— Barbados Food and Rum festival gets underway

By Navendra Seoraj in Barbados

CHEESE on bread! This time it wasn’t just a slang, it was used in its literal sense because the home of the Flying Fish, Barbados, is celebrating its tenth, annual Food and Rum Festival and all the “foodies” are coming out.
If persons are looking for a blast of flavours that will tantilise their taste buds or a glass of some of the finest rum that will give them the right feeling, then the Barbados Food and Rum Festival is the place to be. The festival started on October 24 and will end on October 27.

A drive or walk through some of the parishes in Barbados, during the festival, would leave your mouth watering because of the smell of food at every restaurant, mini food shop or even a house.

This year, the locals intend on spicing things up a bit because it is the tenth consecutive year that the festival is being held. And there was definitely spice when the festival kicked off with the first event at Pat’s Place, Oistin Bay Garden, on Thursday evening.
Foreigners and locals could not hide their satisfaction after tasting and indulging in some of the best local cuisine such as flying fish, tuna, mahi-mahi, macaroni pie and breadfruit or after taking a sip of Barbados’ best and finest rum, Mountgay rum or drinking a cold banks beer.

The Guyana Chronicle spoke with some of the foreigners, who said, they were impressed by the explosion of flavours in every bite that they took.
“From the time you enter Pat’s Place you could see the fire blazing from the grill but the first thing that hits you even before you step out of your vehicle, is the aroma from various dishes that are being prepared on spot,” said one of the tourists.

To enhance the atmosphere and add to the aroma were international chefs, Craig Harding from Canada and Tom Aikens from the United Kingdom (UK). The international experts joined the local cooking star, Craig Greenidge, on stage to prepare a fantastic dish for the large audience of visitors and locals.
An average passerby would believe it was a soca concert, but it was just good food and good background music.

The energetic and creative vibe is similar at almost every other food outlet, bar or even the ordinary rum shop; there is always something there to lure passersby in.
Some of the visitors said they travel to the island every year just for the festival because it is not just nutritionally enriching, it showcases the culture and creativity of the Barbadian (Bajan) people.

The jolly and welcoming nature of the Bajan people is passed on in their delicious and sumptuous food, which dances with flavour like it’s moving to the sweet beat of a calypso song.

If the food doesn’t dance in your mouth, then you are sure to “buss” a few moves when you take a sip of the world’s oldest rum and Barbados’ most treasured possession, the Mountgay rum, which has been around since 1703.
Barbados boasts that Mountgay rum is aged to perfection and is arguably one of the best rums around.

Although the country is big on rum, if you are not a fan of it, you could grab a banks beer, a deputy beer or any other lager that is available. For those who do not consume alcohol, there are always freshly made juices, ranging from mauby to orange, pineapple and much more.
Organisers of the festival, the Barbados Tourism Marketing Inc. (BTMI) promised that there will be no short supply of any local item.

The BTMI said since the advent of the festival, there has been growth in the “foodie culture” in Barbados and the festival is fitting to display the local talent. Barbados has been called the culinary capital of the Caribbean.

And the country is using the opportunity to prove that it is indeed the culinary capital, through the festival. Among some of the exciting events remaining in the list of activities are the Food Truck Mash-up on Saturday and the Epicure, a night of elegance, on Sunday.

The BTMI said the festival has given birth to a series of events, or better yet – culinary and beverage experiences – designed to tantalise the taste buds while offering a variety of other colourful and flavourful experiences to stimulate the other senses as well.
The tourism agency encouraged persons to experience a sophisticated, high-quality and upscale celebration of gastronomic art, featuring acclaimed international & local chefs, wine experts and mixologists.