Wangethi Mwangi’s Kenyan Recipes

People are always interested in what kind of food I ate when I lived in Africa. I guess they expect African food to be exotic and flavorful, but where I lived, people subsisted mainly on rice and millet, so the food was generally pretty bland. The main staple for much of the year was a millet paste that had the consistency of play-doh made from bird seed. It’s definitely not something I would make now that I am back in the US.

If you’re interested in trying new ethnic foods, this blog of recipes from Kenya by Wangethi Mwangi features foods that sound a little more palatable. Wangethi Mwangi’s recipes look like an easy option you can prepare at home yourself. Many of them include fresh ingredients like corn, beans, and potatoes, and he also provides some background into Kenyan culture and describes how the foods are traditionally eaten. Stay away from the millet paste and try some of his Githeri instead.

Wangethi Mwangi is the Editorial Director for Nation Media Group, the largest media company in Kenya.

I'm Dreaming of a Chocolately Christmas

I previously wrote in my other blog about how I love food, particularly chocolate. At this time of year, chocolate seems to be everywhere. Usually, my company receives large gift baskets from some of our vendors for the holidays, but this year, a lot of companies are scaling back. People who used to send us large baskets full of myriad Christmas goodies are now just sending a smaller box of chocolates, which is fine with me. I might even follow their example and buy some chocolate for the few people I have left on my list. Who doesn't love chocolate for the holidays? Online retailer Fannie May offers a wide variety of seasonal chocolates, candies, and novelties, including little gift bags that would be perfect for passing out at work. I'm nearly over my Christmas budget, so a small affordable indulgence like chocolate would be the perfect thing to finish off my shopping this year.