“The
Farmer’s Market, as always, was busy on a Saturday morning. The tastes and
smells
surrounded
me, with a host of different foods; from freshly made doughnuts to crunchy
samosas
baked that morning. I was amazed as I took the sights in, and I followed the
aromas
as
I explored the surrounding foodscape. And, then I saw it. I was filled with so
much
excitement
and great memories. I saw Zobo, a drink made out of Hibiscus flowers that had
become
a luxury since my move here. In Canada, I have only been able to enjoy Zobo
when
someone
brings the Hibiscus flowers from Nigeria. Now I can get this drink right here
in Canada.”
~
Olaitan Ogunnote
Melku’s warmth permeates her store as she welcomes us on a bright,
sunny afternoon in November. Her zest, or laza, for the work she does truly
radiates her store’s meaning as she leads us on a tour of Laza Catering. The
bold art works and woven baskets hang proudly on her walls, and pay homage to
her rich Ethiopian and Eritrean roots. The spice blends grace her store as they
silently tell a story of the diverse and cultural foods they help create. Foods
on display temptingly awaken our taste buds, water our mouths, and provoke a
growling in our stomachs. Melku opened her business in 2009, with the goal of
sharing the traditional Ethiopian and Eritrean food from her homeland with us
here in Guelph. As Maya Angelou once said, “Eating is so intimate. It's very
sensual. When you invite someone to sit at your table and you want to cook for
them, you're inviting a person into your life.” This honour describes how we
feel as Melku invites us to sit in her store, and begins to tell us the story
of her life’s work. She walks us into the kitchen, and shows us where she makes
her injera out of teff; a well loved product she sells. She offers us some of
the injera along with a spice rich veggie sauce, that the injera readily soaks
up.
We sit down by a sunny window and chat with Melku, as she tells us
the story about her work to bring traditional Ethiopian and Eritrean
foods and drinks to Guelph. She offers us a homemade hibiscus tea she recently
bottled. The tea is a deep burgundy colour that demands our attention, and the
taste is flavourful with a melodious mix of her secret spice blend, local
honey, and steeped hibiscus flowers. A true entrepreneur, Melku seeks reliable
sources for the hibiscus flowers, as the flowers are difficult to grow in
Canada. Melku sources her hibiscus flowers from Africa and Asia.
Melku’s customer base is culturally diverse. Melku mentions that
her target audience is not Ethiopians or Eritreans, as they know how to make
the same food at home. That being said, when Ethiopians or Eritreans see
the Hibiscus drink, they show an immense sense of pride and joy. Also, this is
not only true for them, but for people here from many different regions around
the world. As James Beard once said, “Food is our common ground, a universal
experience.” That is very much true of this globally loved drink, the drink is
known as; karkade (in Egypt , Sudan, and other countries), Sobolo (in Ghana),
Zobo (in Nigeria), Agua de Jamaica (in Latin America), Gudhal (in India),
Roselle (in Australia), and Sorrel (in some Caribbean countries). We savour the
tea and Melku tells us about the many health benefits of this drink, such as
preventing illnesses including heart disease, diabetes, cancer, arthritis and
lowering high blood pressure. No wonder it’s so well cherished.
As our conversation continues, Melku passes us a brown paper bag,
and tell us to smell inside. We look in it and see a dull green powder. We take
a big whiff of it, and smell absolutely nothing! Although the green powder is
rather unimpressive at first, our opinion quickly changes. She explains to us
that the moringa plant is packed with vitamins, antioxidants, and protein,
giving it great healing power.
The miracle of tree, as the moringa plant is fondly called, is
highly versatile in its uses. Its powdered form can be consumed as a tea, mixed
in a smoothie, or sprinkled over a salad at dinner time. Standing tall on the
table is Melku’s bottle of moringa tea. As Melku takes a sip of it, she tells
us how she drinks the tea every morning before breakfast and every afternoon.
Back in Eritrea, the government has greatly increased the popularity of this
drink by launching a campaign offering free moringa plants to all citizens.
Following the footsteps of the Eritrean government, Melku also wants to make moringa
more accessible right here in Guelph. Though moringa is offered in some health
food stores at a higher price, Melku aims to sell her moringa more affordably
while sourcing directly from the farmers in Ethiopia and Eritrea. She has just
begun to sell this product.
Looking ahead, the hope is that many more people in Guelph will
come to know and love these healthy drinks. So why not try something new? Take
a stroll down to Melku’s booth at the Farmers Market in downtown Guelph on a
Saturday morning, or go pay her a visit at her store Laza catering at 74
Ontario Street.
Samuel Dent & Olaitan
Ogunnote, ECVOntario, SEDRD, University of Guelph
Visit Laza Catering online for more information
Visit Laza Catering online for more information