I learnt how to swim at age 4. When I tell people, they sneer at me and some come out downright and say I am lying. One argument contrary to my claim was that there was no way I could remember or be so sure because you don’t get to build memories until about 4 years old. I remember telling the person with a snide look on my face “you just contradicted yourself”. I remember it very well, forever ingrained in my memory because I learnt how to swim the hard way. Patience wasn’t something my father had in droves when he wanted you to teach you something, so a lot of force and yelling with tears on my part was involved. Believe me when I say I remember it, trust that I know what I am saying and not just for the pictures, which are the best proof because in all the pictures of me in the pool at Apapa club at that age, my sister was nowhere to be found. In some pictures, my mum was pregnant. I am 5 years older than my sister. The feeling of thinking you are going to drown, stays with me till today which is why despite being an excellent swimmer, I have a deep fear of water. I have gone on holidays by the beach twice, one was Cannes and the other Malta. Got the chance to swim in the Mediterranean on both trips, but didn’t go very far at all before the fear set in and I turned back. I know now that it is because of the way I was taught to swim. Despite shaking the fear off in my teens, now that I have gotten older, or is it braver to swim in open waters and not a controlled environment like a pool, the fear is back. Hoping I get a swimming buddy to help conquer those fears, because scuba diving is something I have always wanted to do, and don’t see how it is possible.
So why the emotional trip down memory lane, you may be asking, well it’s because Chapman is inextricably linked to those memories. Drinking a big beer mug of Chapman was one of the things that kept me going, doing all the hand and leg motions Daddy wanted me to, keeping my head above water, despite drinking what to me felt like half the entire pool. We would go the length and breath of the pool with him yelling like a drill sergeant, but when I got out and towelled off, my Mum was there handing me a big beer mug of Chapman while fuming at my father, telling him “not to kill her only child, I am all that she has”. “She is just 4 and doesn’t have to learn everything this quickly”. “Her mates are in the kiddies pool, she has the rest of her life to learn”. They repeated that dance every weekend. Before I got to secondary school, I had mastered all styles of swimming. My father wasn’t playing. Hahahahahahahahaha. Because she couldn’t swim at all, and wouldn’t even go half an inch past the shallow end, she wasn’t one to talk and my father knew it. Looooool. He tried teaching her but she screamed the entire club down. My mother’s screams would put a Banshee to shame. It was so embarrassing, Daddy gave up. Lol.
So, when I think of Chapman, the memories come back in swades, the good and the bad. The good in the sense that it was something to look forward to, the sugar rush made my tired aching muscles feel less painful and it erased the taste of chlorine in my mouth. Even my stinging eyes, were relieved. Oh, memories of Apapa Club. It was our weekend ritual for a long time, even after my sister arrived. I can still see the pool in my minds eye, the live band near the pool as afternoon rolled into evening, I can still see and smell The Suya Spot not so far from the pool, still taste the Chips, the Meat Pie, the Chin Chin. Still remember being carried to the car half asleep by my dad from the exhaustion of the whole day. I can still see the faces of the children I played with, I can hear their squeals of delight, see us water bombing, people throwing coins into the deep end for us to fish out, looking for lost jewellery, the swimming competitions. Sadly, I also remember the day a teenager drowned in the pool. It was shocking because he was one of the best swimmers. He got cramps while he was down there crouched in the yoga position (which was his “pool trick”) and nobody realised until it was too late. When I was making this, I was smiling with nostalgia. Strangely enough, my Mum called during this time, I was lost in my memories I didn’t hear the phone ring on time till the call disconnected. Wish we got to talk though, she would have shared in my reminiscing, with stories I have probably forgotten.
I don’t know which childhood memories of Chapman you would have, I hope they are good ones. Here’s to the memories, here’s to our childhoods, here’s to everything we’ve experienced that has moulded us into the adults we are today. The good, the bad, the freaking awesome. Cheers!!!! Thanks to Labake of Fontaine de Vie, Oseghale and Funmi for recipes and tips. I tweaked and tweaked to make it mine, or more like I stopped when one sip brought all the memories of Apapa Club Chapman rushing back.
