US Ambassador to Bangladesh Brent T. Christensen enjoyed a taste of Barishal’s traditional cuisine, including fried hilsa and locally famous roshmalai, during a lunch hosted by Information and Broadcasting Minister Zahir Uddin Swapon at his village home in Sarikal of Gournadi upazila on Monday.

The lunch was arranged on the second day of the ambassador’s visit to Barishal and offered him an opportunity to experience the region’s people, culture and traditional food beyond diplomatic engagements and formalities.

Before lunch, Ambassador Christensen planted a sapling in the courtyard of the minister’s residence.

The guest was welcomed with a variety of traditional dishes reflecting the culinary heritage of riverine Barishal.

The menu included hilsa and several other varieties of fish, along with different types of bhorta, fried vegetables and other popular rural Bangladeshi dishes.

The meal featured hilsa and Ayer fish, closely associated with the rivers and waterways of Barishal, as well as a wide selection of traditional bhorta and fried items.

The diverse menu offered the US envoy an insight into Bangladesh’s long-standing tradition of hospitality and the distinctive regional character of its food culture.

The lunch ended with a selection of traditional sweets, including the famous Sachin Ghosh’s roshmalai from Gournadi and doi (sweetened curd).

The warmth of Barishal’s hospitality, the variety of local cuisine and the taste of traditional sweets turned the lunch into a unique cultural experience for the US ambassador on the second day of his Barishal visit.