You’ll hear plenty of references to the word “toto” in many languages, but what’s the meaning? Which name is correct (or incorrect) in English-speaking countries? (And which one is this magazine’s?) It all depends on where you are from, and what you want to call it.
I have a friend from Texas who hates the word “toto,” she calls it “dorrkotch.” To her, toto translates as “wooden neck.” Just so you know, “dorrkotch” is NOT the same as “dorothy.” Likewise, what does “HK” mean in Nigeria?
In Kenya, they use to call it “anga.” In Ghanaian, it’s “gudani,” and in Setswana, it’s “tufu.” In Malaysia, they use to call it “manuka,” while the British call it “toga,” whereas “toga” means tea in Singapore and Hong Kong, “manuka” means mango in India, and “tufu” means fruit in Malaysia. So now you understand – HK means “hostile kids” in Hong Kong, and “toga” means mango in India, and “manuka” means tea in Singapore and Hong Kong.
If you’re from the United States, the common term for “toto” is simply “toot.” If you were from India, you would most likely spell it out phonetically, as “toot-TAH-ruh.” (And some Americans will spell it out phonetically, as well.) However, if you were to go to Japan, and ask for “tOTO,” the Japanese would spell it out exactly the same way.
The origin of the toto barbeque is debatable. Some say it originated in Spain when the people would have a barbeque. The Spaniards shortened the name to “toto” and adapted it to mean “fire” or “smoke.” Some native Japanese say that it came from the Chinese translation of “totoba,” which roughly translates to “belly fat.” Regardless of which side of the argument you lean on, the toto has made a home in many kitchens throughout the world.
Whether you want to have your own toto barbeque or just watch someone else have one, you’ll find that there are dozens of restaurants where you can enjoy this traditional form of cooking. You can go to an up-and-coming restaurant that specializes in toto barbeque, or you can choose to go to a chain restaurant where you’ll find the same dishes but in a more casual atmosphere. Some of the most popular dishes include the beef and cabbage or the pulled pork. No matter what type of dish you choose, you’ll be happy that you could once again enjoy a great meal at any time of the day.