Chicago Tribune in one of its report reveals that African spices are similar to the spices used in America, except for the way they are blended in the African recipes. Facts provide that American chefs are showing up African spices in prestigious Food Network and are incorporating African spice blends into their own cuisine.
However, most of the African spices are borrowed from Portuguese cuisine and the neighboring Mozambique cuisine, yet it has blended the spices in its own authenticity in Berbere (allspices and chili blend), Beso bela (African blue basil), Dukkah (nut and spice blend), Melegueta (spicy grains), Koseret (lemon herb), Penja pepper (special pepper from Cameroon), Peri-Peri( Chile Pepper), Tosign (African oregano).
American chefs are experimenting with African spices, which have the capacity to add novelty to heat, pungency, sweet and sour flavors in American foodstuffs like barbecued chicken, pork, fish; stews, soups, gravies and casseroles.
The borrowing of African spice blends by American cuisine is not borrowing after all, as both the cuisines have interlinking ingredients, which gives both the cuisines to come-up with rare culinary convergence. In American cuisine there is an urge to explore flavors, tomorrow we might see Africa pooling resources to cook in French sous-vide methods.
