Above is a photo of my family enjoying a traditional South African barbecue!
Nothing is more special to me than celebrating my love for Africa’s enchanting spirit, fantastic cuisine, and exceptional wines with my friends and family. I have so many wonderful memories of hosting backyard safari-inspired barbecues (which are called braais in southern Africa) and rustic Cape Winelands-inspired dinner parties; and I want to share my safari-themed dinner tips with you!
Below is my step-by-step guide for hosting an authentic and beautiful dinner party with some African flair:
1. Spread the word with invitations: Whether you want to buy invitations, create your own, or send them out online, the possibilities are endless. I personally love making my own invitations, using a paper punch (such as the elephant-shaped paper punch from Martha Stewart’s collection), nice card stock in earth-tone colors, and some ribbon.
And no matter which way you wish to send out your invitations, remember to inform your guests of the theme, and encourage them to go a little “wild” when choosing their attire for the evening.
Below is an example of a card that the Hills of Africa team made as a gift tag (you can use this same idea for creating your invitations):
2. Select savory menu items: Influenced strongly by European settlers, cuisine from southern Africa is extremely diverse and full of unique flavors from around the eastern hemisphere.
Some of the staple produce found in traditional southern African cuisine include corn, squash, sweet potatoes, cabbage, and green beans. Africans on the coast incorporate lots of seafood into their diet, which include hake, rock lobster, mussels, and cod. The main cuts of meat found throughout the southern regions of Africa include meat pies (which were inspired by English and Dutch settlers), Boer chicken pie, bobotie, sausage, lamb, ostrich, beef, pork, and frikkadels (which are hamburgers). Many of their dishes are also categorized as bredies, which are stews.
To learn more about the history of South African cuisine, click here.
So, as you can see, there is a wide variety of cuisine you can serve at your safari-inspired dinner party. But to help you whittle down your menu choices, click here for a few of my favorite homemade dishes to cook for friends and family. Below is a photo of one of my husband’s favorites, Chakalaka (click here for this recipe).
For more recipes, click here to be directed to our Pinterest board, A Bite of Africa.
3. Choose from the best South African wines: Because South Africa is one of the world’s top wine-producing regions, most wine stores and grocery stores in the United States carry a wide range of South African wines at varying prices.
I have so many favorite South African wines, it’s hard for me to select my favorites (some are actually not exported, so they can only be tasted locally in South Africa). But, if I had to choose some of my favorite South African wines that can be purchased in the United States, I would have to say Ken Forrester’s Chenin Blanc, Winery of Good Hope’s Bush Vine Pinotage, Bradgate’s Syrah, and Cederberg’s Cabernet Sauvignon (just to name a few!).
4. Decorate with earth tones and textures: The use of stones, wood, burlap, and other rustic materials and fabrics with natural coloring is a great way to add some African inspiration to your décor. And don’t be afraid to add a pop of color using colors inspired by the Maasai people of Kenya. These colors include deep reds, blue, and yellow. Below is a photo of the Maasai to give some inspiration to your color palette!
5. Set the mood with music: Almost all African music has a motivational beat that is sure to get your guests moving and shaking. From African pop to Afrobeat and gumboot styles to jazz, Africa is home to some exceptional musical genres that will add some zing to your dinner party. After all, the best way to entertain guests is to engage all five of the senses.
National Geographic has a great list of featured African artists to include on your playlist. Click here to see them.
6. Always add little personal touches: Create fun wine tags so people know which glass is their glass. You can use the elephant paper punch mentioned above in the invitations section to punch out little elephants and write names on each elephant. You can then attach a string or ring to them so that guests can place them on their wineglass stem.
I also suggest using a traditional African fabric to make napkins, such as batik fabric. You should be able to find some African-inspired fabrics at your local fabric store.
