I have the most random conversations with friends and strangers and I kick myself sometimes because I wish I could record it all and share. Why? Well, I find my thoughts challenged, my perspectives stretched. I learn and see people in ways I might not have prior. Like this conversation around dog meat which occurred rather spontaneously at 11,000ft above sea level in Wyoming in late June while out on a field trip. It is interesting to know that dog meat is consumed in many parts of the world from Asia to the Americas and every continent in between. It...
Sunday Lunch: Omoebe, Edo Black Soup
Though dark green is more appropriate a colour but who are we to blame for naming our foods. Who are we to blame for pepper soup? And other names? Anyway, don’t you dare let the name put you off this absolutely, good-for-you deliciousness that is Edo Black soup with all the nutritional goodness of bitter leaf, scent leaf (my absolute fave) and palm nut cream! The herby flavours, slightly bitter with a sweet aftertaste work so beautifully – I can now see why bitter leaf soup is a thing too. I’ve made a version before, but it featured palm oil not...
Infographic: An Introduction to Nigerian Soups
…because it’s worth it :). And there’s a free infographic to show. It’s important, because we’re building our vocab, understanding the lexicon and language of our food that we might show forth its glory…as in The New Nigerian Kitchen and beyond. I hope you enjoy it. Feel free to download and share – An Introduction to Nigerian Soups. Stay well xxx
Infographic: A Brief History of Stockfish in Nigeria
Mapping Nigerian-Norwegian Relations through the ages and there is a lot of information on the interwebs with some digging. I’ve put it all together in a timeline because specific events were time-bound and mapped key events. This is one of my favourite research pieces because it connects so much – from the state of nations – both Nigeria and Norway, inter dependencies, how certain ingredients become mainstream and much more. Anyway, here’s what I discovered. Wind-dried herring, known as stockfish, is a prized delicacy in Norway but with its small population (4 million) and massive fish stocks, the country produced...
Nigerian Seasonal Produce: Sugar Cane #10
‘Nigerian Seasonal Produce’ is a monthly column published on the last Saturday of each month to celebrate Nigerian fruits & vegetables, and personal stories. In this column, a writer explores a specific seasonal fruit, vegetable or leafy green assigned by the editors of Kitchen Butterfly and based on the Nigerian Seasonal Produce Calendar. This month of September, we’re celebrating sugar cane. Our author this month is moi, just because. I’ll be sharing my personal history with sugar and sugar cane. I have a long history with sugar and by extension sugarcane and this month, this season, I will map all the things I’ve learned...
Interesting Names Nigerians Call Meat & Other Animal Parts
…or Around Nigeria in Peculiar ‘Meat/ Protein’ Names! Still celebrating our peculiarities ahead of Independence day! When it comes to naming a dish, North Americans and Europeans tend to use simple words that may not reveal how daunting the meal may appear on paper. Caviar, haggis, stargazey pie, jellied eels and black pudding in my opinion are all very forgiving names considering what’s taking place on the plate. Well Nigerians don’t dress dishes up in pretty little words that roll off the tongue. No – we tell it as it is; additionally, Nigerian food is unique so of course...
Some Things Nigerians Love: ‘Assorted’, of Meat & Bits
In celebration of Independence Day on October 1st, I’d like to explore a number of things Nigerians love. Like ‘Assorted’. ‘What?’, I hear you say. Well, just say ‘Assorted’ to a Nigerian and they’ll be like ‘Where? Show me the money, baby’ because Assorted is bae. It’s what we want when we go to bukas for lunch – steaming hot stews ‘obstacled’ with meat and offal. Assorted, meaning an assortment of animal parts including flesh and offal. I often wonder if the name ‘Assorted’ is a derivative from ‘Assortment’, meaning a hodge-podge mixed set of stuff. It is likely, isn’t...
More Jollof in Literature: Purple Hibiscus
I’ve always said it – food is more than eating. It is a good lens, canvas for exploration of human behaviour and shared experience. I also like how diverse the perspectives and memories are. What do we remember about books that have touched us in some way. When I shared Jollof in Literature, I got lots of comments back on Twitter – people sharing books that also had specific Jollof experiences. From Purple Hibiscus by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie – which I’ve read but couldn’t recall the Jollof references to… ❤️ this! Jollof rice is Purple Hibiscus is even more symbolic...
This is Bitter Kola
There are some connections I never make. I start in a certain place and move on and up from there, so the discovery of a fundamental aspect of the thing that leads to a discovery is amazing. Like Bitter Kola – seen on street corners, in trays, papery brown skin wrapping creamy, bitter white crunch nut is actually the heart of a peach-like fruit, complete with velvety skin. It reminds me of Ogbono, another seed within a fruit! This is the fruit of the Bitter Kola, Garcinia kola. Who knew that the seeds had orange edible pulp surrounding it for...