GHANA @ 54

I am always like a kid on coca-cola when I go shopping and find many products from Ghana. I am very proud of my heritage and still have my Ghanaian passport. That pride stops me from swapping :)

Join us starting from 6pm today in wishing Ghana AYEKOO as the country celebrates its 54 year of independence. Over the next 10 days, we are offering gift vouchers worth ₵5.40cedis [£2.50GBP : $3.60USD : €2.70EUR] against your next purchase. Just add any product from our Made In Ghana range to your order and we will pop the gift voucher into your box - SIMPLE :)

Ghana AYEKOO
Ghana OSEYEE

Akua Wood
Proud to be a Ghanaian
Sheabutter Cottage

AYEKOO TO GHANAIAN COCOA FARMERS

There are times at the "cottage" where lagging 25kg boxes around can be tedious but not when I have to carry a box of premium unrefined Ghanaian cocoa butter. The lovely rich aroma just melts all the aches and pains away - at least in my mind! Yes, I know, I have been called Rambo recently but the only knife I hold is normally to decant this decadent butter full of rich flavour. .

Join us this week in saying ayekoo to these hard working farmers who harvest this wonderful product dodging snakes as without them, we can't feed our chocolate craving nor pop our curls, nor "fade" our stretch marks nor bubble up with authentic African black soap.
Akuafo - ayekoo

Akua Wood
Sheabutter Cottage

THE 7-YEAR ITCH????

It depends on where you scratch!!! 7 years ago today, I decided to set up another spoke on the Sheabutter Cottage umbrella. I was not in a creative mind at the time and decided to call it AkuaWood without being vain. What a journey from that very first day - very long, windy, dusty, bumpy, pot-holed with a mirage at times. However, with nerves of steel and eyes dipped in determination, I have picked up few passengers who have helped me to steer the wheel. I am still on the road topping up with my self-funded fuel.

To celebrate the journey so far, I will be posting 7 questions for 7 products to be won from our range over the next 7 days via our Sheabutter Cottage facebook fanpage . Come and join in the fun before the traffic lights change colour :)

Thank you to all those who are still on this journey with us.

Akua Wood
Sheabutter Cottage

SUPERFOOD SUNDAY

Sunday is normally a day when I try to relax and prepare my mind and body for the working week ahead.
As I was in-charge of the kitchen today :), I decided to choose the following ingredients :
* adzuki beans : well, I noticed my first strand of grey hair the other day. I am wearing it with much pride and apart from stress being a factor, I also realise that it is a sign that my melanin levels are dropping which means I need to increase my folic acid content. Adzuki beans is a natural source for folic acid - folic acid helps maintain the natural colouring agent [melanin].

* virgin organic coconut oil : I love cooking with this oil because it helps to enhance the flavour of what I cook. I also love it because after undergoing a total thyroidectomy, this is the supplement I will rather ingest than the pills I was prescribed.

* kalonji seeds : these black tiny seeds are also known as black cumin which produces the black seed oil. It is used in naan bread. As an asthmatic, I read that it could help with this respiratory problem as well as alopecia which was caused by my thyroid problem :(

*mustard seeds/onions/garlic: to help give me that warm feel as it has been very cold lately. All three are rich in selenium which when taken internally, helps to prevent blood clots. Selenium is also useful in the fight against dandruff.

* cardamom : to heat up my body not forgetting my feet which take a lot of battering during the week.

GETTING THINGS OFF MY CHEST WITH KAYOBICLOTHING

I am a woman of few words - I can honestly say that without pinching my nose.
I however sometimes like to get things off my chest and what a better way to do that than via the medium of a simple comfortable t-shirt.


Earlier this week, I answered a phone-call from a gentleman asking about our moringa leaf powder. As time went by, we started talking about African politics. This is one area which unfortunately has a very sore place in my heart. I have witnessed most African leaders in denial amongst others.
Anyway, I recently met Kwabena of KayobiClothing. One of Kwabena's t-shirt states "make fufu not war". Fufu is a starchy food in Ghana - best eaten with a lovely bowl of peppery soup. Imagine if most of these African leaders could wear one of these t-shirts sat around a bowl of fufu with soup rather than fighting each other!!!! I can only dream but until that dream becomes reality, why not enjoy the softness of Kwabena's comfortable t-shirts?

SPECIAL OFFER : SHEABUTTER

I am a bit late in updating the blog with our current special offer - sorry :(
How much do you love shea? Enough to spread all over the body and hair and even share with the family? Well, we have a lot of tubs to go round with our special offer of 350g - high in vitamin e for your skin, low in £ for your pocket. Get your tub of pure unrefined shea butter

Akua
Sheabutter Cottage

AFRIHYIA PA

Afrihyia Pa is our traditional way of saying Happy New Year in the Akan language [Ghana]. Thank you so much for all the support during 2010 - we feel humbled that you chose us to supply you with our range of products.
We look forward to supplying you again in 2011 [thank you so much for a very busy great start to the new year].

If you ever want to read some snippets from me when I am not processing orders nor chasing my rascals, then head over to our facebook fanpage where I have just posted something on Kwahu nsusua/Abetifi mogyaduro.
Have a great weekend
Akua
SheabutterCottage