About
My name is Thuli, a modern traditional woman born and bred in the Eastern Cape in a small town called Alice, near Fort Hare University. I have spent my adult life studying, working and living in Cape Town. I’m currently working as Product developer and I love what I do. Throughout my career I’ve been exposed to different cuisines and I’ve become so familiar with it. I got to a point where I just realised that I am not that familiar with my own food…South African food particularly the indigenous food and I would like to change that.
In this blog I am exploring the Southern African traditional and indigenous dishes from the different cultural groups. I also feel that our generation is losing the skill of cooking as we rely heavily on takeaways and ready made foods…..which I find to be very sad….so with this blog I hope to encourage my peers to cook…
What makes me tick?
I love tasting wine as a result I’ve turned it into a hobby…..other hobbies include travelling, reading, internet, social media, working out (even though my scale tells me I’m not losing weight) and taking pictures…
Food Philosophy
I love food, cooking more especially baking and trying out different dishes. Some of my fond food memories while growing up are from the years I spent on a farm called Kwa Joe (Joe’s farm) in Alice. Life on the farm was very simple….we made our own food, grew veggies from the garden, had fresh milk from the cows and baked our own bread….life was good…I just loved its simplicity. Sitting around the fire (sothe imbawula) listening to the stories from my grand mother……being in the kitchen with my mom watching her make dumplings, my aunt making meaty bones and Imifino…..Now that I’m an adult and living in the city all that food reminds me of the happy and adventurous childhood I had. My philosophy is that food just like sport can bring people together. Food keeps the spirit of ubuntu going. For this reason I love cooking with and around friends. My cooking is influenced by my rural upbringing, city living as well as my exposure to the different cultures and their foods. I love to cook with mushrooms, spinach, peppers and herbs.
Well that’s me in a nutshell…now go put on your apron and let’s get cooking!
Hi Thuli,
Let me be the 1st to write on this wall. I first want to tell you how proud I am of you. I just love this site, my husband is also from Alice he just loves the african dishes he grew up eating so i learn a lot from this site. Keep up the good work.
MMM
Thank you Mandi! So you are married to umkhaya?
You know what they say “a way to a man’s heart is through the stomach” but then again you are already there! lol! Keep cooking those meals! 
you are amazing!!!
This is an amazing idea I wish more people would think in this way. Your food philosophy is one to be admired. I wish you everything of the best.
and yes i love food.
Thanks Tony! I appreciate your encouraging comment.
I am reading this page for the first time. You might not have loved the farm life at the time you were living it, but you now love the experience because it has inspired you to be who you are today.Some people are scared to talk about their background,particularly those of your age group. I really love this page.EVERYTHING HAPPENS FOR A REASON.
It all happens for a reason hey! I appreciate and embrace all that experience. Thanks for your comments! Love!
Hello Thuli
I LOVE your blog! Lots of inspiration here to get me cooking some traditional SA meals. Now I am super homesick.
Thank you and keep writing!
Ingrid
Malaga, Spain
Hi Ingrid! Thanks for stepping by. I’m glad you’ve been inspired! Enjoy your meals:-)
I love it, thank you.
Hi Herman!
Thank you for visiting the blog! Looking forward to our future interactions.
I just discovered your blog and I am too proud for words. I was looking for a recipe for “dipotchefstrooms” hint hint I know them in Setswana and to find a young South African who is embracing who she is so fresh.
Thank you for the blog, because it has been alive for a while for me it was like stumbling on a long lost family treasure. You know mos our recipes a word of mouth they are not written.
You outdid yourself my sister.
God bless you
Mmabatho
Hi Mmabatho,
Thank you for your comment! You’ve really made my day! That’s true and it’s what motivated me to start a blog. Plus the fear that those recipes will die with the older generation. We can’t allow that to happen hey!
Enjoy the “dipotchefstrooms” and I hope you visit again!
Hi Sisi
I am sooo glad to come across your blog and so very happy that someone in SA is doing exactly what you are doing: cherishing and capturing and sharing the food traditions before they all disappear. And giving them context. This is what I have been missing in SA, so I gave you a shout on my blog today. Please keep up the great work!! BTW, if you haven’t seen it already, do watch the film Ratatouille. Watch for the scene towards the end where the critic tries the ratatuoille…you’ll relate
Go well, Carola
oops, that was Saturday, 29th Dec: http://simplifysustainability.wordpress.com/2012/12/29/eat-nose-to-tail/
What a beautiful and fascinating blog. This is one of the best food blogs I have seen (and I have seen a lot!). I am based in the UK and South African food is new to me. I will be trying some of these recipes at home for sure!
Wow! Thank you Juliette! That means a lot to me. Hope you enjoyed the dishes, they are prepared with with love!
Hi Thuli – I just watched “I am Woman: Leap of faith” featuring you and how you got to be where you are. I was mesmerised and so inspired by your strength of character and fortitude, even in the face of adversity. You are an amazing woman and an example to children (and adults) of today.
I am extremely proud of what you are doing and wish you every success. I hope you manage to open that restaurant one day – and I’ll be visiting!
Take care and keep at it!
Hi Lee,
Thank you for watching and I appreciate you taking the time to visit the blog and commenting! I really appreciate your words of encouragement.
Hope you have an amazing Mothers Day! God Bless!
Regards,
Thuli