Because it was Sunday night and I had: Cucumbers Passion fruit Sugar cane Zobo-ginger vodka mix that had been ‘chilling’ Every thing went in the blender, with some sugar. A strain later and it was ready for lime juice over ice. The son insisted I served them with umbrellas. Why not? It certainly brought tropical sunshine and warmth on a cold day. Passion fruit really is the best thing in the world. I can’t imagine that there’s a human being somewhere, some place who does not love it madly. Like I do. Are you such a person? I hope not. What’s your favourite passion fruit...
In Season Again: Rhizomes, Citrus & Mangoes
‘In season’ again… Ginger All year round, ginger is available but right now, the rhizomes – the name given to the small tubers – of ginger in market stalls are amazingly fresh. Thin-skinned, fresh flavoured and relatively big. Limes Big, juicy and cheaper than they’ve been – limes are ‘back in season’. Yes, like ginger they never really go out of season but they have periods when they are more abundant. Ogbomosho Mangoes Last year, halfway through the Farafina Workshop of 2014 (Yes, the Creative Writing Workshop hosted by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie), I discovered Ogbomosho mangoes on the shelves of...
Wòròwó: Discovering New Greens
One of the benefits of proclaiming my love for food o’er all is people share with me their deepest, darkests :). Well, not entirely true, but people share with me their faves – their thoughts, family recipes, best places to eat and so much more. I do not take any of these lightly. Food is serious biz people. And so it was that on two occasions, a colleague and a friend mentioned this ‘peculiar’ green to me, proclaiming it a firm favourite. So that when I saw it on the Ilesha – Ibadan road, I ‘rushed’ to buy some. At...
Eight (8) Recipes that Redeem New Yam
So, yes, New Yam is here… And if you’re patient, it will age ever so gracefully and someday soon, in weeks and months, sitting at your table, you’ll feast on old yam – yam whose waters have left, and left behind flavours concentrated. Yam with textures not crumbly meaty, delightful. Someday, if you are patient. The truth though is you shouldn’t wait to enjoy yam. Don’t deny yourself the pleasure of good living. And if you think new yam has no virtue, this 8 recipes will change your mind. They play on the soft texture and mild flavour of new yam –...
Event: Propak West Africa 2015
Over the weekend, I decided to investigate food packaging. I did a few things – email a friend who I thought would have leads and asked on Twitter. Both sources of enquiry led me to Propak. @Kitchnbutterfly There is an event called propak going on at Landmark event centre from 1st to 3rd of Sept you might find a supplier there. — Apsalar (@_Thalia_M) August 31, 2015 If you’re interested in food packaging and processing and are in Lagos, you’ll want to attend Propak West Africa 2015 – The Largest Packaging, Food Processing, Plastics, Labelling And Print Exhibition In West...
Nigerian ‘Road Trip Snacks’
There are some things that are confined to the highways and express ways of Nigerian roads. Certain delicacies you’ll find at Junction towns – a special kind of fried yam and chicken at Saminaka, Bush meat (game to you) and Pounded yam at Ore, Kpokpogari and groundnut at Ughelli. We wait for them with excitement. We are aware of our journey to indulgence and maybe decadence. We still ourselves for these moments of deep pleasure and remembrance. Of road trips of old. With parents, with family, on our way to school and back home. We want to relive the ‘then’, now....
Apple-Cucumber-Lime Mojito, Two Ways
This is a version of a non-alcoholic drink that we were first introduced to in Dubai – an Apple Mojito. I’ve tried several times to recreate it and it’s only in the last few weeks that I’ve come close to experiencing the delight we enjoyed in December. My first attempts used muddled mint leaves and lime juice. I had to use lots of leaves to get any measure of flavour and then it was somewhat annoying ‘bumping’ into the leaves when drinking. Eat? Drink? Which? The second trials involved making a smoothie aka blending the cucumbers and mint with a touch of...
Garden Egg – Ugba Sauce with New Yam
This is a simple but beautiful sauce – one simply takes pureed garden eggs (raw, roasted, fired, smoked) and combines them with shreds of Ugba – fermented oil bean. Ugba has such a beautiful, chewy but crunchy somewhat resistant-to-being-eaten-quickly quality that’s perfect for the slight bitterness and earthiness of the garden eggs. One that makes a beautifully rich sauce for new yam. [wpurp-searchable-recipe]Garden Egg – Ugba Sauce with New Yam – – – [/wpurp-searchable-recipe]
Quiz: New Yam or Old Yam?
This is the season when one hears ‘I hate new yam’ with such disdain…and I smile. There is no old yam without new yam. One must thank not only the divine provider(s) of the yam, one must give ultimate thanks to those who get it out of the ground and to our plates – the farmers, harvesters, transporters, sellers. More than anything else, they should be adored and praised and thanked. Because have you ever tried to harvest a single tuber of yam? Well I have and it is up there next to having babies by normal, V delivery – damn...