Bites from Barbados

DAY 1

Lunch: After a morning of “easing” into island life – aka a walk on a powdery white beach and a dip in the west coast’s dreamy turquoise waters, Chris takes me on a drive en route to Zemi Café in the rugged east. To get there, we cross the island’s jungly interior and work our way up to Cherry Tree Hill. Perched at 850 feet above sea level, this vantage point offers sweeping views of the “Little Scotland” district with its lush, rolling hills, sugarcane fields and the Prussian blue Atlantic Ocean that meets the land in a wild dance of waves and rock formations.

We wind our way down to the small fishing town of Bathsheba. Chris tells me this area is also home to the Soup Bowl – Barbados’ world-renowned surf spot famous for its perfect barrelling right-hand reef break.

Given its location overlooking the bay, it makes sense that a large percentage of the good, honest cuisine at Zemi, is seafood. I can vouch for the moreish fish cakes with Scotch bonnet aioli. And keep an eye on the specials board for the likes of grilled octopus with chickpea purée, sweet pepper and cucumber salad, or pan-fried amberjack with buttered breadfruit and Creole sauce.

Dinner: Judging by the number of birthday and anniversary celebrations taking place around me at dinner, it’s fair to say that The Tides is evidently the place to go for a special occasion. Perhaps the most striking feature of this fine-dining spot – besides its shoreside location – is the line of huge trees growing right through the dining room. There’s also a collection of art, which mirrors the creative, contemporary fare, and the dulcet tones from a live singer blend seamlessly with the sounds of soothing waves nearby. The menu boasts an impressive array of seafood, including a fresh Caribbean tuna ceviche starter with watermelon, avocado, red onion, coriander and sesame rice crackers. The catch of the day (in my case barracuda) is served with delicious, spiced sweetcorn chowder, grilled new potatoes and a pickled fennel and grapefruit salad.

DAY 2

Masterclass: I meet highly acclaimed chef and Barbados’ culinary ambassador Damian Leach at Cocktail Kitchen in St Lawrence Gap for a midday workshop. Despite his status, Damian exudes a laid-back, unpretentious vibe that genuinely embodies the spirit of the island.

We’re cooking one of his favourite local ingredients: breadfruit. He loves it so much that he has a tattoo of one covering the top of his hand.

The sun beats down as we gather around an open fire outside his restaurant. Damian roasts the breadfruits, whole, over the flames, while sharing that the inspiration for this dish comes from his childhood. He grew up barbecuing them on the beach with friends. Once charred, they’d hollow them out and stuff them with whatever they had – usually canned foods like tuna or corned beef. Now, with years of experience behind him, he transforms this humble dish into something more refined, using salt fish, lobster and a tobiko topping.

As we chat, Damian enthusiastically talks about other iconic Bajan ingredients like black-belly lamb or flying fish. The latter, when served with cou cou (made of lightly seasoned cooked cornmeal mixed with okra and water) is Barbados’ national dish.

“Flying fish tacos are also a favourite,” says Damian, describing how he seasons the fish with Bajan spices, onions, garlic and herbs, before adding it to soft shell tacos with generous lashings of pepper sauce and aioli. “Most of us flavour our food like this. It’s never just salt and pepper,” he adds.

During our session, it’s clear that Damian is passionate about the culinary scene not only in his country, but also the Caribbean.

“Right now, we’re in a really good place,” he explains. “A lot of local chefs hold the top positions and because of this, we’re seeing our food and our ingredients being elevated.”

He adds, “I want people to leave Barbados having tasted new things, not what they know or have already had.”

Mixology: Like chef Damian, mixologist Alex Chandler, better known as Alexander DaVinci, is another Barbados culinary ambassador. Drawing inspiration from his grandmother’s cooking, he enjoys using local flavours and recipes to create cocktails and, more interestingly, mocktails – which he says presents more of an exciting challenge.

“It’s not only the Bajan ingredients that my grandmother used, but it was also the way she sang and danced in the kitchen that grasped my attention,” says Alex as he joyfully mixes drinks in front of me.

He’s teaching me how to make three beverages, one of which sounds especially intriguing. It’s a spin on a mojito that’s inspired by the pickle used for souse. Alex combines lime juice, a home-made Scotch bonnet and bell pepper syrup, passionfruit juice, cucumber juice and coriander. It’s a refreshing mocktail with savoury notes – and builds my interest in trying that pudding and souse dish.

DAY 3

Dinner: It’s just gone 6:30pm on Friday night and Chris and I arrive at Oistins Fish Fry, where there is already a queue. Locals and tourists seem to favour one of the many open-air barbecue shacks at this seaside village on the south coast. Yes, they all have a similar offering: a bounty of freshly grilled fish, such as swordfish, snapper, marlin, lobster, barracuda and “dolphin” (don’t worry, it’s mahi-mahi, not our bottle-nosed friends) all accompanied by traditional sides – but Pat’s is the obvious choice.

There, I load up on fried flying fish, macaroni pie (Barbados’ superior version of mac ‘n’ cheese), rice and peas and a bottle of Banks. The heavens open as I grab my meal and pull up a plastic chair at a shared table, sitting elbow to elbow with fellow diners as we “try” to escape the rain. No tropical downpour will stop great food, a mix of soca, reggae and pop tunes or the street-party scene.

PUDDING AND SOUSE

It’s time to check in, but I’ve made one stop before the airport. I’ve spent the last three days beginning to obsess about trying pudding and souse. Chris started it all; chef Damian “believes it should be Barbados’ national dish”; Alex’s pickle mocktail was so good… so I’m at Golden Sands picking up a “steam and lean” order to go.

So what exactly is this glorious comfort food? Traditionally, it’s pickled meat served with breadfruit and boiled sweet potatoes seasoned with herbs. It’s said to have originated as slave food on Barbados’ sugar plantations but is now a hugely popular weekend meal across the island.

As we head to the airport, I tuck into my back-seat brunch. All that I’ve discovered has just been an appetiser. My palate is excited by Barbados. And I will be back, having prepared for more!

DON’T MISS

The Barbados Food and Rum Festival

Celebrated in October, this annual festival showcases top local and international chefs, mixologists, masterclasses and culinary talks, offering an immersive foodie experience and cultural insights. As Alex Chandler says: “It is the highlight of Caribbean cuisine – you have to be there!”

For more information about this year’s festival, please visit foodandrum.com

WHERE TO STAY

Set on Barbados’ west coast, Cobbler’s Cove is a charming 1940s mansion-turned-hotel surrounded by verdant gardens (think monkeys, tropical birds, towering travellers’ palms – the whole lot!) and a beach that’s close to perfect. Originally a retreat for a sugarcane planter, the property’s pink-hued Great House offers colonial-style elegance. Surrounding this in a U-shape is a series of bright and spacious suites. Mornings there are all about lazy breakfasts; afternoons are best spent searching for turtles, taking the Hobie Cat out or paddling out to the pontoon; a sunset tipple is de rigeur; and evenings are ideal on the waterfront terrace savouring king fish tartare and plantain crisps followed by peppered barracuda.

Book your stay at cobblerscove.com