With Such Flair!

Our Ghana 6 sub-team working in the city was invited for lunch today at home in Accra.  The invitation was by way of a Canadian colleague, Amesika who’s father is Ghanaian and lives now north east of Toronto with his wife Judy and their family.  Amesika was insistent to connect me with her Aunt once again when I arrived in Ghana and I gladly took her up on her offer.

"Auntie Barbara" as Amesika calls her, is Mrs. Amesika Barbara Rose Baeta, a successful Ghanaian business women who runs a Catering business called Flair which provides premiere catering services to local government and businesses and hospitality training and schooling for young girls.  Ms. Barbara has been in business now for over 38 years and is well known in Accra...she catered Obama's visit last year. (Ms. Barbara is in the center in the picture below which was taken in Ms. Barbara's flat)

Upon arrival Ms. Barbara and her brother Dr. Basil Baeta and his wife Judy from Canada greeted us.  Ms. Barbara was so excited and hugged each of us.  She pulled out all the stops with fine china, crystal and cutlery.   Ms. Barbara also invited her siblings and a few family friends to meet us as well. We had a delightful afternoon and enjoyed shanty, potato salad (which tasted just like my mom's!), garlic bread, rolls, grilled fish and chicken, rice and peas, vegetable pie, beef with ground nut sauce, tomato gravy, pickles and garnishes, wine, coffee brought by Basil and Judy from South Africa, lemon grass tea, fresh fruit with cakes (chocolate and banana bread) and custard, creme caramel, and chocolates.  It was an absolutely superb meal and we were blessed to have been part of the occasion.

The luncheon conversation was great fun.  We learned about life in Ghana over the last 50 years (the family is originally from Volta region and a town called Keta which is on the coast), family weddings, reunions, their experiences abroad (Robert was the Ghanaian Ambassador to Serbia and Basil studied at McGill), politics, development in Ghana and many funny stories about family dynamics.  

It was absolutely delightful afternoon and I want thank Ms. Barbara and Amesika for the hospitality to our team.