African Food And Cuisines

Africa is perhaps known more for it's African Safaris and white sandy beaches but when it comes to food, African food can easily hold it's own among the best known cuisines in the world. African food is generally quite gentle with the likes of snails and rodents in west Africa, snakes in central Africa, monkeys, cats and dogs eaten in Nigeria and Ghana, termites, or even locusts eaten in Uganda being exceptions rather than a rule.

The traveler to Africa you will often find foods like pizza, burgers or at least good attempts at coming with something close to pizzas and burgers chicken and fries in most towns in Africa.
Most African travelers often find themselves counting familiar brands in Africa the likes of burger King, coca cola and many more. Americans are notorious at this.

As an African Safaris traveler should you want a taste of the local cuisine you will often find a lot and a variety depending on where you are in Africa.

By far the best known of Africa's finest traditional dishes are Moroccan, Ethiopian and Swahili dishes. Morocco offers tajines, couscous (possibly getting its inspiration from West Africa, where it's traditionally steamed in baobab leaves), great tasting soups and scrumptious sweets. In East Africa and along the coast Swahili cooking rules supreme, making loving use of herds and spices introduced into Africa from Arabia, India and the Far East, with seafood being especially good.
Ethiopian cuisine is in a class of its own: injera as it is known is the staple and is a large pancake from which diners which they use to scoop up dollops of highly spiced stews.

Seafood is prepared differently in different regions. In Zanzibar it is prepared spicy, in coconut sauce or stiffed with vegetables and cooked in tomato, in Senegal. In South Africa, Brits can truly feel at home with fish and chips off course minus the newspaper. In many parts of Africa especially in the countryside it's best to eat fish close to the places where they are caught.
For the meat eaters or carnivores as they like to be called, Kenya's carnivore restaurant in Nairobi is a great place to indulge. Here you can try game meat from impala steaks, hippo, ostrich to crocodile burgers which by the way taste either like fish or chicken depending on what the crocodiles which are often breed on crocodile farms were feed on.

In southern Africa namely South Africa, Namibia and Botswana popular barbecues feature all kinds of meat and Boerwurst sausages which are often washed down with good beer.
In rural Kenya smoked wild birds are also a popular with locals.

For those who are daring, South Africa offers culinary challenges from caterpillars fried to sheep and chicken heads all of which are reputed by locals anf foreigners alike to be delicious. For the not so daring, there are other indigenous delicacies such as biltong which consists of dried, salted meat, bobotie which is simply a much-improved version of Shepherd's pie and boerewors which is hand-made farm sausages, often grilled on an open flame.

In south Africa too as in other parts of Africa, those who prefer to play it safe will find that most restaurants offer a familiar global menu - which includes anything from hamburgers to sushi to Chinese in Chinese restaurants which are quite popular to spaghetti bolognaise.

source by Gerald Wanga

Freezing and Storing Groceries is Easy with a Vacuum Food Sealer

A Vacuum food saver is a must for the large family. The cost of groceries has steadily been on the increase throughout the United States, yet salaries have not necessarily been increasing. As families begin to feel the financial strain from higher food costs, there is one, money saving tool on the market available to them. With a vacuum food saver, families can store food items they purchase at a reduced rate from discount stores and membership-only wholesale grocers, like Cosco, and save hundreds of dollars on their grocery bill.

By shopping for food in bulk, a family can save a lot of money. The list of food items one can purchase to store for later use is not limited only to dry foods. One can also store meats, cheese, fruit and vegetables. For instance, cheese may be purchased in blocks. It is best to slice the cheese, if it is to be used on sandwiches or similar meals. By using the vacuum feature on the vacuum food sealer, all the air is removed from the container or plastic bag. The seal feature locks the bag and it is ready for storage.

Cheese will keep fresh for weeks stored in the fridge. It can also be frozen for several months. This is especially recommended for shredded cheese like mozzarella. Purchasing a large block of mozzarella cheese is much cheaper than purchasing the shredded version. By shredding the cheese at home, one can expect to save several dollars. What is also very nice is that many healthy and tasty meals can be prepared using shredded cheese. A few examples include, pizzas, lasagna, and tacos. Cheddar cheese also freezes very well.

