Roast maize and milk fresh from the cow brings tears to her eyes.

My dear friend, Xaverine, originally from Rwanda told me all about Rwandan food and eating habits. She's camera shy so sadly I can't share her beautiful smile with you. but she did let me photograph in her environment.

 A pretty still life- the girls on the tea mugs are 

                                             daughters, bowl of pebbles, sorghum twigs

                                          Rwandan for "welcome, feel at home".


Here's a short interview:
Characterize Rwandan taste?

Pure and simple, not too hot. But with alot of flair and flavour. Spring onions, and red onion, some chilli pepper and peanuts give Rwandan food it’s special flavour.

What are typical Rwandan ingredients and foods?

It’s regional, in the north people eat alot of maize, peas and potatoes, in the east bananas, beans and peanuts, in the central region cassava, bananas sweet potato and beans, and in the west they have a bit of everything. Sorghum is eaten but in small select areas of the country. 

Ubugari is a stiff maize porrige, eaten alot . Chapatis are also eaten but mostly on special ccassions. Roast sweet potatoes are a favourite.  

Your favorite food?

The grilled maize- it is a food for sharing. I have this crazy memory of my brother sitting at the table with a glass of milk fresh from the cow in one hand and a piece of roasted corn in the other. A I enter the room he simply says “bon apetit” it brings warmth to my heart and tears to my eyes when I think back on that moment…
What do Rwandans drink and what do they snack on?

We love our  tea the English way with milk, and we hardly drink coffee. 

Ikigage is a traditional sorghum beer, a really symbolic drink- served at weddings and other occassions where guests are received. 

It is also drunk without alcohol, so before it starts fermenting then it is called- umusuru- this is a really nutritious drink also served to nursing mothers to encourage breast- feeding. Sweet treats- pieces of sugar cane to for chewing on and of course roast sweetcorn.

Are there different food for different meals of the day?

On the countrysde rural Rwanda, diets are fairly monotone- many people eat for breakfast what was eaten the night before. In fact people often cook more so breakfast is catered for.

In a more western influenced Rwanda a special breakfast dish is eaten. A sorghum porridge eaten sweetend with honey. We have lovely honey, by the way.
Is eating out part of Rwandan culture?

It is an imported phenomenon, something that started to happen during colonial times. In modern Kigali it is now quite common to eat out. Traditionally people eat and cook togethere in the home, even guests participate in the cookin process.

From the time that people started working "office hours" 7-5, a special shorter lunch break of only ½ hour was introduced, it is called "gongenique".  The break was too short for workers to return home for lunch so they started dining at restaurants and cafeterias which serve a quick lunch.

Where and how is shopping done in Rwanda?

Both in the city and rural areas the marketplace is most important. Fod and other commodidties are bought, sold, traded and bartered there. The marketplace has a huge social function. It is a time and place where people can get get together, exchange stories, news and gossip and joke along side the daily shopping.