Excerpt from the Settlers’ Guide Book: Hints for safari
Help was at hand for the young Kenyan settler preparing for her first venture into the wilds.
IF you were a housewife, newly arrived in early 20th century Kenya, chances are you would soon be called upon to sort out the logistics for a safari.
Fortunately, you would probably have a copy of the Kenya Settlers’ Cookery Book and Household Guide at hand. This useful publication even has a section devoted to art of preparing for a really stylish safari.
YOU MIGHT ALSO BE INTERESTED IN : Excerpt from the Settlers’ Guide Book: How to manage a broody hen
It points out that the housewife setting out on her first safari should draw up a checklist, which could be kept for future occasions. If possible, experienced staff should be called upon for assistance. The guide book points out that careful packing could reduce the amount of boxes required and would speed up the striking of camp.
“It really pays to have a special place in the chop box for everything and to insist that things get returned to their proper places.” The modern camper would probably find this good advice still relevant today.
The safari cook would require a long list of kitchen necessities that the housewife should ensure were not forgotten. Kitchen equipment included clean petrol tins for heating water, another clean tin to use as a safari oven, a bucket, a frying pan and five or six sufurias, plus their lids or tin plates that can be used as lids.
What on earth are sufurias, I wondered. According to Wikipedia sufuria is a Swahili word that has crept into English usage in the African Great Lakes region, including in Kenya.
It is a flat-based, deep-sided, lipped and handle-less cooking pot or container, usually made of aluminium, that is in ubiquitous use for the preparation, serving and storage of food. These pots, which replaced traditional clay pots, were originally used when cooking on an open fires or charcoal brazier.
Also on the cook’s list of camping needs were bread and cake tins, a washing up bowl, a mixing bowl, a strainer, a kitchen knife, fork and spoons, a charcoal iron, matches, soap and dish clothes.
The guide points out that, regarding provisions these would depend on the availability of food at the planned destination as well as the campers’ likes and dislikes. Milk, eggs and fowls were, apparently, readily available in most districts although fresh vegetables could be a problem.
“It should be noted that while potatoes and onions keep indefinitely, carrots and cabbages will only keep for a few days. Most green vegetables deteriorate very quickly in a chop box.”
YOU MIGHT ALSO BE INTERESTED IN : Excerpts from the Settlers’ Guide Book: That’s entertainment!
Fruit, the guide book says, must not be forgotten, especially lemons for drinks. Oranges and apples that “pack well” could be complemented with dried or canned fruit.
“Cheese is an important item in the safari list, for it carries well. A light cheese lunch is often preferable to a heavy meal and a good substitute for meat.”
A large tin of plain biscuits is described as a ‘safari necessity’. Also needed would be some sweet biscuits and one or two cakes. Home made biscuits were a cheaper option and recipes for these could be found in the guidebook. There was also a recipe for rusks, used to supplement bread supply. Preboiled eggs were easier to transport and, if cooked for a further three minutes, were almost as good as freshly boiled eggs. Salt butter could be kept in a screw-topped glass jar. Cooked ham or salt beef would keep for some days but tinned meat and fish could be used as a stand-by. Sauces, pickles, chutneys and seasoning should be added to the chop box, according to taste.
Finally the guide book recommends the use of a couple of chargals, canvas bags filled with water that could be slung outside the safari vehicle for a constant supply of cool drinking water.
The guide book provides a useful suggested list for safari including a medicine chest that contains such items as permanganate, boracic lint and jaconet, quinine and aspirin, salts, boracic crystals, old linen for bandages, iodine, stovarsol, castor oil, salvolatile and brandy.
Ah, the romance of going on safari through untamed Africa – but, let’s face it, African travel is just so much easier today.
HAVE YOUR SAY
Like our Facebook page, follow us on Twitter and Instagram
For news straight to your phone, add us on BBM 58F3D7A7 or WhatsApp 082 421 6033
