Food & Drink: Kitchens of Africa Cooking Sauces
Kitchens of Africa [The Gambia]
There is nothing wrong with slow cooking, in fact it can be an enjoyable experience as you mix, stir, season, and simmer in anticipation of savouring your culinary efforts. Unfortunately in the face of hectic schedules, reality bites and slow cooking is just not possible night after night with so many other things competing for your time prompting the turn to convenience food. Convenience food has its pros, meals in minutes and it’s cons, a reputation of nasty additives, flavour enhancers and preservatives. However, the availability of pre-prepared foods like sauces can be an introduction to the tastes of other cultures without the unfamiliar preparation and cooking methods that people can be afraid of.
A wander through the shelves of any supermarket or deli will bring forth bottles or packets of Thai Green Curry or Chicken Tikka Masala to be whipped up in minutes. Nothing beats the original process of fresh homemade cooking but when the craving strikes and time is not on your side a pre-prepared sauce to which you just simply add a few other ingredients can be just what you need to bring forth the flavours and tastes of home; and the concept which was the inspiration behind Kitchens of Africa, a brand I stumbled across via the blog, Afroklectic. Homesick for food from home, but faced with the long cooking process that often comes with African cooking, Kitchens of Africa was founded by Jainaba Jeng, who was born and raised in The Gambia but is now based in Raleigh, North Carolina. Jainaba also wanted to use the opportunity to introduce some of the diverse and unique tastes of Africa to the world.
[Image credits: top, Simmer Sauces; bottom African Jerk Pastes – Kitchens of Africa]
The result of a year of experimentation, research and development to get flavours just right and keep the product fresh without the aid of preservatives, Kitchens of Africa does the slow cooking for you and has a range of simmer sauces, jerk pastes, and marinades to get you started on your journey into African cooking or quickly recreate familiar flavours. All Kitchens of Africa products are made with fresh ingredients and contain no preservatives or additives; think freshly crushed garlic and fresh aromatic ginger root combined with caramelised onions and citrus juice and warm spices in the Yassa simmer sauce; or the slightly sweet and tangy flavours of the Maffé simmer sauce in a peanut and tomato base. The marinade flavours range from mild to spicy and if your tastebuds can handle it, fiery hot. Beautifully presented the packaging captures the essence of the product with strong silhouettes grout to life with the vibrant patterns of African cloths. Looking to the future Jainaba is hoping to develop further product ranges representing the regional flavours from the four corners of the continent.
…I’m feeling hungry now!
Additional details:
For further information about Kitchens of Africa visit: www.kitchensofafrica.com
