module 3: CAKE MAKING AND DECORATING
Food in Daily Life.
Sorghum or corn meal porridge is the staple of most Botswana meals. People wake in the morning to a thinner version of the porridge, sometimes enriched with soured milk and/or sugar, and tea. A thicker version of the porridge, known as bogobe , anchors the substantial midday meal, accompanied by a stew of meat and/or cabbage, spinach (or wild greens), or beans. People also use rice, but it is considered more expensive and associated with Europeans. Meats include chicken, goat, sheep, cattle, fish, a caterpillar known as phane and various wild game. Village evening meals may include leftovers from midday, but for many people is often just tea and buttered bread.
There are many restaurants representing food from around the world in the urban areas. Fast food chains such as Kentucky Fried Chicken, Nando's chicken, and Pie City are quite popular. In smaller villages, there are likely to be no restaurants. Fatcakes, somewhat like round doughnut holes, are sold as snacks fairly ubiquitously. Locally brewed beer made from sorghum is popular in the rural areas and is available commercially as chibuku; people also drink the stronger honey/sugar-based khadi.
Food Customs at Ceremonial Occasions
At large public events, such as the opening of a new government building, and at weddings and funerals, men prepare the centerpiece: meat cooked in large iron pots until in shreds. Women prepare porridge and/ or rice, pumpkin/squash, and often cole slaw or beet salad, and people are served heaping plates of food, arguing to get more meat for themselves. Beer is often served at weddings, and ginger beer at other events; tea and fatcakes are prepared for weddings and funerals that have all-night components.
Basic Economy.
At independence in 1966, most people in Botswana relied on mixed agriculture (crops and livestock), hunting and gathering wild foods, and remittances from migrant labor in South Africa. But diamonds were found soon after independence, and since the 1970s mining has provided a strong backbone for economic development. Farming of sorghum, maize, millet, and beans, along with small stock and cattle, are still important for subsistence and also commercial returns. Because of drought and urban migration, Botswana no longer aspires to be self-sufficient in agriculture, but instead focuses on "food security" incorporating regular imports of grain and processed foods. Thirty-seven percent of formal employment is by the government (and almost 8 percent in state corporations), but employment in the private sector is now growing more rapidly; people work in service and retail, mines, construction, other industries, and in many small start-up businesses . Earnings are typically remitted rather broadly through extended kin networks.
Read more: https://www.everyculture.com/Bo-Co/Botswana.html#ixzz6GSgkPj9T
Sorghum or corn meal porridge is the staple of most Botswana meals. People wake in the morning to a thinner version of the porridge, sometimes enriched with soured milk and/or sugar, and tea. A thicker version of the porridge, known as bogobe , anchors the substantial midday meal, accompanied by a stew of meat and/or cabbage, spinach (or wild greens), or beans. People also use rice, but it is considered more expensive and associated with Europeans. Meats include chicken, goat, sheep, cattle, fish, a caterpillar known as phane and various wild game. Village evening meals may include leftovers from midday, but for many people is often just tea and buttered bread.
There are many restaurants representing food from around the world in the urban areas. Fast food chains such as Kentucky Fried Chicken, Nando's chicken, and Pie City are quite popular. In smaller villages, there are likely to be no restaurants. Fatcakes, somewhat like round doughnut holes, are sold as snacks fairly ubiquitously. Locally brewed beer made from sorghum is popular in the rural areas and is available commercially as chibuku; people also drink the stronger honey/sugar-based khadi.
Food Customs at Ceremonial Occasions
At large public events, such as the opening of a new government building, and at weddings and funerals, men prepare the centerpiece: meat cooked in large iron pots until in shreds. Women prepare porridge and/ or rice, pumpkin/squash, and often cole slaw or beet salad, and people are served heaping plates of food, arguing to get more meat for themselves. Beer is often served at weddings, and ginger beer at other events; tea and fatcakes are prepared for weddings and funerals that have all-night components.
Basic Economy.
At independence in 1966, most people in Botswana relied on mixed agriculture (crops and livestock), hunting and gathering wild foods, and remittances from migrant labor in South Africa. But diamonds were found soon after independence, and since the 1970s mining has provided a strong backbone for economic development. Farming of sorghum, maize, millet, and beans, along with small stock and cattle, are still important for subsistence and also commercial returns. Because of drought and urban migration, Botswana no longer aspires to be self-sufficient in agriculture, but instead focuses on "food security" incorporating regular imports of grain and processed foods. Thirty-seven percent of formal employment is by the government (and almost 8 percent in state corporations), but employment in the private sector is now growing more rapidly; people work in service and retail, mines, construction, other industries, and in many small start-up businesses . Earnings are typically remitted rather broadly through extended kin networks.
Read more: https://www.everyculture.com/Bo-Co/Botswana.html#ixzz6GSgkPj9T
course menu:
STARTER
Dressing Biltongs for starters
All over Botswana and southern Africa you can find strips of what looks like dark old leather that are eaten as a snack – this is the famous biltong. Biltong is a thinly sliced, tough and salty air-dried meat, most often beef or game like springbok, rather like beef jerky. You will also find droewors, air-dried sausages. Indigenous African peoples use to preserve meat by curing it with salt and drying in the air; 17th-century European settlers added vinegar, saltpetre and spices to the mix and today's biltong evolved meat preservation processes of 19th-century pioneers in the days before refrigeration.
