PHOTO: A tasty Cutter. (photo by Goats on the Road)
Cutters, cou-cou, puddin' and souse...these are just some of the unique dishes found in Barbados. As with the culture of the island, many of the foods found in this West Indies nation are a wonderful blend of British, Indian and West African flavors. Most of the meals here are based around a meat - pork, beef, chicken or fish - with many side dishes accompanying the protein.
All of the food that we have sampled so far during our one-month stay in Barbados has been delicious! Here are some of the top meals you must sample during your trip to this Caribbean country.
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Flying Fish and Cou-Cou
This is the national dish of Barbados, making it an obvious must-try meal! Flying fish is a small, white fish that is typically fried when served with cou-cou. To make cou-cou, cornmeal and okra are mixed together, while stirring constantly to create a thick texture, much like mashed potatoes, only more dense.
Cutters
This is more of a snack food, one that you cannot miss out on. A cutter is basically a sandwich made with fish (flying or marlin are popular), egg or ham, and is always served on salt bread, which is crispy on the outside, and soft in the middle. Although it's called salt bread, it actually has a savory flavor. To spruce up the sandwich, many people add tomato and lettuce, as well as mayonnaise and pepper sauce. This is the ultimate beach snack.
BBQ
As with many other Caribbean destinations, barbecues are very popular here. On Thursday, Friday and Saturday you'll see stands set up on the side of the road, or little shacks, serving up mouthwatering chicken, ribs, fish or hamburgers. Your BBQ meal will include two sides, at minimum. The sweet and tangy sauce smothering the chicken and ribs is a flavor you'll be dreaming about long after you've returned home.
Fish Fry
Speaking of BBQs, the fish fry party at Oistin's Beach is an incredible can't-miss event. Friday night is the time to visit this little fishing village. Freshly caught snapper, tuna, swordfish, mahi-mahi and flying fish are on offer, served with your choice of two side dishes. Massive grills are set up and the BBQ masters can hardly keep up with the orders. The smell alone is enough to make bystanders pop in for a meal.
Fish Cakes
This delicious snack is perfect for when you're out and about. Small stalls sell fish cakes for around $0.40 each! Small pieces of salt fish are mixed together with a flour batter, before being deep-fried. Dip these in pepper sauce mixed with a bit of mayonnaise - you won't be disappointed!
Macaroni Pie
This is probably the most popular side dish in the country. Macaroni and cheese is popular in many countries, but this particular "mac pie" is made with long, tube noodles, as opposed to the popular elbow pasta in the West, and the cheese isn't as "gooey," it's a thicker consistency. The pasta is mixed with cheese, onions, herbs, ketchup and mustard, before being baked.
Pudding and Souse
This dish may not appeal to everyone, but it's a Saturday lunchtime favorite here in Barbados. There are two parts to the meal, the Pudding and the Souse.
Pudding is made with mashed/pounded sweet potatoes, which are blended with spices and onions. Traditionally, this mixture is then stuffed into a pig intestine, and tied off, to create a sausage. These days, fewer people are opting to serve the pudding this way.
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Souse is typically made up of pickled pig parts such as the snout, ears and feet. However, it's becoming more common to use leaner parts of the pig, such as the shoulder. The pork is boiled until tender and mixed with cucumber, onions, lime juice, parsley and peppers.
Have you tried any of these foods? Tell us below!
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