African (...) music would tend not to be harmonized since it is not
in the tradition of the culture to do so

Is that true? From my experience Africa is perhaps the most likely place where traditional music is going to be naturally harmonised with the minimum interference from western influences: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y3g15n9qCdc

there's no substitute to cooking over a flame

I've cooked with gas hobs, just not in gas ovens; I heartily agree - flames are the boys for cooking.