Dining Out Of Africa, Into Inland Northwest

It’s not too often that we get a taste of Africa right here in the Inland Northwest.

But that’s the cuisine of choice for a series of dinners to benefit the Spokane Council of Ecumenical Ministries, complete with Nigerian delicacies and African stories and songs performed by area college students.

Al Alexander of Alexander’s Epicurean Catering, who spends the summer season cooking at the Hayden Lake Country Club, got the recipes from his wife’s cousin who formerly lived in Nigeria.

Diners can choose between two menus, offered on four different dates. The first, featuring chicken with ground nut sauce, brown rice and a leafy green called callaloo, will be served April 21 at 6 p.m. at St. John Vianney Catholic Church, 503 N. Walnut, and April 29 at 6:30 p.m. at St. Patrick’s Parish school, 5021 N. Nelson.

The other option, pepper beef stew with barley and mixed greens, will be served April 27 at Park Heights Baptist Church, 5101 S. Freya, and April 28 at Westminster Congregational United Church of Christ, 411 S. Washington.

All meals also include candied yam pastry, fruit and coconut salad and a spiced corn bread. The council is asking for donations of $8.50 for adults and $5 for children (free for kids under age 5). Reservations are requested; call 624-5156 or 535-1813.

Gem of an idea

Diamonds are a cook’s best friend - at least for the cooks who enter the carrot cake recipe contest sponsored by the California Fresh Carrot Advisory Board and the Diamond Information Center. (Carats, get it?)

Grand prize is a diamond bracelet worth more than $2,000, with diamond pendants going to the other top two finishers in both the professional and amateur (called “consumer”) categories.

Recipes must use at least two cups of fresh carrots. Send them, along with your name, address, phone number and category, to: Recipe Contest, California Fresh Carrot Advisory Board, 15 Willow Street, Salinas, CA 93901. Postmark deadline is May 10; for information, call 1-800-769-6323.

No Klingon peaches?

When the producers of “Star Trek: Voyager” were looking for futuristic foods to feature in the television series, they went to the produce peddlers at Frieda’s Inc. of California.

They came away with kiwanos, starfruit, yuca root, lotus root, feijoas, kumquats, habanero chiles, Asian pears, salad savoy (flowering kale) and daikon.

But if you’re talking 24th-century tastes, we’re still betting on burgers and pizza.

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