Meats also can be stored using a vacuum food sealer. Meats should be cut into smaller sizes. Once the smaller sizes have been placed into the freezer bags, one can use the vacuum feature to remove excess air from the bags. Then the bags are placed in the freezer to store for months. By sealing and freezing in smaller size, there is no need to defrost the entire cut frozen months earlier.

This procedure also works well with meats that have been prepared and cooked. One can prepare stews, chili, even roasts. After allowing the prepared meat to cool down, it is simply a matter of placing dinner size portions in the heavy use plastic bags that come with most vacuum food sealer models. Once sealed, one only need to vacuum and toss in the freezer for later use, or in the fridge to use within a few days. Frozen meals may be defrosted by placing the sealed bag into a sink filled with tepid water, or for faster results, may be dropped into boiling water to serve right away, or may be heated in a microwave.

As the cost of groceries increases, resourceful families can find some solace in knowing that with the help of a sturdy vacuum food sealer they can buy food items in bulk and they will save a bundle of money by dividing the groceries into smaller portions to seal, vacuum shut and freeze for later use.

Drink Organic - Organic Flavored Coffee Is The Best

Europeans and Americans drink coffee like it is going out of style. Coffee is a popular social tool that has been around since any of us can remember. The popularity growth in coffee consumption has prompted many growers to experiment with how they grow coffee, especially in recent years when it has been proven that fertilizer does more harm than good. Organic coffee is on the horizon for them now.

Organic coffee - what is it exactly? This is coffee that is grown without using enhancement chemicals. It has been done that way since time before chemical companies intruded. Farmers plant the seeds, irrigate the roots and let the sun do the rest.

The Department of Agriculture has set into motion a crop rotation program. Crop rotation aids the farmer's in coping with the demand of coffee products on the open market, especially organic flavored coffee. One way that organic flavored coffee growers can benefit is by applying to the government for incentives. The agricultural community supports the growing of it wholeheartedly. So much so that they will give benefits to farmers who grow organic. It takes a while to get certified organic but to the coffee grower it is well worth the wait.

As with the majority of organic products, organic coffee takes more time to come to term. This means that organic coffee costs more than your general store brands. In some instances, 12 ounces of organic coffee can be sold for $1.00 per ounce.

Organic coffee, like other organic or all natural foods, is sold in an entirely different section of your local supermarket. This type of coffee is sold in caffeinated and decaffeinated as well as flavored with vanilla, chocolate hazelnut or anything else you can think of that regular coffee comes in. Organic flavored coffee (like other all-natural products) must contain a seal indicating it is, in fact, organic. This is an FDA classification and cannot be overlooked.

Granted, organic coffee is more expensive than traditional coffee, but the sense of wellness it brings cannot be unmatched. Many brands you find are not made in the US but in countries that support slavery and the use of warlords such as South America or Africa.

Organic coffee prices will go down over the next few years, analysts predict. This is made possible by the crop rotation practices mentioned earlier by avoiding using fertilizers and pesticides.

The use of organic coffee or other products will not allow you to live longer, that is a guarantee that cannot be made. These organic products can help you live healthier lifestyles. Healthier lifestyles can lead to longer life. So the next time that you are in the grocery store or other large food center look at all of the organic food you can buy and realize that you can be feeling better and living a healthier, more enriching life than you were before switching from non-organic foods to organic.

Organic flavored coffee will not disappoint. True it is more expensive but the benefits as well as the flavor more than compensates for the cost.

Four Top Food Gifts

Food gifts seem to have increased in popularity in recent years. That is certainly the case with me. I love to receive (and eat) food, and I rely frequently on giving gifts of quality food and drink. Here are the four that I seem to give most often.

Wine gift basket: A good bottle of wine with an accompaniment of carefully selected complimentary food makes a terrific gift for some people. There are some special cautions with this gift, however. First, you need to know that the recipient drinks alcoholic beverages and appreciates wine. You wouldn't want to give this gift to somebody with a drinking problem or to anyone who only enjoys beer. Second, shipping alcoholic beverages is regulated in the U.S. The postal service will not handle a wine gift basket. Because of laws of some states, you can't use any carrier to deliver wine in certain locations. Furthermore, most carriers require that an adult actually be at the destination to show proof of age and sign for the delivery. However, under appropriate conditions a wine basket makes a marvelous gift for a festive occasion.

