When British tourists arrive in Barbados I bet you that the last thing on their minds would be eating pudding and souse on a Saturday afternoon. Not so if you live here.I had warned the managers at Cobblers Cove that if they invited locals to partake of their luxury, then this would mean major changes in how the hotel dealt with guests. For example, we know what is expected at the weekend. So, before we arrived I had set up that the chef prepare P&S for us. My wife, ever the largess spreader, had decided to invite some of her staff to join us: a funny white guy from South Carolina, who talked to me about bawled peenuts, and our lovely host for the Dominican rabbit festivities.
When we set ourselves up by the pool side a few things were clear. First, no one was giving us too much attention, though as usual we were getting a bit boisterous. Second, we were...Then the gear arrived.
It was nicely laid out in cordon bleu fashion, which may seem excessive for the walking and talking parts of the pig. But, if you do it, do it well. This was almost French, pudding et souse avec des herbes provencales. Well, our Bajan cohort looked impressed. "Well done, the man. Thought you were joking." I took a metaphorical bow. The meat was mainly lean, but with enough features to please. The pudding was dark and based on beetroot, and a little spicy. The pickled breadfruit was just right. That is, for all except the Skipper."I larke poyrke but I doesn't eat with all that sturff," he drawled. "I'm gone take me somn else." No amount of goading would change his mind. I felt like getting him a jar of boiled peanut and watermelon rinds.
The staff were pleased as we put a Bajan lick on the day. We were so pleased that this simple piece of local life had not been abandoned. I had arranged breadfruit, ackee and saltfish for Sunday breakfast.
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