A Culinary Journey Through the World: Burkina Faso: Riz gras
Discover Burkina Faso through the story of one of its most beloved dishes.
A Culinary Journey Through the World: Burkina Faso - Riz Gras is not simply a book about food. It is a cultural exploration told through one deeply communal meal.
At the heart of Burkina Faso's culinary tradition stands Riz gras - a rich tomato-based rice dish slowly cooked with vegetables, spices, and meat, shared from large communal platters in homes, courtyards, celebrations, and everyday family life. Yet behind its apparent simplicity lies a deeper story of savanna landscapes, seasonal rhythms, resilience, hospitality, migration, and memory.
As the twenty-seventh volume in the ongoing A Culinary Journey Through the World series, Mikko Valler invites readers to experience Burkina Faso through the sensory and symbolic world of Riz gras. Through history, ritual, atmosphere, and cultural reflection, the book reveals how a single shared dish can express geography, social structure, family tradition, diaspora identity, and the enduring importance of communal belonging.
Inside this book, you will discover:
The cultural and historical roots of Riz gras
The role of rice, tomato, smoke, and spice in Burkina Faso cuisine
The importance of food in weddings, celebrations, and daily family life
The philosophy of sharing and communal eating in West African culture
A traditional recipe for preparing Riz gras
Reflections on migration, memory, resilience, and identity through food
Comparisons between Riz gras and related rice dishes across West Africa
Blending culinary insight with cultural storytelling, this book is written for readers who believe that food is more than nourishment - it is memory, continuity, hospitality, and a living expression of human connection.
This journey across the world continues - one country, one dish at a time.
Customer Reviews
ThriftBooks ® and the ThriftBooks ® logo are registered trademarks of Thrift Books Global, LLC
