US Ambassador to Bangladesh Brent T Christensen was delighted by Barishal's traditional fried hilsa and Sachin Ghosh's rasmalai.

On Monday (10 August), the second day of his visit, he had lunch at the Gournadi home of Information and Broadcasting Minister Zahir Uddin Swapan and experienced local hospitality.

Away from diplomatic engagements and formalities, the lunch became a warm introduction to Barishal's land, people and traditional food. Before it, the ambassador planted a sapling in the courtyard of the minister's home.

The guest was welcomed with Barishal's own flavours and a variety of local dishes. Hilsa, a key part of the heritage of riverine Barishal, was served with other fish, various bhorta and bhaji, and familiar rural Bengali food.

The table offered hilsa, aair and other fish tied to Barishal's rivers, alongside the classic Bengali range of mashes and fries, presenting to the foreign guest a distinct regional form of Bangladesh's hospitality and food culture.

Dessert also had a local touch: Gournadi's famous Sachin Ghosh rasmalai, curd and other traditional sweets were served.

The warmth of Barishal hospitality, the variety of local food and the taste of traditional sweets made the second-day lunch a distinctive cultural experience for the ambassador, according to a press release from the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.

Source: Jagonews24. First published in Bengali on The Agro News.