Appears in
On Food and Cooking

By Harold McGee

Published 2004

  • About

Fonio and black fonio are African grasses distantly related to maize and sorghum. Digitaria exilis and D. iburua were domesticated on the West African savanna around 5000 BCE, and are typical cereals in most respects. The tiny grains are made into porridge and couscous, popped, brewed into beer, and mixed with wheat to make breads.