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The Flavors of Africa
The continent of Africa is vast and hosts innumerable culinary traditions. This month, we are inspired to begin to explore these flavors. We are not unfamiliar with African cooking—but have been mostly exposed to the northern regions and Ethiopia. Here are some recipes and products in the hope that you might join us on this adventure.
African cuisine is about fresh ingredients—especially vegetables and meats. And, we do carry both fresh okra and plantain that can sometimes be difficult to find.
Check out our picks for favorite products to boost your flavor and the authenticity of your dishes.
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Bob's Red Mill Golden Couscous is a traditional North African and Middle Eastern pasta made from coarsely ground and pre-cooked semolina. These tiny balls of pasta are ready to eat in just 5 minutes.
Chakoh Coconut Milk is perfect for curries and soups. It is also used in Thai, Vietnamese, and Indian dishes and imparts a sweet, milky flavor.
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Seasoning
Dea Harissa Paste can be used as a condiment or cooking ingredient and is a wonderful addition to sauces, aioli, and other spreads like hummus.
Minna Shashuka Moroccan Tomato Sauce is a flavorful blend of ripe tomatoes, roasted peppers, onion, garlic, olive oil, herbs, and Moroccan spices. Traditionally used to poach eggs, it can liven up pasta, pizza, stews, crostini, and more.
Packed with flavor and just the right amount of heat, Nando's Hot Peri-Peri Sauce is the perfect way to turn a meal into a tasty and fiery treat.
Villa Jerada Preserved Lemons use small Beldi lemons, salt, and time to give a bright citrus, complex umami flavor to a variety of dishes.
Glory Bee Tamarind Puree provides a tart, sweet-sour flavor, making it an effective souring and pickling agent. Use it for a touch of tangy sweetness in sauces, glazes, salad dressings, drinks, and stir-fries.
Morton & Bassett Sumac gives food a tart lemon flavor. Great for use in dry rubs, marinades, or dressings. Adds a nice touch to yogurt dips. Use as a finish for chicken, fish, and lamb.
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To drink
Amarula Cream Liqueur is made from the fruit of the marula tree which only grows in the warm, frost-free regions of sub-equatorial Africa. The hand-picked marula fruit is fermented, double-distilled, and matured for two years before being blended with fresh cream. Try it in our Amarula Cocktail (below).
Teas
Tao of Tea Red Bush Chai is a caffeine-free blend of South African Rooibos and uplifting spices like cloves, cardamom, cinnamon, and spearmint. And their Hibiscus Ginger Tea is a blend of Hibiscus flower petals and dried ginger. For a caffeine-free beverage, it is very uplifting and robust. It tastes delicious iced.
Numi Honeybush South African Herbal Tea is made from a cousin of the rooibos plant. Honeybush is a flowering shrub that yields a rich, earthy brew with honey overtones. This sweet South African nectar is naturally caffeine free. And their Moroccan Mint flourishes in North Africa. With a light and lively flavor, it has a sweet spearmint flavor that is refreshing and soothing.
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Fresh Cantaloupes
You know it is summertime when you walk down the produce aisle, and you are stopped by that sweet perfume of perfect melon. Well, it’s here, and the fresh cantaloupes are at peak season!
We love our summer cantaloupe by the slice, wrapped with prosciutto, in a cold melon soup, ice pop, or smoothie. Enjoy them while they are here.
Learn how to pick a rip melon and get cantaloupe recipes…
| THIS MONTH ON THE COCKTAIL POST | |
Ngolo Cocktail
From our blog, The Cocktail Post
The Ngolo Cocktail is an African-Inspired beverage that brings forth the flavors of West Africa. There are multiple variations on the ingredients. So, we chose a recipe that is easy to duplicate with what is readily available in our market.
The Ngolo is reminiscent of a Moscow Mule—but with a special Ngolo's touch. The African Ngolo Cocktail is a must-try for anyone who loves a good cocktail and wants to experience a new twist. It stands alone at cocktail hour and pairs well with African recipes.
Get the recipe…
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Amarula Cocktail
From our blog, The Cocktail Post
This dessert cocktail is reminiscent of a Mudslide. The three main ingredients are Amarula liqueur, coffee liqueur, and milk. This Amarula Cocktail is super simple to prepare, and so delicious. It is sweet enough to be served as a boozy dessert—especially if you add a drizzle of chocolate syrup to your cocktail glass.
