[imagesource:uncleloo]

South African laarnie retailer, Woolworths, has once again sparked debate after releasing a series of traditional ‘gourmet’ foods, like the classic amagwinya, or vetkoek if your isiXhosa is rusty.

For just R24.99, shoppers can now enjoy a ‘heat and eat’ version of these beloved dishes in convenient packs of four. According to Woolies, their amagwinya are crafted with stone-ground flour and are notably high in fibre.

South African social media seems split on whether upscale versions of traditional foods are a brilliant idea, or an unnecessary culinary departure from tradition. It’s vetkoek, just how much can you possibly ‘upmarket’ it?

South Africans recently klapped back at the popular grocery retailer for renaming samoosas to “golden pockets”, so messing with the vetkoek – the most humble of South Africans foods next to roosterkoek – is maybe too much to handle. As one comment read: “Many cultures have triangle meat pies, but don’t mess with samoosas”.

True, it’s never going to be triangle de viande.

@molatelomakoro When i catch you woolies!!!! #fypシ #southafricantiktok #viral ♬ original sound – Sphokuhle.n

Growing up in the Karoo, vetkoek en krummelpap was as part of my mornings as much as koffie en feeding the chickens, so I’m not too chuffed with an ‘upmarket store’ trying to colonise amagwinya . Then again, how lekker can ‘heat and eat’ vetkoek from a sealed plastic bag be?

Flour, water, yeast and a pinch of salt and sugar. Not very boujee. Stay in your gourmet lane Woolies.

[source:capetownetc]