Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #357533 in Books
• Published on: 2000
• Original language: English
• Binding: Hardcover
• 256 pages

From Publishers Weekly
In this delightful culinary memoir of Barbados, Clarke deftly captures the way his mother and other women talked about food and treated cooking: vegetarians are dismissed as "those who prefer bush and grass, as if they is sheeps and cows"; the cook is instructed to listen to music while making ham hocks and pig tails, and exhorted, "Show me your motions, girl!" As Clarke notes in his introduction, the whole concept of measurements and written recipes is foreign to the women of Barbados (who do almost all the cooking) since they learn their way around the kitchen from their mothers. Native Bajan Clarke entertains with discussions of Souse (made of pig parts including the snout and ears) and Breadfruit Cou-Cou (which Clarke's mother claims was fed to slaves because they could never hide afterward--the gas they passed gave them away). It's the cultural insight that's the real treat here, though: in a chapter on Bakes (basically, fried dough), Clarke relates the significance of flour in Barbados and the implications of the insult, "Boy, you are wearing a flour bag!" He also has a few stories of his own to tell; a chapter on the sardine omelet he once cooked for Norman Mailer and another on cooking in front of his aging mother (who corrects his technique, even as she readily admits that she has never cooked the African Chicken he is making) are charming. Clarke's voice deserves to be savored. (Apr.)
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal
The colorful cuisine of Barbados is the star of this book, and readers will find themselves immersed in the food and culture of that vibrant country. Clark, the author of eight novels and five short story collections, begins his mix of family stories and detailed descriptions of the island's "hot cuisine" with his childhood in the late 1930s and early 1940s in St. Matthias. Information on preparing such Barbadian dishes as Breadfruit Cou-Cou with Braising Beef, Pelau, and Pepperpot is included, but the book lacks precise measurements and detailed cooking instructions, since written cookbooks have not been part of Barbadian culinary experience; cooks there are expected to rely more on taste and touch. Recommended for most medium- to large-sized libraries where the author's lyrical, evocative writing style is certain to please armchair cooks and travelers.
-John Charles, Scottsdale P.L., AZ
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist
Novelist Clarke marshals his considerable literary gifts to reflect on how food continues to define home and culture for descendants of the African slaves who cultivated Barbados' cane fields. Clarke's marvelous ability to set down the unique Barbadian dialect and make it accessible sparkles throughout these essays. Among the many felicitous Barbadian transmogrifications of English to which Clarke introduces his readers is the rendering of "ingredients" as "ingreasements," a completely appropriate locution appealing to anyone who's ever stirred a cooking pot. Clarke vividly describes the social importance of cou-cou, Barbados' version of cornmeal mush enlivened with okra. Clarke's recipes for ham hocks and lima beans and split pea soup illustrate how slave cooks drew the most flavor out of the simplest staples. Anyone seeking insight into daily life and culture in the West Indies will find this memoir a valuable key. Mark Knoblauch

Customer Reviews

Bajans Shouldn't Read this Book in Public
The more acquainted you are with the food rituals of West Indians (and Bajans in particular), the more you should restrain yourself from reading this book in public. You will grin, chuckle and gafaw, and people will stare at you.

Visit beautiful Barbados....
This delightful book evokes the language and spirit of Barbados. The author weaves in tales of growing up in Barbados with memories of the food, 'hot cuisine', that fashioned his childhood. For anyone who has visited the island, this will surely bring back fond and enticing memories. Read the book, visit Barbados!

Descriptions of preparing dishes, lovingly detailed.
This culinary memoir of the author's childhood in Barbados describes his early introduction to cooking, his involvement with native dishes, and his progress in becoming a cook. Don't look for recipes here; it's more a memoir and biography of Barbados cooking, though descriptions of preparing dishes are lovingly detailed and rival James Beard's American presentations.