Monday 22 October 2012

Barbados - swimming with the turtles

Bajan local - peace out man ;)
It was the last day of our two week holiday in Barbados. We had been staying for most of that time in the sleepy fishing village of Shermans to the north west of the island. All said, September is the quietest time of the year for tourism in Barbados – hurricane season and all - and given that we were also in one of the quieter parts of the island, we had the luxury of soft, white sand paradise beaches mostly to ourselves and the odd local. That - coupled with traffic free snorkelling with friendly coral reef fishies and occasional turtles - equals relaxation of the highest order. Nothing prepares you though for when you suddenly see a peaceful turtle resting on a reef bed surrounded by industrious blue surgeons – him just sitting there in that silent water-world taking it all in. 

How to scream when your head’s underwater and how to remain as inconspicuous as possible despite your 2ft long fins, mask, snorkel and wildly waving arms and legs? I tried. I failed ;) He spotted us, and he gave us the most non-phased glance with the deepest, darkest, widest eyes as if to say peace out man, what’s the fuss? And with an effortless, graceful gliding movement of elegant flipper, he was gone into the deeper blue where we couldn’t follow. That was just one of the highlights of our trip. We had set out from damp Ireland, after an even damper summer and our bones were in desperate need of drying out under a cloud free sky. I knew nothing of Barbados other than time there would fulfill that need, and as always - to be prepared for the rest that may come!

You can never get tired of tropical beaches, and Barbados has ample supply. We had our own private beach on our doorstep, just down from the luxurious looking Little Good Harbour resort – Google this place, it looks amazing! But there is Accra to the south, Mullins on the mid-west, The Crane – all the tourist hotspots that are well catered for by the full range of star-rated resorts. But hop in a car, and less than half an hour drive from west coast to east coast and you are in the land of the Atlantic. No swimming here – far too dangerous. But surfer’s paradise and the complete opposite of the calm waters of the eastern shore waits.

Sunrise on the east coast...pure Santosha ;)
For me the east is the best – Bathsheba being the main focal point. Here is the west of Ireland but wearing a warmer, softer cloak. No less powerful, no less addictive and no less humbling, but no harsh breeze and water kinder to toes (less chilling), topped off with warm nights better suited for dining al fresco! We spent two nights here in the Scotland District just north of Bathsheba (www.santoshabarbados.com). Santosha is sanskrit for contentment, and Santosha - the place - is a kind of hideaway where the music is the Atlantic roar – more lioness than lion king roar ;) Great place and great therapy for those who spend (dare I say waste) hours in mindless meeting sessions in the day to day businesses of life.


Snugness - sundown view
Bajan food is great – and we mostly ate at home! We had local staples prepared for us on a regular basis by friends and family - Hyacinth’s fish cakes, flying fish and cou-cou, sweet potato and okra; Gran’s curry with sweet plantain, and peas and rice; Derek’s beer can chicken with breadfruit chips; Larry’s 10 day marinated pork; and Denis’s taste sensational saltfish bulgol – yum! The few times we eat out I had the most amazing pieces of marlin and barracuda, deep fried calamari, and red snapper. Not to mention the local Thursday and Friday night food o de pot in Braddys Bar in Shermans and the local rum shack in Moon Town (pronounced Mooon Town). De pot is generally a big one and it rests on an open flame, the food is all fresh from the sea or local fields and all meeting the highest standards of the Bajan palate.  In the shacks you’re hanging with locals – older men playing dominoes and women taking their chances with karaoke. I’ve seen some clips from Moon Town on YouTube but it ain’t nothing like the real thing baby ;) Stars on a Friday night that were cleaning houses and minding children hours before – all becoming their own Bajan version of Otis, Dolly, Patsy, Elvis…fantastic. All helped along of course by rum and coke, rum punch, rum and coconut water, rum and sprite…rum anyone? Oh yeah, and bottles of 7.5% Guinness – which they love out there – brewed in neighboring Trinidad!

The island of Barbados is surprisingly small, and surprisingly highly populated – keep your eyes open as Richard Branson’s plane drops you in. The west and south is well built up, slowly but surely spreading to the northern reaches. The east remains beautifully calm. We only met the best of people. There’s so much more to Barbados than beaches and resorts - if that’s all you need you’ll be more than satisfied. I would suggest - for a richer experience - get out of the resort and get moving with the locals, and say hello to the turtles for me :)  

We stayed in a beach house called Snugness in Shermans - available to rent. Check it out at:

http://www.bajanservices.com/index.php?RootSection=59&Section=60&PType=R&PID=1274




Sunday 14 October 2012

Shades of the Caribbean - roti-licious ;)

One regret of mine since coming back from Barbados...well, all those days and only three rotis? ;) Let me explain...

We are back in Ireland a week, and in that time we've had complete downpours two days, mixed with hanging drizzle another three and then the two days of glorious autumn sunshine that were Friday and Saturday. I spent as much of that glorious sunshine in the garden...what's to do? Well, there was digging of the pitiful crop of late spuds (Golden Wonders that we didn't protect from the omnipotent blight), the clearing out of the greenhouse and the general cutting back of weedy species and rogue raspberries. It was mostly a solo run as Number 1 gardener was away working for the man, but time passed easy in the sunshine and there was always the anticipation of his return ;)

Flash forward and it's Sunday evening and a week apart beckons. I'm heading for the wild west and he's for the south. What else to do but pretend we are back in Barbados and try to re-create roti? Again, for the Irish folk, and basically any non-Caribbean...

