The African Gourmet: African Cuisine, Folktales and Cultural Stories

Camel Meat and Milk in Africa — Culture, Nutrition, and a Sweet Twist Somalia camels — vital for food, milk, transport, and tradition. Camel meat and milk have nourished African communities for centuries. In Somalia and Egypt, camels aren’t just iconic desert animals — they are food, wealth, and cultural heritage. Somalia alone keeps about 5.3 million camels and earns more than $250 million annually from camel exports. Camel Basics: Desert Specialists There are two camel species: Dromedary (one-humped) — common in Africa and the Middle East; adapted to hot plains. Bactrian (two-humped) — found in colder Central Asian mountains. Like cows, camels have four-quartered udders with four teats, but their milk storage is higher up the body. Camels are milked about three times daily, producing between 5–30 liters depending on season and feed. The Taste and Nutrition of Camel Milk Camel milk is usually opaque white with a sweet and sharp taste. Depending on the ...

Instruction in youth is like engraving in stone Africa Youth Instruction in youth is like engraving in stone African proverb teaches love, security and recognition should be at the heart of family life. Teaching Lesson African Proverb Explore and Understand Africa Through Her Food and Culture 7-29-2016 Children need leading in the right direction. When one hits you with a stone, you do not hit others with a piece of cotton. It is easy to recognize when a child needs food when they are hungry and warm clothes when they are cold. Yet, a child’s mental and emotional needs may not be as obvious. Children need leading in the right direction.  When children grow up without love they look for love and acceptance wherever they can find it because they never experienced love in a healthy way. Abuse can disrupt a child's emotional development. Abuse can derail a child's emotional development  More teaching lesson African sayin...

African folklore storytelling recounts the adventures of people and animals, and enlightens us on the mysteries of nature. One person does not invent folktales but they belong to the entire village, they are in the bones and the stones of the village. African Folklore Story of How the Elephant Got Its’ Trunk Now it is a matter of common knowledge that The elephant has a long trunk, which he uses both as a nose and as a sort of hand. It is a very useful trunk indeed. But he was once without it, and had a very ordinary short snout like other animals. Elephant was always inquisitive and went sniffing about the forest, prying into the secrets of the other animals. One day he came across a dark hole in the ground, and into this hole, he poked his nose, to see what was there. He at once regretted his curiosity, for a large snake, which lived in the hole, seized him by the nose and tried to swallow him. At this, the Elephant made a great uproar, and his wife came rushing ...

South Africans of Indian origin have retained their cooking traditions; Indian influences have contributed to the rainbow nation diversity of South Africa. South African Indian fish curry is a classic Indian recipe. The first Indians arrived during the Dutch colonial era, as slaves, in 1684. In the decades, 1690 to 1725 over 80% of the slaves were Indians. This practice continued until the end of slavery in 1838. The Indian population in South Africa lives mostly in, Durban. South Africa has an Indian population of over 1 million people of Indian descent. South African­ Indian Style Fish Curry Ingredients 1 ½ pounds white fish fillets 1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon ground turmeric 1 teaspoon ground ginger ¼ teaspoon ground cloves 1 teaspoon black mustard seeds 1 teaspoon garam masala 10 fresh curry leaves 1 medium onion, chopped 2 large red tomatoes, chopped 1 tablespoon minced garlic 1 hot pepper, finely chopped ½ cup coconut milk 2 tablespoo...

On the Brink: Protecting Africa's Gentle Giants Endangered mountain gorillas face a perilous existence, threatened by habitat loss, poaching, disease, and war within the volcanic forests bordering Rwanda, Uganda, and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Endangered mountain gorillas are herbivores Endangered African Animals: Conservation and Hope Rwanda is one of only three countries in the world where the critically endangered mountain gorillas live in the wild. There are only around 1,000-700 mountain gorillas remaining on earth. In 1967, there were only around 240 mountain gorillas in Rwanda's Volcanoes National Park, however, today due to conservation efforts, the population of mountain gorillas has doubled. The endangered mountain gorilla is an herbivore living in the Virungas, a cluster of forested volcanoes that straddle the borders of Rwanda, Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo and spans four national parks, Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, Mgahinga G...

Chickpea Curry (Chole Masala) is a traditional vegetarian South African Indian recipe using a blend of chickpeas, vegetables and eight spices. South African Indian Chickpea Curry Chole Masala  South African Indian Chickpea Curry Chole Masala Ingredients 3 cups cooked chickpeas 1 large potato, cooked and cubed 1 large yellow onion, finely chopped 1 large red tomato, diced 1 teaspoon ginger paste 1 teaspoon garlic paste 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric 1/2  teaspoon salt  1 tablespoon vegetable oil ½ cup vegetable broth or water Directions Heat oil in a large frying pan and sauté spices for 1 minute. Add the potatoes, chickpeas, and 1/2 cup of water or vegetable broth and heat for 5 minutes. About the South African city of Durban South Africans of Indian descent largely live in and around KwaZulu-Natals’ city of Durban, South Afric...

Dagara Cosmology. In the Burkina Faso Dagara Cosmology tradition, there are two terms both pointing to the same Earth, Tingan and Tenbalu; Tingan is male, and Tenbalu is female. What is Your Dagara Cosmology Sign. Explore and Understand Africa Through Her Food and Culture. Dagara Cosmology. The Burkina Faso Dagara Cosmology tradition is similar in thought to string theory where it is the theory of everything. Every particle in the universe contains a vibrating string which leads to other dimensions, nothing dies; instead, Tingan and Tenbalu are continually reshaping into other forms of matter. Dagara Elder Malidoma Patrice Somé explains in Dagara Cosmology, the masculine and the feminine have little to do with biology.  The masculine is Tingan similar to fire with an endless propensity to consume . The feminine is Tenbalu because of its nurturing and caring instinct.  Earth is therefore a man and a woman with an endless capacity to generate and regener...

