A Word on South African Cuisine

South Africa’s history is a rather colourful and dramatic one, resulting in a diverse culinary landscape. Our food has been shaped by weather, religion, ethnicity, migration, conquests, wars, slavery and colonisation. You’ll notice as you read this book that before each recipe I have added a bit of background and history of its origins based on my point of view and knowledge. I’m a firm believer in understanding the background of a dish to fully appreciate its beauty in totality.

Before European colonisers arrived in southern Africa, indigenous cuisine was characterised by the use of a wide range of foods, including fruits, nuts, bulbs, leaves and other natural ingredients gathered from nature and the surrounding wild-growing plants. Meat was sourced by hunting game.