You will need
1 500ml bottle of Fanta
1 500ml bottle of Sprite
3/4 of a bottle of Schweppes bitter lemon – the Nigerian bitter lemon in the green bottle
Three 1/4 cups of Schweppes Blackcurrant Cordial – or tasty time if you live in Nigeria
40 – 60ml of Grenadine Syrup – depending on how sweet/red you want the chapman
Slices of Lemon
Slices of Cucumber
Ice cubes
1 teaspoon of Angostura bitters
Make sure All drinks except the grenadine syrup and angostura bitters are refrigerated
How To
1. Simply measure all the ingredients as stated
and pour into a big pitcher. Give a very good stir with a spoon
2. Add thin slices of lemon, cucumber and ice cubes to Garnish
………and that’s your Chapman. How easy is that?
You would love the contrast of the green from the cucumber, the yellow from the lemon against the reddish-orangish shade of the chapman. Simply beautiful!!
Pour into a glass, remember to still garnish, add straws.
Just as Apapa Club served it, use 2 coloured straws. Memories……Memories…
One of the very best pairings with Chapman at Apapa Club was their Suya. Gosh, I remember that Suya, but today it isn’t about Suya, but another important childhood memory, Club Sandwich. This time The Ikoyi Club Sandwich.
See you at the next post
dooney I ordered Fanta from Asda and they substituited with bitter lemon imagine. anyways I used orange juice instead not too bad..
Oh dear, how could Asda make such a mistake. mschew. I hope you will get to try it again using the correct ingredients. tsk, tsk, tsk, for Asda
Hi Dunni, I stumbled on your site by chance and you kept me awake for the better part of yesterday night going through all your recipes!!! I have been looking for the recipe for Chapman for ages and was ever so delighted I found it here, I have googled where to find the angostura bitters and grenadine syrup, major supermarkets have them, I can’t wait to try it. I also tried the indomie recipe yesterday and boy was it finger licking good?, I make my pancake just like yours and my children will not eat pancake from any other source but mine however your twist with the orange zest sounds quite appealing and will try that this weekend without them seeing what Extra ingredient I have added and see if they will be blown away.
Your write ups make for very interesting reading and it makes me reminisce about the good old days back home in Nigeria, you painted the apapa club picture so vividly that it took me straight back there, the live band, the chapman and the SUYA. I am off to work now and looking forward to getting back to more recipes.
Thank you very much Eniola and welcome to Dooney’s Kitchen. Hapy I was able to keep you here. Your kids will surely love the orange zest. if you don’t add butter to yours, try butter too. It makes it even more rich. I will be looking forward to reading more comments from you
Hi dooney.
thanks for the recipe . I want to try it out soon but I need a bit of clarification. I live in Nigeria and the tasty time blackcurrant is usually concentrated. Do I need to dilute it before usage?
No, you don’t need to. I did not dilute the Schweppes cordial
hi dunni, is it posssible to just use fanta, coke, ribena, sprite cucumber and lemons for Chapman?
Take out the coke. if you use just those ingredients, it won’t bring back that chapman taste and colour. Grenadine and angostura bitters are seential to the taste and colour.
Thanks for this recipe and many others on your site. I’m always lost in all the wonderful recipes whenever I visit your page. And to crown it all, you don’t just post the recipes but the amazing stories you share makes for interesting reading. You are truly blessed and an inspiration. Keep up the good work and God bless you!
Thank you very much Kate. Much appreciated.
Dooney I have everything except the blackcurrant what can I use as a substitute that will still make it taste d same?
Hmmmmn, I don’t know o. It won’t taste the same that’s for sure. Can you find Ribena?
Yes I can get Ribena. I looked online for the Schwepps Blackcurrant and it looks like Amazon sells it. So maybe I will order from there. If its like Ribena. It’s not a one time use right?
No, it isn’t a one time use. I still have lots from the bottle i used to make this
Thanks Dooney for this info, I drank Chapman 22 years ago at the federal Palace Hotel, since then I never had the opportunity to try it again. Would really love to try this out but don’t know if I can get some of the drinks in the state, but will definitely watch out for the drinks because I am thirsty for CHAPMAN.
Aaaaw, Rita. I am sure it will bring back good memories. A reader Lola told me that some of the drinks you can’t find in local supermarkets can be ordered on Amazon
Hi! Really doing a great job here oh. And for us married once too *wink* I had to substitute my black current with ribena’s and got alomo bitters as well but what can I substitute grenadine with plssss. I stay in Abuja
Campari is a good substitute for grenadine but that means it won’t be child friendly
#Sadface. It’s for the family so I can’t do Campari dear.
