Sierra Leonean food is new to me. Through different dishes, I’ve made my way round other West A frican countries – Nigeria, Ghana, Senega l, Gambia. But, it’s only through Sweet Salone, the debut cookbook from chef and w riter Ma ria Bradford, that I fina lly ma ke my way to Sierra Leone.
In the cookbook, we learn about Maria’s persona l histor y and that of her birth countr y – of pa lm oil, cassava and ogirie, the fermented, smoked sesa me seeds that form the basis of much of the cuisine.
Ma ria was born in Freetow n and came to the UK in her late teens. She was an accountant before going on a culinar y course and setting up her catering business, Shwen Shwen – derived from Krio, mea ning ‘fancy ’.