Taste Inspirations
Secrets of taste
A stroll through the history of the most beloved ingredients
Early settlers to South Africa brought ingredients and culinary traditions that have taken root and come to form the diverse cuisine of the Rainbow Nation.
Beyond the winelands of Franschhoek, which were planted by French Huguenot refugees in the late 1600s, there is the Cape Malay community, originally from Indonesia and drafted in by the Dutch to work.
Few fruits have the cultural resonance or play such a central role in literature and religious iconography as the pomegranate.
From the bible to the Qur’an, Arabian Nights to the Greek myth of Persephone, the pomegranate, with its unusual structure and fleshy, blood-red seeds and juice have captured the imagination over centuries and become an integral ingredient in Middle Eastern cuisine.
Travel in Central or South America and you’ll find it hard to avoid the succulent and once- considered sacred avocado, not only because these fruits are often the size of footballs in their native territory, but because they’re loved and cherished in the regional diet.
Think of South American cuisine and razor clams are not likely to be the first thing that will spring to mind – especially when the continent’s litany of colourful street food, grilled meats, stews, salads and soups are so well-‐known. But the region’s seafood and, in particular, its razor clams –“navajas” or “navajuelas” in Spanish-‐speaking countries – are one of continent’s best-‐kept secrets.
