Written by Sandra Amoako—My name is Sandra Amoako and I am the publisher and author of the new Ghanaian cookbook “Akwaaba: A Taste of Ghana”. I was born and raised in Ghana but currently live in the US. I have always believed that I was born with an entrepreneurial spirit and after graduating college with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration I began my long and at times rocky and complex path to making my dreams, passions and skills a reality..
Most people would be surprised to know that I was never a fan of the kitchen growing up. I preferred sports over recipes and I preferred to watch food being prepared than to actually cook something…although, I loved to bake! However, as one would say, “life is funny” and my life experiences from college until now have brought me full circle into combining my business skills with my creativity and my passion for food.
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Publishing my first cookbook was actually a spur of the moment decision as I was having a conversation with one of friends on the phone two years ago. I think the topic (well, one of the many topics being discussed on that call) was about Ghanaian recipes and how lots of people, including younger Ghanaians, we had encountered over the years were always asking about how to prepare certain Ghanaian dishes. There was a LOT of research on writing a cookbook and how to publish a book over many months after I made a conscious decision to write a cookbook. I not only polished up my recipes on some Ghanaian dishes but I learned a lot about publishing, copyright, building a website and so on! It was a long and arduous journey and it was worth every step.
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Today, I stand up and say I am a publisher and an author as I hold my first cookbook “Akwaaba: A Taste of Ghana” in my hands and smile with pride. My cookbook offers a vibrant and fresh outlook on common, traditional and modern recipes from Ghana. It also offers easy-to-follow recipes, helpful hints, fun facts about Ghana and cultural information on Ghana. This is a Ghanaian cookbook that both Ghanaians and non-Ghanaians will appreciate and the hope is that it not only allows people of other cultures to experience a little part of what Ghana has to offer but also promote Ghana and Ghanaian food worldwide! At the moment, the cookbook can be ordered online but hopefully in the next couple of months, “Akwaaba: A Taste of Ghana” will be found in bookstores in Ghana, USA and other countries. For more information on the cookbook or to place an order, visit www.alikobooks.com. You can also follow me on twitter.com/SandraAmoako or join me on Facebook at www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=169729016745.
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Publishing my first cookbook was actually a spur of the moment decision as I was having a conversation with one of friends on the phone two years ago. I think the topic (well, one of the many topics being discussed on that call) was about Ghanaian recipes and how lots of people, including younger Ghanaians, we had encountered over the years were always asking about how to prepare certain Ghanaian dishes. There was a LOT of research on writing a cookbook and how to publish a book over many months after I made a conscious decision to write a cookbook. I not only polished up my recipes on some Ghanaian dishes but I learned a lot about publishing, copyright, building a website and so on! It was a long and arduous journey and it was worth every step.
.
Today, I stand up and say I am a publisher and an author as I hold my first cookbook “Akwaaba: A Taste of Ghana” in my hands and smile with pride. My cookbook offers a vibrant and fresh outlook on common, traditional and modern recipes from Ghana. It also offers easy-to-follow recipes, helpful hints, fun facts about Ghana and cultural information on Ghana. This is a Ghanaian cookbook that both Ghanaians and non-Ghanaians will appreciate and the hope is that it not only allows people of other cultures to experience a little part of what Ghana has to offer but also promote Ghana and Ghanaian food worldwide! At the moment, the cookbook can be ordered online but hopefully in the next couple of months, “Akwaaba: A Taste of Ghana” will be found in bookstores in Ghana, USA and other countries. For more information on the cookbook or to place an order, visit www.alikobooks.com. You can also follow me on twitter.com/SandraAmoako or join me on Facebook at www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=169729016745.
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(Photo Credits: "Jolof Rice" By Sanda Amoako (Recipe Available At eHowTo.co.uk)