Oh dear. Sorry about that
hi dooney thanks so much for the mouth watering posts. I keep thinking why i didnt stumble upon this website long before. You have saved my life in ways you cant imagine. I was reading about angosturas bitters and found out that it contains about 40% alcohol. I am muslim so i cant use it in my drink. Do you know if there is a substitute without alcohol content?
Hmmmmmmmmn, no replacement I can think of, except lime and lemon juice
Hi Dooney,
I have been following you quietly both here on on sytycc! I have had to come out of my shadows because i want to make Chapman on friday but can’t find bitter lemon here in the usa. I know amazon carries it but time will not allow me to wait. Any substitute? and the amount?
Use a little lemon juice, and adjust as you go so it doesn’t become overpowering
thank you.
You area welcome Nana
thank you!
You are welcome Nana
Please Dooney in your cook book kindly include your stories behind every recipe… it makes it more thrilling and captivating….
I look forward to getting married ASAP anytime i look through your website. God bless and keep you for us oooooooo. AMen
thank you.
Aaaaaaaaaaaw, many hugs for you Alero. Thank you. Idea noted down. Stories are part of why I love, what I do and that part of my brand will not change, Publisher willing, hopefully. Amen and Amen to your best wishes
DooneyRooneyRooney 😀
I had to give up Chapman when I found out Angostura bitters contains alcohol being the musulumi ododo that I am. It was actually the search for refreshing hydrating drinks from home that brought me to this post.
Still looking for options. For those in the US, most african, caribbean and mexican ethnic stores carry schwepps bitter lemon. I hope to find the perfect mix someday without alcohol.
Thank you as always for your posts and introductory stories.
Aaaaaaaaw LBA, just use lemon or lime juice. if for religious reasons you can’t have alcohol, then make the Mocktails version
Hi Dunni, here to leave my feedback like I said on the ofe eggs I page, I stumbled on your page and found the chapman recipe that I was looking for and I went to town in search of the ingredients and I was lucky to find all the ingredients but used Ribena instead of the schleps black currant, when I made it first and tasted it took me back to NIgeria and back, I savoured every sip and it was the most satisfying drink I had taken in ages, I gave some to my sons and my teenage son said ” this reminds me of something from Nigeria” and the younger one just loved it and ever since that first try I have made chapman over a dozen times, making for my friends and also raving to them about your fantastic website where I got the recipe from, it is sooooo refreshing on a very hot day. I can proudly say to you that this chapman protégée of yours has become an expert chapman maker and no week goes without chapman in my house. Thanks a lot for that recipe.
Aaaaaaaaw, well done Eniola. Well done. Happy to help create memories of chapman in your family
i just cracked my ribs reading your story/intro. to the Chapman recipe.I def. will like to try it although it’s winter!! Wanted to ask if you have any Christmas menu to share.
Thanks Gloria, I am posting it today
Hello Dooney, thanks for this Chapman’s recipe, its a dream come through. Please I am in Nigeria and I’ve looked for the grenadine syrup but… still looking though, however, is there an alternative?
My husband can’t get enough of Gizdodo, thanks to ur recipe, and I’m trying the yamballs ds evening.
Hi, have you checked shoprite? I know of some alternatives but cant remember at the moment
I dont know where you reside Tommie but I’ve checked shoprite on the mainland myself & I’ve been told severally that it isn’t sold der.
If you live in Ikeja I would suggest you check ‘Osata supermarket’ in Opebi. It’s opposite Diamond Bank.
Yes, I have checked shoprite, even Games.
Thanks Vanessa, I will check Osata this week.
Hi Dunni,
Thanks for the chapman recipe.
I tried it and it was fabulous. Although, I substituted the angostra bitters with orijin bitters and I couldn’t find tastytime, but it came out great.
Thanks again.
Pls I have sometin to ask that is not about chapman pls.pls I want to know the receips mr bigg’s or eatries place like mr bigg’s use for their chicken dat makes it so soft.I mean their chicken bones are soft and spicy dat one can eat.pls I wil love to know how to make it
Hi Onyi, it is the type of chicken. When next you go buy live chicken in the market, ask for the ones that are very soft. I think they are called broilers
Hey Dooney, I love your cooking style Tnks 4 all d recipes. Pls I want to make Chapman for say 50-70 pple don’t no wat measurements to go by. I just no how to preps for a few people. Tnks.
Hi, just double or quadruple everything in the recipe. I hope that helps