumption are legal in other nations, including Djibouti, Ethiopia, Somalia, and Yemen.

Schedule 1 drug are illegal because they have high abuse potential, no medical use, and severe safety concerns and in the United States, Khat is a Schedule 1 drug. 

Schedule 1 drugs are the most dangerous drugs of all the drug schedules with potentially severe psychological or physical dependence. In 1993, the USA DEA added cathinone, the chemical found in Khat to the Controlled Substances Act making Khat federally illegal in the United States.

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About the Author

A Legacy Resource, Recognized Worldwide

For 19 years, The African Gourmet has preserved Africa's stories is currently selected for expert consideration by the Library of Congress Web Archives, the world's premier guardian of cultural heritage.

Trusted by: WikipediaEmory University African StudiesUniversity of KansasUniversity of KwaZulu-NatalMDPI Scholarly Journals.
Explore our archived collections → DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.17329200

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Recipes as Revolution

Recipes as Revolution

When food becomes protest and meals carry political meaning

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African woman farmer

She Feeds Africa

Before sunrise, after sunset, seven days a week — she grows the food that keeps the continent alive.

60–80 % of Africa’s calories come from her hands.
Yet the land, the credit, and the recognition still belong to someone else.

Read her story →

To every mother of millet and miracles —
thank you.

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African Gourmet FAQ

Archive Inquiries

Why "The African Gourmet" if you're an archive?

The name reflects our origin in 2006 as a culinary anthropology project. Over 18 years, we've evolved into a comprehensive digital archive preserving Africa's cultural narratives. "Gourmet" now signifies our curated approach to cultural preservation—each entry carefully selected and contextualized.

What distinguishes this archive from other cultural resources?

We maintain 18 years of continuous cultural documentation—a living timeline of African expression. Unlike static repositories, our archive connects historical traditions with contemporary developments, showing cultural evolution in real time.

How is content selected for the archive?

Our curation follows archival principles: significance, context, and enduring value. We preserve both foundational cultural elements and timely analyses, ensuring future generations understand Africa's complex cultural landscape.

What geographic scope does the archive cover?

The archive spans all 54 African nations, with particular attention to preserving underrepresented cultural narratives. Our mission is comprehensive cultural preservation across the entire continent.

Can researchers access the full archive?

Yes. As a digital archive, we're committed to accessibility. Our 18-year collection is fully searchable and organized for both public education and academic research.

How does this archive ensure cultural preservation?

Through consistent documentation since 2006, we've created an irreplaceable cultural record. Each entry is contextualized within broader African cultural frameworks, preserving not just content but meaning.