Red Carpet Cornrows Braids are making appearances both on and off the red carpet but braids are nothing new. Cornrows are a traditional African style of hairstyle dating back thousands of years where the hair is braided to the scalp. Learn how to braid red carpet cornrows hairstyles. Red Carpet Cornrows | How to braid simple cornrow hairstyles The side braid, pigtail braids and the crown headband braid, double braid, and fishtail braids are variations of cornrows. There are countless traditional cornrow African styles , ranging from intricate turns and coils to the simple line style. How to braid a simple cornrow hairstyle Note: If you are cornrowing the hair needs to be detangled with water or a leave-in conditioner in order to create neat cornrows. 1.   Uses a comb to create the size section you want, smaller sections will make smaller rows of cornrows, and larger sections will produce bigger cornrows. 2.   Divide the hair section into three equal parts. ...

Read about Mount Kilimanjaro and test your mountain facts. Mount Kilimanjaro is located in northeastern Tanzania Africa. Explore and Understand Africa Through Her Food and Culture Africa's Mount Kilimanjaro. Some of the largest volcanoes in Africa and the Rift Valley are Mount Kilimanjaro located in Tanzania, this is a dormant volcano and Mount Kenya has never erupted. Kilimanjaro is the fourth most topographically prominent peak on Earth. It is part of Kilimanjaro National Park and is a major climbing destination. A network of rivers drains Kilimanjaro and streams, especially on the wetter and more heavily eroded southern side and especially above 1,200 meters or 3,900 feet. Below that altitude, increased evaporation and human water usage reduces the water flows. The Lumi and Pangani rivers drain Kilimanjaro on the eastern and southern sides. Mount Kilimanjaro is located in northeastern Tanzania Africa . The mountain and its surrounding forests were designated a game re...

Use DIY Fluffy Whipped Shea Butter Cream a deep conditioner for hair, body massage oil, dry skin hydration, eczema relief, and sunscreen protection. Shea butter for sunscreen protection Ingredients: 1 1/2 cups room temperature raw shea butter (yellow in color) 1/2 cup coconut oil 2 tablespoons honey 8 drops of your favorite essential oil Directions: Add all ingredients into the bowl of a stand mixer with whisk attachment on medium-high speed and beat until light and fluffy. Scrape the side of bowl while mixing. Add your fully whipped shea butter to a mason jar or an empty plastic jar with a cap. Use: Use DIY Fluffy Whipped Shea Butter Cream a deep conditioner for hair, body massage oil, dry skin hydration, eczema relief, and sunscreen protection. Types of shea butter 1. Raw shea butter is butter is shea butter which has not been filtered or molded into shapes. 2. Unrefined shea butter is filtered and sometimes molded. 3. Refined shea butter has undergone processing to re...

The problem with aid to Africa is outsiders telling people in Africa how to do things and telling them if they don't behave they will not get help.   Polio vaccinations Is Aid to Africa Doing More Harm Than Good. C. Payne Lucas, a co-founder and former president of Africare, senior adviser to AllAfrica Global Media and president of the business consultancy Lodestar, says: "One thing about Africa: It is capable of change, and that's what we're working with. We now have a woman in Liberia by the name of Johnson Sirleaf, who walked into a living hell and now is going to build a nation-state. She will not be able to build it without the help of the American community and the development community. "No, aid is (currently) not right, but we have an opportunity to change it. One thing we have learned over the years: Our programs must be owned by Africans, they must be African-led, they must be sustainable and they must be accountable." William Easterly...

Rice Riots In 1979, dozens of protesters were killed and hundreds injured during Liberia’s rice riots after a sudden rise in rice prices sparked anger and unrest. The 1979 Liberian Rice Riot: How a Price Hike Sparked Deadly Protests Rice is more than food in Liberia — it is a deeply political crop that shapes power, economy, and daily life. Unloading rice in Liberia Liberia’s 1979 Rice Riot — What Happened In April 1979, President William Tolbert unexpectedly approved a price hike for a 100-pound bag of rice — from $22 to as high as $30. For most Liberians living on less than one U.S. dollar per day, the increase was devastating. Agriculture Minister Florence Chenoweth argued the higher price would encourage farmers to grow more rice locally instead of depending on imports. But the decision sparked public anger and mobilized opposition leader Gabriel Baccus Matthews and the Progressive Alliance o...

Caramel Candy West African Style Liberian Caramel Candy or Milk Candy is delicious and easy to make having only two ingredients. How to Make Liberian Caramel Candy in Africa Explore and Understand Africa Through Her Food and Culture Milk Candy is a rich, creamy caramelized candy made throughout the world especially loved in Liberia , Mexico known as leche quemada, Japan, China, and throughout Filipino Pastillas de leche sweet candy making history . Liberian Milk Candy Recipe Ingredients: 2 cans of condensed milk 2 tablespoons vegetable oil Directions: Yummy Milk Candy In a large saucepan, over medium high heat the vegetable oil add condensed milk. Stir constantly until caramel reaches 248 degrees on a candy thermometer.  Remove from heat and cool, 15 minutes . Once mixture is cooled, take small scoops of the mixture and roll into balls.  Press your thumb into the middle of the ball to flatten or shape into desired form. Wrap candy in wa...