Rosemary Parkinson

Chef Spath's picnic for two can be perfectly paired with a painting. - photos by Rosemary Parkinson

What is Taste of Barbados? Quoting Assistant Executive vice-president of the Barbados Hotel and Tourism Association Michelle Smith-Mayers: "The aim is to provide a scintillating pairing of the best in food, wine, drinks and entertainment as Barbadians and visitors alike rediscover the exotic flavours which permeate the culinary soul of our island. There will be 10 days (October 5-14) of , fine dining experiences, gourmet evenings, cooking, wine, rum and educational seminars, professional showcases, community events, parties and tours. We are not only going to be seeing the best in Caribbean cuisine, we are opening our doors for all to see the real us, to welcome everyone right into good Bajan hospitality."

As a 'foodie' who specialises in the love of good traditional food 'as-it-really-is' and 'taken-up-a-notch', I can advise - book those flights immediately for Barbados. The airline industry seems to be in 'crazy-mode', so the only way to get from one island to the next if you don't book and pay early, is to swim, and I am sure we all prefer shark on the menu without us as stuffing!

Barbados offers accommodation to suit all pockets so that's not an issue; getting a seat above water is.

CHEFS CAN'T DONE!

How to prepare flying fish will surely be a must.

Three Jamaican chefs are (so far) carded. Chef Mark Cole, Pastry Chef Anthony Walters (Hedonism III, St. Ann's Bay) and Chef Stephan Spath (Couples Swept Away Negril). From the US, Chef Cindy Hutson, famous for her "Cuisine of the Sun" (Ortanique On The Mile, Coral Gables, Miami), will be starring. The excitement from 'foreign' will be topped by celebrity chefs Govind Armstrong (Los Angeles) and the one and only, the magnificent and entertaining mixologist, Tony Abu-Ganim who has the United States shaking divine, delicious cocktails with a bang! Canadian Chef Patrick Dore, Trinidadian Chef Debra Sardinha-Metivier, St. Lucia's Chef Orlando Satchell who once fed me a chocolate mousse made with local St. Lucian cocoa that near had me in a state of joy-collapse! My good friend Chef Robert Oliver from New Zealand, Fiji and Trinidad, will showcase his Asian/Caribbean fusion using organic produce from a Bajan farm.

Naturally, Bajan talent will take centre stage. Chef Peter Edey whose culinary shows are making waves across the Caribbean and beyond, pairs with celebrated author (The Cove Restaurant) Laurel Ann Morley (her new book Caribbean Recipes, Old & New receiving worldwide awards). Chef and I will also host seminars on the wonders of our 'own traditional Caribbean' cuisine. According to Mrs. Smith-Mayers "people are spending millions on food travel. We must be able to get a portion of that market - our food is exquisite and hot at the moment, so now is the time to showcase it to the fullest." Perhaps now that Barbados understands, and St. Lucia too (November is their BET MACO Food & Rum Festival), I can fantasise that I hear those 'foodie' drums; that I feel the thunder of tastes awakening; that

Jamaica will widen its horizons and one national well-organised festival with international Chefs mingling with Bajan, Trini, Guyanese and St. Lucians all coming together to experience the Jamaican "hell-ah-battam, hell-ah-top and hallelluliah in de middle! Wishful thinking is good.

A TASTE PEEP

Chef Cindy Hutson, will showcase cuisine of the Sun.

The traditional comes alive at the Farmer's Market carded for The Pelican Village in the heart of Bridgetown. This complex will be awash with Arts, Crafts, Farmers, old time sweetie makers, processors of bottled jams and jellies-lawd-me can just smell the aromas of sugar cake, peanut brittle, guava cheese, tamarind balls and guess what? Jamaican Chef Walters will be showing the world (through the international press who will be there in droves to see what 'ah gwaan'), how to take same to gourmet levels! Now that's a trick and a half worth watching! But what's going to be the talk of the town is to see Chef Stefan Spath paint a large canvas whilst cooking delicious morsels. The painting will be auctioned off during the show. Note: all monies made at Taste of Barbados, goes towards ensuring that young Chefs be provided with scholarships for basic training abroad with part being saved for a futuristic plan - a state of the art culinary school where not only Chefs from the entire Caribbean can train but international Chefs and 'foodies' can learn to cook 'we food', traditional and gourmet! Now that's thinking ahead.

Countryside farm tours. See what a flying fish looks like. Dine with the finest at the water's edge. A Satturduh (as the Bajans say!) jaunt into the interior called Lime & Salt? Sound like souse for pudding to me! Tours include Old Time Bajan, Where De Sugar Come From, Bajan Village Life Cruise. What I will not miss - the Plantation Breakfast that IICA (Inter-American Institute for Co-Operation in Agriculture) will be putting on at the same Farmer's Market I just talked about above, come Saturday 13th. Caribbean fare all the way. De real ting at its best.

Not enough space for me to divulge more. Go to www.tasteofbarbados.com or e-mail info@bhta.org. Taste of Barbados promises to be one mouth-watering, musical, swaying of hips, titillating of palates hell of a time. C & B there!

Rosemary Parkinson was last seen working out how to design a tent to confuse a Chef for Taste of of Barbados' Dining by Design evening. She looked confused.

Chef Robert Oliver's Fiji Fondue served with Island Peanut.