Hanni Aston, Chris’s late mother, was, by all accounts, a renowned cook. Elderly friends of mine, who also once knew Hanni well, have all told me as much.
Once again I was commissioned by The Cook’s Cook magazine in the United States to write a feature article, this time on The Elephant Café.
The nomination came as such a surprise. I’d neither heard of the Zambia Hospitality Awards (ZHA), nor expected any sort of recognition for The Elephant Café because we were still so new.
When I’m introduced to a new indigenous ingredient, I experience a similar reaction to that of a prospector unearthing a new mineral deposit. My eyes alight. I examine and prod and my fingertips tingle.
The day I discovered that so many flowers were edible transformed how I prepared and presented my food. Edible flowers not only bring color and texture to a dish, but also flavor and scent.
