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Sacred Affirmations in Food Culture: Amen, Ashe, and Blessings

Sacred Affirmations in Food Culture: Amen, Ashe, and Blessings

Did you know the words said over a meal can shape how we eat it? Amen, from a Hebrew root meaning “to confirm, support, uphold,” seals a blessing before eating begins. Ashe (Àṣẹ), the Yoruba word for “the power to make things happen; so be it,” can be spoken before, during or after cooking. Both tu…

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Yam Cultivation & Preparation in West Africa

Yam Cultivation & Preparation in West Africa

Yam Cultivation & Preparation in West Africa Did you know Nigeria grows about two-thirds of the world's yams? Across West Africa's Yam Belt, hundreds of varieties are grown, starchier and drier than sweet potatoes. For simple sautéed yams, cut a large yam into 1-inch ch…

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The Integrated Life of Idzila, Sorghum, and Sustenance

The Integrated Life of Idzila, Sorghum, and Sustenance

The Integrated Life of Idzila, Sorghum, and Sustenance Did you know an Ndebele woman's neck rings are tied to her sorghum harvest? Among the Ndebele of Southern Africa, idzila rings of coiled copper or brass signal a stable, well-provided household, and traditionally they stayed on for life…

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Millet & Sorghum as African Staple Grains

Millet & Sorghum as African Staple Grains

Millet & Sorghum as African Staple Grains Did you know millet and sorghum have fed Africa for more than 5,000 years? Millet is a family of small-seeded grains, led by pearl millet, while sorghum is a single species from East Africa, now the world's fifth most important cere…

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Maggi Cubes: The Swiss Invention That Became African

Maggi Cubes: The Swiss Invention That Became African

Maggi Cubes: The Swiss Invention That Became African Did you know the little cube in so many African soups was invented in Switzerland? Julius Maggi launched his first ready-made soups and seasoning in 1886, and the famous bouillon cube followed in 1908. Nestlé dates its African laun…

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Kola Nut in Africa: Culture, Health, and Surprising Facts

Kola Nut in Africa: Culture, Health, and Surprising Facts

Kola Nut in Africa: Culture, Health, and Surprising Facts Did you know the kola nut is a West African welcome, an energy boost and the source of cola's name? Breaking and sharing kola before serious conversation says “you are welcome here.” The nut tastes sweet, then bitt…

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Visit the Sankofa Kitchen

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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.

To every mother of millet and miracles —
thank you.

The African Gourmet

Feeding a continent

How coils of metal turned into meals on the journey to Ujiji

How coils of metal turned into meals on the journey to Ujiji

In 1871, Henry Morton Stanley led over 150 people into the interior of Africa
Polio, Disability, and the Architecture of Hunger in Kano

Polio and the Architecture of Hunger

Food & Disability
Water's cultural significance

Water's Cultural Significance

From Ancient Wells to Space-Age Filters

African Gourmet FAQ

Questions Readers Ask

What is The African Gourmet?

The African Gourmet is Ivy’s home for sharing, exploring, and keeping alive African culinary heritage, online since 2006. Here, foodways—ingredients, techniques, rituals, ecology, labor, and trade—are treated as a way into understanding culture. The site is a living timeline, bringing history and today’s kitchens together so you can see culture changing in real time.

Why "Gourmet" in the name?

The name goes back to our beginnings as a culinary anthropology project and to a value we still hold: discernment. "Gourmet" here means a careful, taste-and-smell-first way of keeping food traditions alive. We choose depth over breadth, giving each post—whether a West African stew or the political story of a cashew nut—the care and context it deserves.

How do you check your facts?

I check my sources, note where stories disagree, and credit the people who shared their knowledge. My aim is to go beyond a list of facts and tell each food's story carefully, in layers. You can browse the stories by theme in the Research Guide.

How is content selected and organized?

We choose what to write about by asking three things: significance, context, and enduring value. Each post is tagged by theme (Foodway, Ingredient, Technique, Ritual, Ecology, Labor, Seasonality, etc.) and must meet our sourcing standards. We aim to be specific—tagging by ethnolinguistic group, region, and nation—so Africa’s many food stories are never flattened into one.

What geographic and cultural scope do you cover?

Our hope is to keep food traditions alive across all 54 African nations. We especially want to lift up stories that are too often overlooked. You will find deep looks at major cuisines alongside small, very local practices that broader surveys often leave out.

How do you handle sources when archives are silent?

When written records are absent, we cite living practice as a valid source. We hold ourselves to careful standards: interviews are written down (with permission), practices are observed in context, and knowledge is credited to the people and communities who hold it. This lets us honor what can’t be held in the hand—sensory knowledge, oral techniques, ritual contexts—with the same care as a printed text.

Can researchers and the public access the site?

Absolutely. Everyone is welcome here. All 20 years of posts are searchable and organized for many uses: academic research, lesson planning, journalism, and your own learning. We encourage citation. For in-depth research help, please contact us.

How does this work ensure genuine cultural preservation?

By working the same careful way since 2006, we have built more than a collection; we have created an irreplaceable record of context. We keep not just a recipe, but the labor, seasons, and meaning around it. This long, patient commitment helps future generations understand not only *what* was eaten, but *how* and *why*, in all the richness of its cultural moment.