Chad is located in north-central Africa. While its position close to the sands of the Sahara Desert may look unpromising for agriculture, it straddles three climatic zones. In the far north is absolute desert, which blends to the south with the semi-arid Sahel region before becoming more fertile in the savannah of the south. The … Read more
Known for its tropical beaches and crystal-clear seas, the Maldives also have a fascinating culinary culture, sometimes called Dhivehi cuisine. Located several hundred miles from India and Sri Lanka, its nearest major landfalls, its 26 atolls lie across the equator in the Indian Ocean. Fish and seafood therefore play a key role in many of … Read more
Mainland Africa’s easternmost nation, Somalia has not had it easy over the past couple of decades. However, its long civil war has resulted in a large amount of emigration to other countries in Africa, as well as Europe and North America, making traditional Somali cuisine easier to taste than ever before. Taking influences from Africa, … Read more
Nestled in the north-eastern corner of the Arabian Peninsula, the modern nation state of Iraq was one of the cradles of civilisation, leading to the world’s first cities. Also boasting the first known recipe ‘books’ (in fact clay tablets), it is a country with a long culinary history. Iraqi cuisine, sometimes known as Mesopotamian cuisine … Read more
Sudan has been a bridge between the countries of Arab North Africa and those south of the Sahara Desert since the time of the Egyptian pharaohs several thousand years ago. This means that Sudan’s traditional dishes are a blend of Middle Eastern and East African cuisines in particular. Mediterranean flavours were added into the mix … Read more
Home to Arabs, Kurds, Greeks and a plethora of other minorities from the surrounding region, Syria’s traditional cuisine is a diverse menu of dishes. It uses a wide variety of ingredients, originating from the Mediterranean, western Europe, and the Middle East. One of the cradles of early humanity, cities including Damascus are some of the … Read more