When visiting any region, sampling the area’s cuisine is an important part of soaking up the local culture. In the case of the African continent, the food is varied, featuring some familiar items and others that are more exotic. With some basic knowledge about African foods, you’ll know what authentic foods to sample when you visit the continent.
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Vegetables
Vegetables are more widely consumed than grains and meats in Africa. While the traditional African diet is varied, vegetables are the largest staple. Yams, okra, cabbage and maize are common ingredients in African dishes. African vegetables are usually highly drought-resistant, ensuring plentiful harvest even during periods of low rainfall. Fruits are not widely grown since they are susceptible to drought, and Africans get essential vitamins almost exclusively from vegetables. Typically, vegetables are boiled or added to a meat stew.
Meats
Though not as much of a staple as boiled veggies and stews, meats are important to the African diet. Barbecues are often held for important social and cultural celebrations. A spicy sausage, called boerewors, is widely cooked during barbecue celebration feasts. Many tourists love African barbecued meats; however, a less widely embraced dish known as skop may be appealing to adventurous travelers. Skop is essentially the head of a cow or goat; the skin and inedible parts are removed, then the head is boiled and spiced for flavor.
Grains
Though yeast breads are not as common in Africa as in European nations, you will find a number of unleavened breads and pastry breads. Melktert, commonly called milk tart by tourists, is sweet and doughy, often eaten as a side dish or dessert. Additionally, many tourists enjoy the rich, sugary flavor of koekisters, which offer a taste similar to milk tarts. South African rusks are not as sweet, though they compliment meat and vegetable stews well.
Spices
In order to add flare to vegetable dishes, African cooking regularly utilizes a number of spices. Garlic, peppers, cloves, nutmeg, turmeric and curry powder are all common in African dishes. When sampling African food, be sure to ask what spices go into the dish ahead of time. If you prefer heavily-spiced foods, order something with a lot of cooked-in spices. In some regions of Africa, it is considered rude to add spices to a dish after it has been cooked. 
Drinks
South Africa’s Western Cape region is known for producing a number of top-quality wines. Shiraz, cabernet sauvignon and chardonnay grapes all thrive in Africa. Though a few good vintages exist, growing conditions are not ideal for pinot grapes or sweeter Riesling varieties. Beer is widely available in Africa, and often drunk during barbecue celebrations or sporting events. One of Africa’s best known beer brands is Castle.
