Fran Osseo-Asare has launched a new African cookbook project called BETUMI.
The goal is to archive African culinary writing and make it widely available on the continent and beyond. A database is being developed and copies of hundreds of cookbooks are already being catalogued at BETUMI: The African Culinary Network. Google has offered assistance in eventually digitizing some of the information.
This is a neat example of online interaction, parlaying into offline interaction, that then results in a product. Basically, Fran came to TEDGlobal with an idea. She was engaging, fun to talk to and had us all trying to figure out how we could best help her.
Having a global database of true African cooking is a big project and a great idea. It’ll take more than just Fran to pull it off, and I’m excited to do my little part in it too (telling people). Send her your African recipes and cookbooks. You can reach her at questions@betumi.com.
Read more at the TED Blog, Fran’s Betumi Blog and NowPublic. Congrats Fran, and good luck!
July 14, 2007 at 8:52 pm
Erik, thanks for the post. I really want this project to succeed because we don’t have a depository on African cuisines.
Fran good luck, and if you need help you know I’m there.
Nii Simmonds
July 15, 2007 at 11:39 am
Erik and Nii, thanks guys. I know I can count on all of you, especially the TED Fellows I talked to in Arusha. The biggest thing I came away with from TEDGLOBAL is the belief that one person can make a difference. How about 100 people?
July 21, 2007 at 8:54 am
i added a link from my site
http://www.chiperoni.org/wordpress/archives/2007/07/21/the-african-cookbook-project/