By Ashley Dean Misho
In a remarkable display of its "Think in Other Terms" philosophy, the NUST Catering Unit has completely reimagined the potential of indigenous foods, elevating traditional Zimbabwean flavours into the realm of fine confectionery to mark an epic end to an exciting culture month in Zimbabwe.
The centrepiece of this culinary breakthrough is a novel chocolate cake infused with umtshwankela (indigenous wild blackberry). Traditionally enjoyed fresh from the tree, the well-loved local fruit has been transformed into a sophisticated, modern dessert.
The mastermind behind these tasteful inventions is Leslie Ngwenya, a skilled pastry chef at NUST. Explaining the technical process, Ngwenya noted that the team carefully extracted the soft inner pulp of the umtshwankela berry and seamlessly blended it into a rich chocolate cake mixture, achieving a delicate balance between traditional heritage and contemporary pastry arts.
The catering team officially unveiled this masterpiece at the Amagugu Heritage Food and Beverages Festival, a recent cultural gathering held at the Amagugu International Heritage Centre to commemorate Africa Day. The innovative creation received rave reviews from cultural enthusiasts, academics, and dignitaries alike.
"When we placed our cake on display, a lot of people really liked it because many did not know that umtshwankela could actually be used to make a cake," said Catering Department Supervisor, Precious Mathe (Moyo). "The cake was so well-received that even the Deputy Mayor of Bulawayo visited the NUST table specifically to ask for a taste."
The team's impressive exhibition has already yielded tangible results, earning them an exclusive invitation to showcase their indigenous culinary innovations at another prominent heritage event scheduled for September.
Beyond its unique, chocolate-like flavour, umtshwankela (scientifically known as Vitex payos, or the chocolate berry, also called mutsubvu or mutahuru in Shona) is an indigenous superfood packed with vital nutrients and long-standing medicinal properties, found naturally and enjoyed in various parts of Zimbabwe.
The fruit pulp is exceptionally rich in Vitamin C, with just 100 grams of dry pulp providing up to 100% of an adult's daily requirement to boost immunity and skin health. It is also packed with essential B vitamins (B3 and B6) for energy production, alongside powerful antioxidants that help reduce inflammation in the body and protect against chronic heart disease.
Historically, both fresh and dried fruits have been consumed to control diarrhoea and soothe mouth sores. Additionally, remedies derived from the tree's roots and bark are widely used to treat severe stomach aches, colic, and digestive disorders.
Different parts of the Vitex payos tree provide diverse therapeutic benefits. Inhaling the smoke from dried, burned leaves helps clear the respiratory tract in people with asthma and persistent coughs. At the same time, leaf-infused teas are used to stimulate the appetite of recovering patients. Topically, a paste made from the bark and leaves is applied to heal wounds, soothe burns, and alleviate skin complaints.
By infusing this nutrient-dense wild berry into contemporary baking, the NUST Catering Team has successfully transformed a traditional medicinal resource into a modern culinary masterpiece, reintroducing an immune-boosting indigenous treasure back into the daily diet.
The umtshwankela chocolate cake is just one facet of a broader commitment to celebrating Culture Month throughout May. During this heritage-focused period, the catering team expanded its menu to include umtshwankela-flavoured muffins and pastries enriched with indigenous baobab fruit powder.
Importantly, this cultural focus is not a seasonal novelty for the university. Beyond the annual Culture Month celebrations, NUST's various campus kitchens consistently champion local heritage, serving a diverse array of traditional Zimbabwean meals every week.
Through this fusion of local ingredients and modern culinary techniques, the NUST Catering Unit is actively redefining the future of African cuisine, proving that heritage preservation can be both innovative and delicious.