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About the Author

A Legacy Resource, Recognized Worldwide

For 19 years, The African Gourmet has preserved Africa's stories through food, history, and folklore. Selected for expert consideration by the Library of Congress Web Archives, the world's premier guardian of cultural heritage, ensuring our digital timeline endures for generations.

Trusted by: Wikipedia • Emory University African Studies • University of Kansas • University of KwaZulu-Natal • MDPI Scholarly Journals.
Explore our archived collections → DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.17329200

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Day One: The Library of Congress Just Flagged My Site for Review

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Day One: The Library of Congress Just Flagged My Site for Review

Waiting Room, Day One

The Library of Congress just said “we’re looking”

I hit send last night.
They answered this morning.

Here’s the email. Screenshot, no edits, no cropping, no nothing.

Screenshot of Library of Congress email exchange: nomination forwarded for expert review
Unfiltered. They actually replied.

Thank you for suggesting this resource for the Library of Congress Web Archives. Content in our archives is selected by subject experts around the Library. I have forwarded your recommendation for review. If it is selected for archiving, you, as the site owner, will receive a notice via email with further information.

I stared at it like it was a love letter from the government.
Then I googled: do they say that to everyone? Am I delusional?

Either way, I’m doing a quiet little diary here while I wait.
Not because I think you’ll care, but because:

  • If they say yes → this becomes the 19-year origin story.
  • If they say no → it still becomes the 19-year origin story — just the gritty, human one.

Stay tuned. Or don’t.
I’ll be in the kitchen, stirring cashew-fruit chicken like nothing happened.

(That cashew-fruit chicken I’m making? It’s from a place where cashews aren’t just ingredients—they’re politics. The recipe comes from Guinea-Bissau, a country that literally calls itself The Cashew Republic. That’s what this is really about—how food tells the stories we don’t hear in history books. Full piece here.)

Waiting Room series • Day One • 19 November 2025
Permanent archive of this page: 10.5281/zenodo.17329200

19 years of continuous documentation · Selected for expert review by the Library of Congress Web Archives · Permanently preserved with DOI 10.5281/zenodo.17329200

Explore the living archive • How every entry is researched & preserved • African Creole Connection Hub

The African Gourmet explores how African food, history, and science intertwine. Here, a plant is a healer, a story is a map, and the kitchen is a laboratory. I’m Ivy — a writer raised by historians, now sharing Africa’s wisdom from the U.S. through cookbooks, cultural research, and storytelling. If you’re curious about where flavor meets memory, you belong here.

Recipes Explain Politics

When Rice Recipes Become Revolution

What if your grandmother's rice recipe could explain the Liberian Rice Riots of 1979?

"In Liberia, rice isn't just food—it's life, identity, and sovereignty. When the government proposed raising rice prices in 1979, they weren't just adjusting economics; they were threatening every grandmother's ability to feed her family according to traditions passed down for generations."

The riot that followed wasn't about politics—it was about the sacred right to cook your family's rice recipe.

The Deeper Recipe

  • Ingredients: Colonial trade patterns + Urbanization + Economic inequality
  • Preparation: Political disconnect from daily survival needs
  • Serving: 40+ deaths, regime destabilization, and a warning about ignoring cultural fundamentals

This is African Gourmet analysis: understanding how the food in grandmother's pot connects to the protests in the streets. The recipes we inherit carry not just flavor, but the entire history of our political and economic struggles.

Read the Rice Riots Analysis → Try Liberian Rice Bread Recipe
Understanding Africa through the stories our food tells • Since 2006

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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.