All over Botswana and southern Africa you can find strips of what looks like dark old leather that are eaten as a snack – this is the famous biltong. Biltong is a thinly sliced, tough and salty air-dried meat, most often beef or game like springbok, rather like beef jerky. You will also find droewors, air-dried sausages. Indigenous African peoples use to preserve meat by curing it with salt and drying in the air; 17th-century European settlers added vinegar, saltpetre and spices to the mix and today's biltong evolved meat preservation processes of 19th-century pioneers in the days before refrigeration.
MAIN COURSE
'Pap'
Pap is a robust carbohydrate hit from South Africa. Chef Duncan Welgemoed says it's "like a soft polenta. It's subtle and perfect to act as a vehicle for stronger flacours. An essential at any braai (South African Barbecue), it can be made with milk or chicken stock and they are full of flavour.
Pap is a robust carbohydrate hit from South Africa. Chef Duncan Welgemoed says it's "like a soft polenta. It's subtle and perfect to act as a vehicle for stronger flacours. An essential at any braai (South African Barbecue), it can be made with milk or chicken stock and they are full of flavour.
'Seswaa' (boiled and pounded beef flank)
In Botswana, long before salt was being used to transform cheap cuts of meat into mock filet mignon, people were cooking seswaa. As the national dish of Botswana, seswaa is served at weddings, funerals, and other celebrations. Seswaa's ingredients are very straightforward: meat on the bone, water, and salt. The salt, added while the meat cooks, helps to soften the meat until it is ready to be pounded with a pestle and served atop pap, which is stiffened cornmeal.
In Botswana, long before salt was being used to transform cheap cuts of meat into mock filet mignon, people were cooking seswaa. As the national dish of Botswana, seswaa is served at weddings, funerals, and other celebrations. Seswaa's ingredients are very straightforward: meat on the bone, water, and salt. The salt, added while the meat cooks, helps to soften the meat until it is ready to be pounded with a pestle and served atop pap, which is stiffened cornmeal.
Setswana Chicken (boiled and fried in its own oil and juices)
Koko ya Setswana: The traditionally grown chicken is generally considered to be much better tasting than a commercially grown one. Cooking the traditional chicken for a visitor is a memorable demonstration of hospitality towards the person. Another straightforward dish, its ingredients are just traditionally-grown chicken, water and salt.
Koko ya Setswana: The traditionally grown chicken is generally considered to be much better tasting than a commercially grown one. Cooking the traditional chicken for a visitor is a memorable demonstration of hospitality towards the person. Another straightforward dish, its ingredients are just traditionally-grown chicken, water and salt.
Morogo (dried bean leafs, soaked and cooked)
Morogo is a group of African spinach that includes Lerotho, Thepe, Lephutsi, Delele, Nawa, etc. The leaves of these plants are edible and delicious. Often rape or swiss chard are taken and sauté it in chopped onion, oil, and spices. A traditional Setswana meal is not complete without morogo!
Morogo is a group of African spinach that includes Lerotho, Thepe, Lephutsi, Delele, Nawa, etc. The leaves of these plants are edible and delicious. Often rape or swiss chard are taken and sauté it in chopped onion, oil, and spices. A traditional Setswana meal is not complete without morogo!
Beetroot Salad
Next comes the vegetable dish. A favourite to many because it is often the healthiest part. Beets, or beetroot as it’s called, is a major steeple. The beets are boiled and then sliced, often mixed with vinegar and sugar. If not beets, then salad is a popular side. When we say salad, don’t think of dinner salads. Think coleslaw. Cabbage and carrots are shredded and lathered in tangy mayo and vinegar. A favorite vegetable concoction is chakalaka. It has a very similar texture as chunky salsa and has a spicy kick to it. Tomatoes, carrots, onion, peppers, and spices are all combined to create this great sauce – especially great to cover phaleche with. This sauce is often combined with beans too and is always at wedding celebrations.
Next comes the vegetable dish. A favourite to many because it is often the healthiest part. Beets, or beetroot as it’s called, is a major steeple. The beets are boiled and then sliced, often mixed with vinegar and sugar. If not beets, then salad is a popular side. When we say salad, don’t think of dinner salads. Think coleslaw. Cabbage and carrots are shredded and lathered in tangy mayo and vinegar. A favorite vegetable concoction is chakalaka. It has a very similar texture as chunky salsa and has a spicy kick to it. Tomatoes, carrots, onion, peppers, and spices are all combined to create this great sauce – especially great to cover phaleche with. This sauce is often combined with beans too and is always at wedding celebrations.
Tomato Stew-Gravy Sauce
A great tangy relish and side dish that pulls the pap, seswaa and the vegetable sides together into one satisfying meal.
A great tangy relish and side dish that pulls the pap, seswaa and the vegetable sides together into one satisfying meal.
DESSERT
Trifle with custard fillings
BEVERAGE
'Gemere' - a non-alcoholic home-made drinks from ginger
A non-alcoholic home-made drink, Ginger, is a national favourite which is used a lot in big ceremonies such as weddings and funerals. The main ingredients are ground ginger, tartaric acid, cream of tartar and sugar, and it is usually flavoured with pineapple, raisins, or fresh oranges
A non-alcoholic home-made drink, Ginger, is a national favourite which is used a lot in big ceremonies such as weddings and funerals. The main ingredients are ground ginger, tartaric acid, cream of tartar and sugar, and it is usually flavoured with pineapple, raisins, or fresh oranges
