Cuisine of São Tomé and Príncipe

Santomean cuisine comprises the cuisine, dishes and foods of São Tomé and Príncipe, a Portuguese-speaking island nation in the Gulf of Guinea, off the western equatorial coast of Central Africa. The country consists of two archipelagos around the two main islands: São Tomé and Príncipe, located about 140 kilometres (87 mi) apart and about 250 and 225 kilometres (155 and 140 mi), respectively, off the northwestern coast of Gabon.

Overview[edit]

Domestic food-crop production is inadequate to meet local consumption, so the country imports much of its food.^[1] In 1997, it was estimated that 90 percent of the country's food needs were met through imports^[1] including meat and food-grains.^[1] In 2003, it was estimated that 8.33% of the country's total land is arable.^[2]

Primary food crops include bananas, breadfruit, taro, maize, beans, papaya, palm oil, and primary agricultural production crops for export include cocoa, copra and coffee.^[1][3] Fish and seafood is prominent in São Tomése and Príncipe cuisine, and the fishing industry contributes approximately 25 percent to the country's gross domestic product.^[1][4] Poultry is also raised in São Tomé and Príncipe.^[1]

The nation's cuisine has been influenced and shaped by African and Portuguese settlers.^[5]

Common foods[edit]

Staple foods include fish, seafood, beans, maize and cooked banana.^[4][6] Tropical fruits such as pineapple, avocado and bananas are a significant component of the cuisine.^[4] The use of hot spices is prominent in São Tomése cuisine.^[4] Coffee is utilized in various dishes as a spice or seasoning.^[4] Breakfast dishes are often reheated leftovers from the previous evening's meal.^[6]

• Arroz doce (rice pudding) is a traditional breakfast food prepared with sweet corn and coconut^[6]
• Banana pap is a porridge^[5]
• Barriga de peixe is a traditional Santomean dish of grilled fish served with rice, breadfruit or manioc (cassava)^[6]
• Blablá^{[clarification needed][6]}
• Broa—cornmeal and rye bread^[6]

• Cachupa is a dish prepared with green beans, broad beans and corn.^[6]
• Calulu is a traditional dish prepared with grouper or smoked fish, prawns, tomato, okra, aubergines (eggplant), onion, and spices, including grains of paradise.^[4][6] Some versions of the dish may include or use smoked chicken, breadfruit, óssame (a red, bulbous fruit) or bananas.^[6] It takes around five hours for traditional calulu to be prepared.^[6] Variations of callaloo are eaten in other countries
• Chicken
• Chicken with coffee sauce is prepared with chicken, coffee, white wine, cream, garlic, coffee beans and spices^[4]
• Coconut
• Djogo^{[clarification needed] [6]}
• Flying fish, both cooked and dried varieties^[6]
• Jackfruit^[6]
• Mango^[6]
• Omelettes ^[6]
• Boiled pork is a dish prepared with pork, tomato, spinach, onion, garlic and spices^[4]

• 
  Jackfruit being prepared for consumpution
• 
  Fishermen land their catch of fish in Sao Tomé.
• 
  Shrimp and French fries as served in a local hotel, São Tomé

• Safu, short of safous, is the Dacryodes edulis fruit

Beverages[edit]

• Carioca de limão is prepared with lemon peel and hot water.^[6]
• Coconut water^[6]
• Coffee^[6]
• Soft drinks ^[6]
• Tea^[6]

Alcoholic beverages[edit]

• Aquardente is a distilled beverage prepared from sugar cane.^[6]
• Nacional is the country's national beer.^[6] Other beers, such as Super Bock and Sagres lager are imported from Portugal.^[6] Criollo is another brand of beer produced in the country.^[6]
• Gravana rum is prepared from sugar cane.^[6]
• Palm wine is considered a national drink of São Tomé and Príncipe.^[6]
• Ponche is a cocktail prepared with honey and Aquardente.^[6]
• Wines, typically imported from Portugal^[6]

Street foods[edit]

Street foods include stews, safú (a fruit) and corn on the cob.^[6]

Delicacies[edit]

Estufa de morcego is a bat stew delicacy that is served on saints days and during fiestas.^[6]

Desserts and sweets[edit]

• Açucarinhas are prepared from coconut and sugar, formed into patties, and fried in palm oil.^[6]
• Aranha is prepared with coconut, sugar strings and food coloring.^[6]
• Canjica is a porridge that is prepared with canjica maize kernels, egg, sugar, cinnamon and water.^[4][5]
• Chocolate
• Chocolate mousse^[6]

Snack foods[edit]

• Banana seca is a dried, whole banana that has a smoky flavor.^[6]
• Bobofrito is a specialty of Príncipe that consists of bananas fried in coconut oil.^[6]
• Bread rolls with Portuguese salami and sausages^[5]
• Fios is a snack food prepared with corn flour and bananas.^[6]
• Gigumba (peanut brittle) ^[6]
• Palla-palla are crisps prepared with cocoyam or banana.^[6]

Condiments[edit]

• Piri-piri sauce prepared with malagueta pepper is commonly available in Santomean restaurants.^[6]

See also[edit]

• African cuisine
• Economy of São Tomé and Príncipe
• List of African cuisines
• List of African dishes

References[edit]

Further reading[edit]

• Weinberg, Samantha (April 2013). "Chocolate and Slavery". Intelligent Life magazine (The Economist). Archived from the original on 2 February 2014. Retrieved 8 February 2014.
• Rice, Xan (January 15, 2009). "The chocolate king of São Tomé". New Statesman. Retrieved 8 February 2014.
• Democratic Republic of Sao Tome and Principe: Request for a Three-Year Arrangement Under the Poverty Reduction and Growth Facility. International Monetary Fund. pp. 4–5.

External links[edit]

Wikivoyage has a travel guide for São Tomé and Príncipe.