Cooking & Culture with Mama Carole

You are picked up from your lodgings by One Horizon and you embark on a short 25-minute vehicle journey to the rural outskirts of Nairobi. Along the way you will see aspects of both traditional life and the development in modern infrastructure that has dominated the last few years of Kenya. But all this quickly recedes as you enter the rural hinterland outside Nairobi and leave the hustle and bustle of the city behind you.

Upon arriving at Mama Carole’s home, you will be greeted with the warmth and spontaneity of Carole and her family. And to the beat of African drums your welcome embraces the excitement that occasions your arrival. And after a welcoming song and dance from your host, it’s time to enjoy the day and all that comes with it.

In addition to being shown around her home, you will soon begin the first part of learning about Kenyan food, by helping to prepare and cook chapattis. Chapattis are similar to flat bread are a great Kenyan tradition and favourite. In many Kenyan families, chapattis are prepared only once a year and usually during the Xmas season. It’s a great introduction to Kenyan life. You will also experience the use of biogas which provides the fuel that is produced in an energy efficient source from her farm.

The chapattis are then taken over a cup of Kenyan tea and/or coffee as a starter for the day. And during this time, Mama Carol will explain her life’s journey and that of her 5 children – the achievements and the obstacles which she has navigated so far. It’s a fascinating insight into the life of a citizen of Kenya women.

After this, it’s time to undertake the preparation for lunch and being taught the skills of making a fresh Kenyan vegetable stew drawn from the farm veggie garden. It’s an entirely organic and healthy lunch and one which is favoured by many Kenyan families (and you will be supplied with the recipe as part of your day).

One of the most fascinating aspects in the cooking of your lunch is that it is done over a 3 stone fire. That is, a traditional lunch cooked over an open fire. It’s the most common form of cooking food in Kenya. It’s all about cultural immersion on this day and a day which you will remember for ever as the cooking is interrupted by song and dance that is so much part of Kenya. A day which you will never forget and one which enables you to be able to make great nutritious food as memento when you get home. A memory which you can relive with you newfound Kenyan cooking skills