New York. Fruitcake. Me. I’m in New York. Again. I arrived via Paris a few days ago. Via Paris because if you had a choice to transit through a European city, you too would choose Paris over Frankfurt. Even over Amsterdam. Just for some great, if rubbery airplane bread. And wonderful cheeses. And Fromage Frais. You would seek out delicious caramels au beurre salé, made with fine salt from Guérande. You would choose to peer into Ladureé’s jewellery shop where macarons preen and sit pretty. Wouldn’t you want to feast on a pain au chocolat, with jus d’Orange while the music of the...
December 2012: Thrifty in My Kitchen
It took me many years to understand the meaning of ‘Thrift’. For some reason, I always thought it was positively linked to ‘Spendthrift’. Not negatively. Alas, I was wrong. thrifty |ˈθriftē| adjective ( thriftier , thriftiest ) 1 (of a person or their behavior) using money and other resources carefully and not wastefully. See note at economical . 2 chiefly archaic dialect (of livestock or plants) strong and healthy. • archaic prosperous. It was a discussion on Food52’s Q&A app., ‘Hotline’ that alerted me to my misconception. It read How are you thrifty in the kitchen? I’d love to hear Food52’ers creative...
Caramelized Pork Banh Mi
Emergence suggests a state of transition, a trajectory of becoming. It is antithetical to structural or static approaches. Santo saw emergence nestled between the Daikon and the baguette of the banh mi sandwich; GastronomyatBU blog. No one told me. About Stinky Daikon. Durian……I’ve heard about …..being banned from airports and hotel rooms but never, ever, have I come across a stinky daikon conversation. One Friday evening, at a small vegetable store I frequent, I happened upon these long, white radishes that I suspected were Daikon. I’d had them on my mind for a very long time, primarily because of a Banh Mi recipe on...
Kunun Aya, ‘Horchata’ de Chufas ‘Nigerian Style’
Northerners in Nigeria are famous for many things, culinary-wise: they are tray-bearers of dates, kolanuts and alligator pepper; suya merchants of everything from meat kebabs to jerky-style beef kilishi and pounded, shredded Dambu Nama as well as wonderful drink makers. Sometimes I wonder what the repertoire of Nigerian drinks would be like without our North. Take Zobo, a red drink from dried hibiscus calyxes. That’s a northern legacy, as well as Kunu, milky drinks from cereal, grains and nuts. Kunulicious Kunucculent Kunu! One of my friends laughed. “Shoko, don’t you know anything? That’s not Bournvita (a brand of chocolate drink)...
Reasons to be Thankful: Thanksgiving
I have reasons to be thankful, even if I am a desperado. Desperate to be American, in part…..purely to eat Turkey, or Turducken. Ok….we’ll have to settle on chicken. I am thankful for food on our table. Simple, fancy, tasty and homemade. Eaten with people to love. That I love. Thanksgiving on the third Sunday in November.
Lunch on Homegrown Nigerian Quails
‘Af’ago k’eyin aparo, ohun oju wa l’oju ri (Yoruba language)’ ‘He who packs pheasants egg with the local bird cage (made with a mesh of raffia palms, and having large holes), will find what he has been searching for. Translation: The man who doesn’t listen to advice will lose out for the bird cage referred to in the proverb has large holes, so if they are used for small eggs, they likely are to fall through the openings and get broken/lost! I am easy to surprise, I know. It means I delight easily in little known treasures, in new discoveries, that I’m...
Cook Naija: Pitanga Cherry Dessert
In most parts of the world, the leaves are turning, the days are getting shorter and it’s a fresh 14 degrees or so. Pumpkins and all things orange, russet and gold are the rage. Desserts too are the norm – pumpkin pies and apple tarts, custards, puddings and heartwarming eats. In Nigeria, some leaves are turning but the days stay the same. There are no falling temperatures, only rain…and bucket loads of it. And dessert is…..well, not a common third course at the family table. The fruits develop and ripen quickly, only 3 weeks after the flowers open. In Brazil, the plants bloom in September and fruits ripen in October; they...
November 2012: ‘Made in Nigeria’ – In My Kitchen
This post is inspired by Celia (of Fig Jam and Lime Cordial) who does a monthly feature called ‘In My Kitchen’. Join the fun! Click on the link to visit Celia’s blog: Fig Jam and Lime Cordial ——♥♥♥—— Proudly ‘Made in Nigeria’. Like my 5-year old son who was ‘Made in Nigeria, Born in Holland’! You might have heard that ‘Made in Nigeria’ stuff is no good. I am guilty of thinking it many a time myself. You might have heard that ‘Made in Nigeria’ speaks to questionable quality. You might not be wrong on some levels, in describing certain...
Cook Naija: Gizdodo or Gizzards & Dodo
Nose to tail isn’t a passing fad in Nigeria, or a new culinary trend – it has and always will be a part of our food culture, of our heritage. It isn’t the offspring of one parent – poverty, but it was born of necessity, of sustainability, of wasting not and thus wanting not. It is embroidered in our cuisine and our history. Unusual ‘meats’ are not occasional guests at the table, reserved for private showings. No way, they live, breathe and feature in the daily drama that is life in Nigeria. In fact, daily life is a small thing,...