The kitchen
Food that tastes like home, only lighter
Our kitchen cooks Nigerian food with a light hand: more vegetables, less oil, pepper on the side, and herbs picked that morning from the garden.
How we cook
Four kitchen promises
Plants first
Two thirds of every plate is vegetables, beans or grains. Fish and chicken appear a few times a week.
Nigerian at heart
Ofada, efo, moi moi and pepper soup, cooked the way your grandmother might if she watched the oil.
Cooked for you
Allergies, fasting, halal, diabetes-friendly plans and faith needs are handled quietly and carefully.
Close to the soil
Herbs and peppers from our garden, fruit from the plateau, grains from farmers in Niger and Nasarawa.
Cooking class
Take the kitchen home with you
Ninety minutes with our head cook in the open kitchen. You will make a light efo riro, a plant based stew and a hibiscus cooler, then eat what you cooked in the courtyard. Recipes go home with you as a small printed booklet.
N25,000 per person, Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday at 3pm (example rate)
I have tried to cook efo the Halcyon way three times since I got home. My husband now asks for it on Sundays.
Questions guests ask
Can day guests eat at the kitchen?
Lunch is included in every day pass. The kitchen is not open to the public, to keep the garden quiet.
Do you serve alcohol?
No. We serve teas, fresh juices, zobo and alcohol-free coolers.
Can you cook for fasting periods?
Yes. We serve early breakfasts and late dinners during Ramadan and Lent, and can pack food for your room.
Is the food very spicy?
Pepper is served on the side, from gentle to proper Nigerian heat. Just ask.
Hungry for a few quiet days
Every retreat includes all meals, tonics and teas.