Fruit basket: I give fruit gift baskets for a number of occasions, but I find it especially appropriate as a sympathy gift. Typically when a death occurs, the loved ones are flooded with flowers, prepared meals, desserts and fruit. Consequently, although I'll send a card immediately, I wait two or three weeks to send the gift. By that time, many bereaved have long since thrown out the flowers and consumed all the meals. They may also feel a bit isolated. I find that a delayed expression of condolence is often even more appreciated than one given immediately after suffering the loss.

Gourmet meals: It's possible to give loved ones near and far complete, chef prepared gourmet meals. Those that I give are in separate boiling bags for the entree, sauce, rice or potatoes and vegetables. When prepared according to the instructions, they truly are fine restaurant quality. I find this gift to be appropriate for any couple going through an especially busy time in their lives. I sometimes give gourmet meals as a gift to newlyweds (after the honeymoon) or as a house warming gift.

New York cheesecake: Nearly everyone enjoys a good dessert. In my opinion, it's hard to beat a high quality cheesecake--not the super market variety. If I know the recipient's tastes very well, I might send a flavored cheesecake, such as pumpkin or chocolate. However, I always feel confident if I give a New York cheesecake, because it can be adapted to every taste by topping it with a few fresh berries, a sprig of fresh mint or a dollop of whipped cream. If you know your loved one has diet restrictions, there are even lower carbohydrate, sugar-free versions.

Thai Food Noodle

Pad Thai ( Thai food noodle )

Firmly in my Top 10 for Thai Street Food is Pad Thai, otherwise known as Thai fried noodles. The ingredients that make up this dish include: egg, beansprouts, dried shrimp, garlic, tofu, salted Chinese radish and crushed peanuts

You can find pad thai being made almost anywhere. However, be warned. The recipe does vary. Try to avoid the pad thai that has been "mass produced" and is seen for sale for only 10 baht at temple fairs and places like Khao San Road. For best results, watch it being made fresh. The pad thai stand around the corner from me opens at about 5 p.m. and is open until late. A large plate from her costs 20 baht (see picture above). An extra sized helping (called pi-set in Thai) costs only 5 baht more.

In the above picture, you can see the ingredients waiting to be added. From left to right: tofu (beancurd), dried shrimp and salted Chinese raddish/turnip. At the back, in the plastic bag, youcan see the rice noodles.

First to be added to the wok are the noodles. These are stir-fried for a few minutes. Next is added the dried shrimp, tofu and minced Chinese raddish. Again this is mixed and stir-fried for a few minutes.

The ingredients are now pushed to one side and an egg is cracked into the wok. She cooked the egg for a minute or so before breaking it up and mixing it in with the noodles. Finally a sprinkling of chopped chives and a generous layer of breansprouts are placed on top. This is not mixed in with the noodles. It is now ready to serve. The finally layer is the ground roasted peanuts. She placed all of this into a container with some spring onions, half a lime and a little plastic bag containing chili and sugar.

Although pad thai is cooked just about everywhere, people will cross to the other side of town just to get their favourite recipe. My favourite is on Taiban roundabout. Very delicious and worth the extra effort to cross town. It is easy to spot the more popular hawkers as there is always a long queue!

I have never attempted to cook this dish as it is so readily available. However, here is the recipe if you want to have a go at home:

Stir-Fried Thai Noodles Recipe

Ingredients:

8 oz (250 g) rice noodles (sen lek)

3 tablespoons oil

3 garlic cloves (kratiem), minced

1/4 cup dried shrimp/prawns

1/4 cup (2 fl oz/60 ml) fish sauce (nam pla)

1/4 cup (2 oz/60 g) sugar

2 tablespoons tamarind juice (ma-kaam piag)

1 tablespoon paprika

1/2 cup fried tofu

2 tablespoons dried unsalted turnip, cut into small pieces

1 egg, beaten

1/4 cup 1-in (2.5-cm) lengths chopped chives

1/4 cup (2 oz/60 g) ground roasted peanuts

1 cup bean sprouts

Source http://www.enjoythaifood.com

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