Braving the City Market butchery to make carnitas

For anyone with two eyes and an empty stomach, it’s obvious that Nairobi has become a kind of micro-heaven for greedy foodies with multicultural appetites.

Thai food has long been one of the hottest cuisines in major cities around the world. But if you live in Nairobi, it can be quite difficult to find authentic Thai food—for those of us who have been to Thailand, being served with inauthentic ‘Thai’ food can be quite depressing. But how can novices tell the difference?

If you had told me five years ago I’d be getting up in the middle of the night to bake New York-style bagels in Nairobi, I would probably have choked on my very English crumpet. But here I am: a former media girl turned qualified chef, running a small, high-end baked goods supplier and bakery – what a rush!

Let’s face it. We don’t know much about wine. Isn’t it enough to know that it tastes fine? Apparently not. To truly appreciate wine, a little knowledge goes a long way. So we sought the advice of a respected Cape Sommelier (that’s wine expert to you). Nicci Pain holds a diploma from Cape Wine Academy and is the first South African to be awarded an official Cape Sommelier qualification.

Pairing cheese and wine can be intimidating, but really, it’s all about experimenting. There are no set rules, only guidelines. I wanted to share a few with you to make it a little easier when you decide to serve cheese at your next dinner party.