Amarula is a cream liqueur from South Africa. It is made with sugar, cream, and the fruit of the African marula tree which is also locally called the elephant tree because African bush elephants enjoy eating the fruit.
Get the recipe…
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Africana: More than 100 Recipes and Flavors Inspired by a Rich Continent
By Lerato Umah-Shaylor
A Cookbook Recommendation
Food writer and cook Lerato Umah-Shaylor’s magnificent cookbook is a delicious eating tour of the African continent, introducing vibrant and varied cuisines that are rich in flavor, diverse in culture, and steeped in tradition.
Lerato adds her own modern twist and inventive style to traditional African dishes that have been passed down and enjoyed for generations and combines these recipes with personal stories of Africa infused with her delectable sense of adventure.
With Africana, home cooks can learn how to create some of the most iconic African dishes, from Nigeria to Madagascar and Morocco to South Africa. Here are more than 100 recipes to delight and inspire, such as Spice Island Coconut Fish Curry, Harissa Leg of Lamb with Hibiscus, Senegalese Yassa, Tunisian Tagine, South African Malva Pudding, and the secret to the perfect Jollof.
A feast for the senses, bursting with flavor, and offering a feeling of wanderlust, Africana will bring the magic of the continent to any kitchen.
About the Author
Lerato Umah-Shaylor is a food writer, presenter and leading voice in African cuisine, and she is the founder of Lerato Foods & Naturals. She authors the newsletter, Cook with Lerato where cooks travel with her one dish at a time.
Growing up in both West Africa and the UK, while extensively traveling around the continent, Lerato’s unique perspective can be seen in her approach to cooking. She uses her personal experiences from Lagos, London, and beyond and rich African traditions to create contemporary yet nostalgic recipes.
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THIS MONTH'S STAFF PICKS
Ras El Hanout
From Morton & Bassett, Ras El Hanout is a spice mix found in varying forms in Tunisia, Algeria, and Morocco. The name means head of the shop in Arabic and implies a mixture of the best spices the seller has to offer—or top shelf. Ras El Hanout is used in many savory dishes, sometimes rubbed on meat or fish, or stirred into couscous, pasta, or rice. Read more…
Atalanta Halloumi Atalanta Halloumi
Atalanta Halloumi cheese is versatile, unique, and delicious on the grill. The Mediterranean island of Cyprus is home to Halloumi, which features the texture of mozzarella and a flavor that resembles feta. Atalanta Halloumi is made from pure sheep’s milk and seasoned with mint leaves. Read more…
Earth's Promise Basmati Earth's Promise Basmati Rice
The word Basmati means queen of fragrance, and that is what basmati rice reflects, as it is world-renowned for exquisite fragrance, fine curved kernels, silky aromatic, and its tastes. Basmati is a long-grain rice that is characterized by a light nutty flavor and floral aroma, and it's popular in rice pilaf and as a side dish for curry. Read more…
S&W Garbanzo Beans
Best beans in a can. We simply don't have time to soak and cook our beans for every dish. When you need a quick solution, we recommend S&W Garbanzo Beans—they simply have the best flavor. The beans are firm and delicious with just the right amount of salt. They use quality beans cooked to perfection. Read more…
| THIS MONTH ON THE KITCHEN TABLE | |
Supu Viazi (Tanzanian Coconut Potato Soup)
I found this Eastern African recipe for Supu Viazi while doing my deep dive into all things foodie and African. It intrigued me for a few reasons. This recipe comes from Tanzania which is not a cuisine you hear about with regularity. That in and of itself makes this recipe interesting.
The best part? Assuming you have the ingredients, it’s fairly quick to prepare which makes it a good choice for some mid-week flavor…
Read the post and get the recipe…
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African Style Roasted Veggies
This recipe for African Style Roasted Veggies has lots of African flavor. I made this last week when it was warm but before it got too hot to turn on the oven over the weekend. If you were looking for a recipe to try the Fonio we just brought in, this is the perfect thing. It’s also the answer for a veggie garden that has finally started producing.