This is what making a roti should look like ;) can't wait!
Roti is the word for a type of unleavened bread, similar to what we call a wrap - but very different - that is served with curry in most Caribbean countries. I only tasted this comforting yet divine pleasure in Barbados. while it's origin is Indian. The pastry of flour, oil and water is wafer thin, delicate and crumbly and is worn draped perfectly, nay - huggingly - around the curry interior. This of course can be made to your own taste (curry makers and lovers will know that curry manufacture needs a whole post of its own). Sometimes this soft, flaky roti is filled with split peas or lentils, sometimes it is plain. Can this Caribbean delight be created in the Holly Cottage kitchen? We'll see ;) The curry is on the fire and the man is making the dough...more for the next post.

I wish I was....in Bathsheba (think air to Carrickfergus)
Meantime, after tidying up the straggling tomato plants, I was musing on the bounty of green tomatoes. And so, on this Sunday evening we have a huge pot of green tomato chutney chow chow simmering away on the Stanley range - the perfect accompaniment for cheese, burgers, hot dogs (don't tell the tomato chilli jam...sssh!) Take 2.5kg of
green tomatoes (you won't buy them in the shops so talk nicely to a gardener who is stuck for time and ideas!), 0.5kg onion, 500g brown sugar, 250g dried fruit (we used the only dried fruit we had - dates, apricots, cranberries and raisins mixed), 1 litre of malt vinegar, 2 teasp salt and 3 teasp ground black pepper. Start by melting the sugar in the vinegar, bring to a steady boil, add the dried fruit, bring back to the boil and then add the chopped tomatoes and onion, salt and pepper.....and basically you are where we are ;) Apparently the longer it is left to simmer the better. By bed time I expect that we will be potting this green elixir into sterilised jars, and adding them to the store of beetroot relish and tomato chilli jam - and all the other 24lbs of strawberry jam in the front room (we need to build on at this stage!).

Hmm...I need to lose a few pounds ;)


Smiley green tomato..."I have a purpose in life ;)"



















And so, the full stop to another week. Fingers crossed for the roti lovers of Ireland and more to come next weekend.Have a great week y'all..mine is set to be marked by torrential rain and wet days in the west of Ireland - how bad? Great to be alive ;)


Monday 8 October 2012

The good, the bad and the ugly...

Home from home...Barbados
Coming down from a 'break away' (sounds like a prison break :)) can always be painful. We had almost three sunshine filled weeks in Barbados - days filled with new meetings, new foods, new places - and now we are back on the short stretch to Christmas in the crisp, clear air of an Irish autumn. It'll be lovely.. 

Getting off the plane, the first thing you sense is the moisture in the air (the vulgar expression for this being the damp). Then a cooling of the bones. Then goosebumps rising. You suddenly realise why flip flops in October is not an Irish tradition. But once you walk through to the airport building, it's the friendly nod of the Irish passport control man that really makes you feel at home. I always say howrya at this this point, in the full knowledge that it's only one of your own that can interpret this very culchie yet urban Irish shorthand version of how are you :) 


Driving home's sunset...Irish home
We had a great time in Barbados - more to follow of course. But for now, it's the sharp shock of the pleasures of home that are occupying my mind. We got back on a Friday night to a cold house - un-packing always therapeutic, but couple it with a Mick Flannery sound track and re-discovering the corners of your pre-holiday mind in the corners of your own sweet home, well - it's sweet. Finding a home for the the six bottles of Bajan hot pepper sauce, the over-sized tub of Bajan seasoning and the bottle of rum for the folks in Cappaduff was a joy, but the washing and drying of several bikinis, shorts and sun tops was challenging :) 

Flash forward 36 hours and we are well settled back in the comfort and cosy of Holly Cottage. So too is Holly the canine baby of course, well tired after three weeks in a strange home with two adoring devotees in Cork. If she could tell her tales - if only! It did take a twelve hour sleeping session and three cups of coffee, but the Irish sunshine led us back into the Holly Cottage garden. And here brought to mind the good, the bad and the ugly!

Hot chilli - meet cool tomato and basil

The good - nay - the beautiful, is the bounty of sweet cherry tomatoes, red chillies, intact celery plants and the one pumpkin that squeezed through the six failed pumpkin plants! Oh the excitement of one where there might be none ;) The bad is that we haven't planted anything new that we can follow through the winter - must correct this as soon as possible! The ugly is the toll taken on the Brussels sprouts by our insatiable plot sharers, the caterpillars. Let's not dwell on the negative however, for the bounty of tomatoes and chillis is awaiting a destination...what led us to tomato-chilli jam is anyone's guess, but here goes..


Where's the cheese!
Take a pound of sweet cherry tomatoes, lovingly picked by a hungry Cork man - add 10oz of sugar (we only had castor but brown would be sweet), two red chillis (I'd add four after tasting the final product - be sure to add the seeds if you're a heat freak), vinegar, fish sauce (we used worcesterhire), ginger and garlic.....stir over a steady simmer for half an hour.....and yes, you guessed it - wow ;) Take a piece of blue cheese, some apple and an oatcake and this stuff will take your tastebuds to far away places...

Maybe even Barbados ;) Virgin Atlantic eat your heart out!