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International Cooking: A Culinary Journey, 2E. Chapter 8 The Countries of Africa. Cuisine. About one thousand years ago, Africa was situated on the trade route between the Spice Islands and Europe. This brought significant Middle Eastern influence to northern Africa.
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International Cooking: A Culinary Journey, 2E Chapter 8 The Countries of Africa
Cuisine About one thousand years ago,Africa was situated on the trade route between the Spice Islands and Europe. This brought significant Middle Eastern influence to northern Africa.
late 1400’s and the 1500’s - Europeans came to Africa in search of gold and slaves • 1652 - Dutch arrived in Cape Town, South Africa • late 1800’s and early 1900’s - European nations colonized Africa
Topography • tropical, hot and humid climate - equator runs through central Africa • 20,000 miles of coastline - Mediterranean Sea on north, Atlantic Ocean on west, Indian Ocean on east, and Red Sea on northeastern • Sahara - largest desert in the world, lies across northern Africa
Cooking Methods • braising • frying • grilling
Regions North • most fertile regions in Africa • resembles Middle Eastern and Mediterranean countries • richer cuisine • wheat, barley, fruits, and vegetables • aromatic rather than hot spices
Central Africa • poor soil and poor growing conditions • sparse food supplies • repetitive diet with the same foods over and over • lots of corn • samp - cornmeal mush
Eastern Africa • strong influence from Britain and India • hot chili peppers passed as a condiment • curry powder • yams and cassava
South Africa • influence from Britain, Malaysia, Holland, and northern Europe • curries • seafood • wine • great diversity between diet of rich and poor people
West • hot, humid climate • lots of seafood • poor soil, which yields meager crops • tropical fruits and chili peppers • hot, spicy foods • stews are the mainstay
Cuisine Some Causes for Starvation • poor soil yielding meager crops • unpredictable weather conditions • droughts • floods • insect infestations
many African diets consist primarily of fruits, vegetables, legumes, and grains • corn, beans, okra, cassava, plantains, yams, greens, and dendê (palm oil) are staples • starches and grains important in diet • type of starch depends on location • many one-pot dishes