Did you know that vanilla pods start out (plump and) green? Or does that come as a surprise to you? Like it did me. Walking around the Tata farm in Zanzibar, I was stunned to see a cluster of pods, green. To be honest, I hadn’t ever even thought of what vanilla was beyond orchids […]
Travel & Exploration
Passion Fruit: The Fruit, The Whole Fruit & Nothing But The Fruit
I love passion fruit with all my heart and soul and was thrilled to discover a few years ago that it grew in Nigeria. Seasonal, I get mine from Vegetable Express who work with farms and farmers in the north of Nigeria. Nigerian Seasonal Produce Calendar – fruits and vegetables in season Because I order […]
Nigerian Seasonal Produce: Carrots, #1
‘Nigerian Seasonal Produce’ is a monthly column which will be published on the last Saturday of every month. 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. Our author this month is Osemhen of Eureka Naija – […]
Matrimony – An Agbalumo (Star Apple) Fruit Salad From Jamaica
It’s the season of my favourite ‘fruit to explore’ – Agbalumo aka the African star apple. The star apple is found in many Caribbean and South East Asian countries, including Jamaica. Around the world in star apples Around the world in star apple names Why am I so intrigued about this fruit one might wonder? […]
True or False: Thou Shalt Not Pluck Fruit from the Agbalumo/ Star Apple Tree?
It’s agbalumo season people! Have you ever seen an agbalumo tree? Well, yes, I have! Thanks to my friend Tomi who showed me one in Lagos, Nigeria :). What does it look like? Well it towered above two floors, several tens of feet tall. Tree trunks twisted and mangled, leaves lush and green, like those […]
Around The World in Bottom Pot
Smoke as a flavour is alluring, hardwired into our DNA, the DNA of homo sapiens since the discovery of fire. It’s why bottom pot is present as a desirable dish in many cultures around the world. From the discovery of fire to the preservation of food, it’s wormed its ways into our palates but for the longest time, […]
How to: Passion Fruit Juice
Travel. Broadens the mind. Teaches you so much that you might not have known. That’s the story of my learning to make good and proper passion fruit juice, all thanks to Nairobi. Read: Favourite Drinks in Nai I’ve been a passion fruit lover since forever. It grows in Nigeria, is nutritious and delicious. At the […]
‘Drinking’ in East Africa
You’ll never hear the last of it – how taken I was, still am with East Africa. All of it. At least all the parts I’ve visited – Zanzibar, Dar es Salaam and Nairobi. Where I had some of the most amazing drinks in my life Freshly juiced passion fruit, Zanzibar Like freshly juiced passion fruit. […]
Photo Essay: Hot & ‘Chilies’ in Nairobi
I always had this idea that Kenyan food didn’t use pepper or chilies. Let me say I underestimated both. True, chilies are common but peppercorns are, and that too is heat, ladies and gentlemen. One of the first things I ate in Nai was a Thai Chicken salad at Java House – it set my mouth on […]