There is food at home

It is common knowledge amongst Africans and Nigerians in particular  (speaking for my country people wen I sabi o! ), that we would rather save our money for other household things than on eating out.
Reasons being
1 - our head is calculating how many pots of soup or loaves of bread that money would buy instead
2 - we fear the menu may be overrated; 'not as nice as my aunt's cooking'
3 - we may have already eaten to the full before stepping out and also have a backup snack in tow.

As a result, any child who starts whining and pining for any 'snacks' in sight or for a drop in at an eatery they just passed, gets a standard answer:

'There is food at home'.

Maybe, not everyone says that but if you ask the average African child or young person, the verdict would be the same.

That being said, we do eat out and we do appreciate fine cuisine. More likely than not, such outings would have been motivated by things like, family or friends  birthday celebrations, guys dating girls wanting to make a good impression, seasonal outings or the cook at home just can't be bothered that day. Sometimes too, we visit on a lunch break, when a cold sandwich and crisp don't cut it for the work ahead or when far away from our stash of cooked food in the fridge, like when away on a work trip.

Whilst we are so hands on with our cooking, I realise that one of the ways African cuisine and Caribbean cuisine can be appreciated is by our validation of the efforts of  our many talented eatery owners and caterers. 

So we need to visit them more often and those who have should 'noise' the Eatery or Caterer's fame. We should help with constructive advice where there is room for improvement or simply let the world know that they are brilliant. We need to advertise our food.

 The game is on and all eyes are on us (Africa and The Caribbean Islands) now. 

We still have loads of unprocessed and health boosting foods to be explored.

In the image below is a plan for us to truly get our game on and The Food Hut is committed to pushing through.

Join the campaign; 

Send us your African and Caribbean Food snaps to share via 'The Food Hut Gallery' and help a brother, a sister or a food enthusiast find the goodness you appreciate in your food. You may even be in with a chance to win a voucher for your effort too. 😆

Yes, we know #thereisfoodathome 😥, go on, eat out anyway and send us your pics. 

Thanks xx

Fally Jay 

For The Food Hut.

The way my mother used to cook it.......

Heard that phrase before?..
Under what circumstances I wonder. 😐.

Sometimes, it is the person who believes that his or her mother's ladle is as revered as a judge's gavel and they CAN NOT, ever ever accept anything different as good to eat.
We also know that some folks use that as a cop out to dodge anything new or some generally bad cooking too. 😄

Nonetheless, whilst some people's Mums are indeed legends at cooking, with such skills as need to be retained or passed on, we are coming to a time when new and improved styles of cooking helps to bring more folks round our dinner tables.
As people say for wedding preparations 'Something old and something new'; all in good stead.

If you stick your mum's recipe alone, you may have to stop eating it altogether due to lack of ingredients - you can find alternatives in your environment
Your family, may be the only one cooking and eating such meals as no one else appreciates it or the effort you have made -  you could adapt your meals sometimes to a semblance of what your 'seeker' friends are familiar with.
You could also be missing out on more interesting ways of having your wholesome staples. Such creativity comes in handy, especially when your children or wards grow up in a culture different from that of your ethnic background.

Such fusion or adapted meals could also work out cheaper as you use more available ingredients instead.

That is how fads are started or created. You never know, before long, someone could be 'swearing' by your own new recipe too. 😊


Check out this lady Fafa Gilbert; versatility must be her middle name. It may just surprise you what she has done with your mother's recipe. 😂

Here, she works a fusion of the popular Nigerian Ayamase and Ghanian Tomato stew. 

What's not to love, you tell me.

Happy Easter! Later...

Fally Jay for The Food Hut.

Plantain puff puff

Good day folks! Hope I meet you well.

There's so much to see, say and do in the afrocaribbean food world but I thought to bring you what seems to be trending in my world; 'plantain puff puff'.

My blogger friend Zita Bernice Tiena made hers, and my friend Ronke Edoho of 9jafoodie.com made her version too.
I also learnt that the Congolese have a banana version called 'mikate'.

It is so easy and versatile to make, that out of no time I made mine. My friend Tinah made hers within an hour of sharing the post on Facebook-  see it here.

 You can make it spicy or sweet or eat it with a sweet 'spread' or a spicy dip.

For me, I used gluten free flour and powdered oats. Think of all the plantain that you can store in your freezer and put to good use when ready. 😁

Give either recipe a go, your children will definitely be happier for your experiments.
As for me, I have won over my tribe here 👍 😊.

Happy holidays 

or what is left of it.😎

Fally Jay.

Facebook @FJafrocaribbeanfoods

Calling all 'sweet tooth's out there. Introducing Sorel or Zobo jelly !

I see and I share viz..

Sorel or Zobo as known by the Caribbeans and Africans is often used to make refreshing inexpensive drinks on the continents.

A previous blog in this thread refers to this.

Today we see someone with a sweet tooth🤓(Zita Bernice Tiena) using it to make a jelly! A jelly with more benefits you can say. 😅.

Why not see for yourself what you make of it. After all, summer will soon be here. 😎👍
http://shapeupafrican.com/zobo-jelly/

and the children might need something in between 'boredom' sessions too. 😁

Enjoy! 
Later.

Fally  Jay, for The Food Hut. 

'Sympli' captivating yam porridge techniques

Morning!

Yes, we visit The Sympli Freezers again.

Students 🎓💼👓, you can't afford to bypass the opportunity for some good home cooking 🍜while in your university out in the sticks.

Sympli Natural have put together a video tutorial on one way making yam porridge or yam goulash as they called it.

Try it and see. With time, you can make yours to taste.

By the way, did you know that you can get Sympli frozen yam cubes, fries, plantain chips etc from Tesco, Morrisons and Asda? 😉

Now, that should definitely be good news for you.

Enjoy!

Fally Jay for The Food Hut