Read the post and get the recipe…
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Strawberry Hibiscus & Honey Ice Cream
The recipe below for Strawberry Hibiscus & Honey Ice Cream is one I definitely want to try but just haven’t been able to get to. So I am passing it on to y’all in the hopes that someone out there is willing to give it a shot and let me know how it turns out.
Dried hibiscus flowers can be challenging to find. As an alternative, I recommend using hibiscus tea as a substitute.
Read the post and get the recipe…
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Jollof Rice
Though I am not totally unfamiliar with flavors from the African continent, my exposure has been limited to the northern regions and Ethiopia. I just never had the opportunity to taste Nigerian food or other regional flavors from the continent.
This recipe is from Food52 and it is excellent. Give it a shot if you are interested. You just might start your own obsession…
Read the post and get the recipe…
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Moroccan Recipes from Our Archives
From our blog, The Kitchen Table
Moroccan food is a cuisine with complex flavors derived from cinnamon, onions, tomatoes, olives, and fragrant spice blends. Moroccan cooking means a lot of lamb as well as a whole lot of fish and seafood. And lemons. Don’t forget the lemons.
Roasted Lamb Shoulder with Date Couscous
Studded with sweet, plump dates and nutty almonds, Claudia Roden's slow-roasted lamb makes a stunning centerpiece. Slow roasting makes the meat meltingly tender and juicy. Dates symbolize hospitality. Their sweetness compliments the sweetness of the meat.
Serve it at your next big gathering along with roasted vegetables and spiced rice.
Tagine Bil Kok (Moroccan Lamb Tangine)
This recipe is adapted from Kitty Morse's book, Cooking at the Kasbah. The Centre de Formation en Restauration Traditionnelle, a government-sponsored cooking school in Rabat, is dedicated to preserving the art of traditional Moroccan gastronomy. This classic tagine recipe, given to Kitty, is part of the school’s delectable curriculum.
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Moroccan Kefta Kebobs
These kebobs can be eaten right off the skewer alongside a cucumber salad and some hummus or some couscous. And, we love them in a soft pita with sliced tomatoes, a smear of hummus, and some tangy tzatziki.
You can use ground beef, ground lamb, or a combination of the two for this recipe. This is not a good time to choose lean ground meat. The higher fat content results in more moisture when the kebobs are grilled.
Fish Tagine With Creamy Onion Charmoula
This Fish Tagine, from Paula Wolfert’s The Food of Morocco, is perfect for when we find ourselves in a dinner rut. This recipe, from the Atlantic coast city of Agadir, is very good with a firm-textured white fish, such as sea bass, cod, or monkfish.
Moroccan Turkey Couscous
This couscous can be topped with the sweet, caramelized vegetables in the recipe below and dusted with cinnamon—the signature dish of Morocco’s Sephardic Jews. It comes from the collection of Sephardic recipes from Kitty Morse called The Scent of Orange Blossoms.
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Sweet Roasted Moroccan Vegetables
Sweet roasted vegetables symbolize hope for happiness and prosperity. According to tradition, the various vegetables are kept separate on the serving platter to facilitate their selection. This can be served with plain couscous for a vegetarian dish or with the Turkey Couscous above.
This recipe also includes instructions for making your own harissa (which you can purchase prepared from Piedmont Grocery.)
Moroccan Caramelized Carrots
In addition to being delicious, these roasted carrots are quick and easy to make, requiring just a few minutes, 1 pan, and eight ingredients (many of which are spices). They can be served as a side dish or over lentils for a hearty vegetarian meal. For added visual appeal, use multi-colored carrots.
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Yolélé Fonio
Vendor of the Month
You may just discover a new food obsession.
Yolélé Fonio is an ancient West African grain that is light, fluffy, and nutty. Plus, it cooks up in five minutes! It is naturally gluten-free, nutritionally dense, and rich in important nutrients with a low glycemic index.
Fonio goes with just about anything and soaks up spices and sauces beautifully. Cook it just like couscous and it’s perfect in salads, grain bowls, tabouleh, hot sides, and more. Fonio also makes a delicious hot cereal, veggie burger, stuffing, and gluten-free baking ingredient.
To the Dogon people of Mali, fonio is known as The Seed of the Universe—or the grain at the root of all existence. It has been grown and revered across West Africa for over five thousand years.
Learn more and find out about the flavors that we carry…
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4038 Piedmont Avenue
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