"Today we are entering a new era for our country and its people. Today we celebrate ... a victory for all the people of South Africa." So observed South African president Nelson Mandela at his history-making inauguration in 1994. The tenth anniversary of that event, which marked the beginning of what's now referred to as the "South African renaissance," has been widely celebrated this year. And while there have been growing pains, the past decade has also seen extraordinary changes in South African life. On the culinary front, tourism is booming, the wine industry is thriving, and restaurants, from the four-star eateries of Cape Town to the boisterous shebeens of Soweto, are bustling. It is indeed a new era for South African food.

A TALE OF FOUR CONTINENTS
South Africa's colonial history goes back to 1657, when the Dutch East India Company established a trading post at the tip of Africa for hungry sailors voyaging between Europe and Asia. A rich � and polyglot � culinary tradition grew out of the maritime rest stop. The Dutch, partial to meat and sweet desserts, brought over from their Southeast Asian colonies Muslim slaves, who toted along their flair for heady spices and slow-cooked stews, and formed South Africa's still-thriving Cape Malay culture. French Huguenots established the sturdy roots of what would become a turbocharged wine industry. Portuguese sailors scattered chile peppers from their American colonies, while the British showed up with recipe books crammed full of savory puddings and roasts. German settlers arrived to till the land and make sausages. And Indian laborers brought their penchant for fiery curries and spicy little pastries called samoosas.

Underneath it all there remains a hearty African tradition of grains, fresh fish, game, and native produce, including marula fruit (used for beer and jam) and hotnotskool, the "cabbage of the Hottentots." Mandela's favorite dish is umngqusho, a Xhosa comfort food of hominy-like corn (what the South Africans call "stamp mealies") and black-eyed peas.

A FUSION FUTURE
These days, as South Africa surges into its second post-apartheid decade (and South African restaurants open in such unlikely places as Atlanta and Brooklyn), the lines between African, European, and Asian are blurring, creating a spirited interplay among the various colors of South Africa's "rainbow cuisine." Cape Town food guru Lannice Snyman borrows this evocative turn of phrase for the title of her recent cookbook, a safari through what's arguably the richest culinary melting pot in the world. Snyman has kindly volunteered to guide us on our tasty trek.

Meet Cooking Expert Lannice Snyman

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