Strawberry in Nigeria?

During the week I made a trip to Jos and it was such an amazing 2 days packed with cooking sessions, visits to markets , visit to my long time florist and a visit to a Strawberry farm. I will be sharing this visit will be shared in a two part series. I visited a farm growing Strawberry in Nigeria

When you arrive Jos in the North-east , Nigeria ,the sight of fresh vegetables in every street corner and particularly the open market just hits you . You feel like you are in food paradise
My first observation driving from the airport to town,was corn stored on trees to dry for use in making corn grit for Gwoten Masara  . Also the corn is kept for planting .Irish potato is another food item that dots the market landscape and the merchandising of this food item is so interesting. I therefore stopped by at one of the stands of a lady, Rebecca, packaging these potatoes to sell. Rebecca was kind enough to allow me try my hands at pacting how the ropes were woven round the bags to hold the potatoes in place.

 

 
I also visited the homes of  two ladies who taught me how to make Miyan Pofori and Danwake. Incidentally one of the ladies, Mariam is a fan of 1qfoodplatter. The reveal that came towards the end of the cooking session made it so exciting. You should have seen the way myself and Mariam hugged each other , it was such an emotional moment for both of us.
I knew all along that Strawberry in Nigeria is mainly grown in Jos, something many Nigerians unaware of , so I had planned to make a trip to one of such farms. Actually Strawberry grown in Nigeria is commonly sold on the streets in Jos.

My visit to the farm was quite revealing and interesting. You should have seen me eating these berries as if they were going out of fashion . Madam Paulina the farmer informed me that planting season is around July and that harvesting is between October and April. Once the rain falls somewhere around April the plants stop fruiting. I managed to get about a small carton of Strawberry back to Lagos and shared with friends. I  realized that the major problem ofstrawberry is transportation in the right cold condition for it to remain wholesome . So it’s basically a Supply Chain issue, getting the fruit from farm to the table.
I bought some mangoes as well , so getting back to Lagos , it was natural that I start with a mango and strawberry smoothie . I will be featuring other recipes I picked up from this trip. Yes Strawberry in Nigeria , is a fact .

 

Recipe for Strawberry and Mango Smoothie

1. Peel the mangoes, slice up the flesh and blend with with a little water.
2. Wash and blend the strawberries.
3. Mix equal parts of mango purée and strawberry purée. Chill and enjoy.