SOUTH AFRICAN CULINARY HERITAGE
The book South African Culinary Heritage by Eunice Rakhale, is about local food history and traditions interlaced with family conversations. It illustrates the culinary diversity of Southern African cuisine and some neighbouring countries, comparing the similarities and unique palatable heritages thereof. Written in a conversational style, the book is a handy culinary compilation which will bestow the reader with explorations regarding local African lifestyles history, art, clothing, music and perhaps even some song and dance. For tourists visiting these African countries – possessing a diversity of ethnic cultures, it is a worthy read regarding heritage and of-course African cuisine. A guide which should be included in any tourist’s travel pack and families. It is about a genuine story told with an extraordinary ability that draws parallel between the author’s struggle in the restaurant industry and in her personal life. Ultimately, her passion for food is where she finds solace to learn, heal and grow. Mother Daughter relationships can be extremely complex and Eunice is no exception. In the book, besides a plethora of authentic recipes and history, she shares candidly about her strained relationship with her daughter Mothei Makhetha. Being estranged for seven years, Mothei writes her mother a letter, in a desperate cry for help, which she hopes will begin the healing process. After receiving the letter, circumstances of her life took Eunice back home to her mother in Moletsane, Soweto. This happens while she is researching her culinary book authenticating the recipes through the help of her mother. This handing down of recipes from her mother gets them connected on a very deep level, thus, creating compassion and trust they never had. In desperation Eunice seeks counselling from her own mother to try and mend the relationship with her daughter. Their journey is one of true and sincere conversations handed down from one generation to another, around family meals and prayerful family meetings.
The book South African Culinary Heritage by Eunice Rakhale, is about local food history and traditions interlaced with family conversations. It illustrates the culinary diversity of Southern African cuisine and some neighbouring countries, comparing the similarities and unique palatable heritages thereof. Written in a conversational style, the book is a handy culinary compilation which will bestow the reader with explorations regarding local African lifestyles history, art, clothing, music and perhaps even some song and dance. For tourists visiting these African countries – possessing a diversity of ethnic cultures, it is a worthy read regarding heritage and of-course African cuisine. A guide which should be included in any tourist’s travel pack and families.
It is about a genuine story told with an extraordinary ability that draws parallel between the author’s struggle in the restaurant industry and in her personal life. Ultimately, her passion for food is where she finds solace to learn, heal and grow.
Mother Daughter relationships can be extremely complex and Eunice is no exception. In the book, besides a plethora of authentic recipes and history, she shares candidly about her strained relationship with her daughter Mothei Makhetha. Being estranged for seven years, Mothei writes her mother a letter, in a desperate cry for help, which she hopes will begin the healing process. After receiving the letter, circumstances of her life took Eunice back home to her mother in Moletsane, Soweto. This happens while she is researching her culinary book authenticating the recipes through the help of her mother. This handing down of recipes from her mother gets them connected on a very deep level, thus, creating compassion and trust they never had. In desperation Eunice seeks counselling from her own mother to try and mend the relationship with her daughter.
Their journey is one of true and sincere conversations handed down from one generation to another, around family meals and prayerful family meetings.
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South African Culinary Heritage
Mageu, traditional ginger beer or Umqombothi is
offered as a gesture of welcome. This customarily
happens after the handshake or the gentle strike of palms
together, or the silent clapping of hands, followed by a slight
bow. Guests then gather around the fire in a communal
eating style, as the different courses began to flow
intermittently, and as the calabash of umqombothi
circulates from guest to guest. The calabash will always be
found somewhere in the kitchen cupboards, waiting for the
right moment to begin the festivities. Traditional African
beer (alcoholic) and Ginger Beer (non-alcoholic) in 20 to 50
litre barrels would have been prepared, days before, with
which to wash down the celebratory meals. In the African
setting, the music and the dance accompany elegant and
elaborately-designed dresses for women and suits for men,
making banqueting an altogether more spectacular
experience.
The Annual Offal Feast is held in July, annually. Offal
known as “variety meat” in some countries, refers to all the
offcuts from the carcass including the organs, tail, oxtail,
feet and head. Most offal is rich and richly flavoured. This
may be eaten on its own, paired or blended with other
meats. Unlike regular meat, which is often hung and
matured for several weeks before using, offal has a short
shelf life and should be bought fresh and used quickly. It
might not be everyone’s cup of tea and not for the faint
hearted, but for many South Africans who are offal lovers,
the annual festival is a not-to-be-missed experience. The
offal dishes are served alongside port and sherry tasting.
The Soweto Kota Festival is a proudly South African
township fast food event which is in September each
year. In September 2017, the Soweto Theatre in Jabulani,
Soweto hosted the first annual Soweto Kota Festival. The
popular festival is now held at different areas in Gauteng
during Heritage and Tourism Month in September,
annually.
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