This is going to be a difficult follow up to the previous post on Barbados. Not because I don’t know what to say, rather the good eating I wish I had right now—food I didn’t cook! After cooking for 3 days straight for other people (post to come on that), I deserve to be spoiled a bit.

A treat to I-Hop just didn’t cut it for me last night.

Stewed beef, cole slaw and green salad eaten on catamaran cruise
(this is nothing. wait till you see the other plates)

I’m a picky eater. ALL MY FRIENDS will tell you that. I’ll try anything. I swear (except for pork). However, the presentation must be right. Taste, color and texture must be at point. And I refuse to eat at a dirty table (another waffle h*** reference). I am known for sending a $20 entreè back. This is the bad thing about being a “chef” or whatever you want to call me. Am I wrong for that? For instance, the black beans served at Ch****cake F*****y are awful!! I make no apologies for announcing this. They simply are. I like the chicken enchilada and corn cake that accompany it so much that I suck it up every time, anyhow.

Lemme get back to the subject of this post. (I’m watching CNN talk about the sad death of Heath Ledger )

Excited about fresh fruit and smoked salmon lacing a tasting plate in my suite the night I arrived, I knew I was in for good food during my relaxing and no rest stay. Sure enough, breakfast was like eating at the Monarch Hotel in DC where brunch is $100 p/p on Sundays (a wealthy ex took me there once…). You’ll get fresh fruit like guava, papaya, pineapple and oranges. Savory abounds too so early in the morning. I was most taken aback when told that flying fish is part of the Bajan national dish. While everyone else in the West Indies uses it as bait, this blue island eats it! Breakfast, lunch, dinner and snack will always incorporate flying fish…fried at that!

Because I was there on a writing assignment for the travel magazine I write for, I knew being fed delectably was par for the course. It may not be fair, but who cares? My stomach was very happy. And so was my bank account, upon returning .

I suppose I wouldn’t have eaten at all the restaurants had I been paying. $20 dessert is not practical for me right now. So I was greedy and opted for was called “The Perfect Storm”– a wonderful flourless cake saturated in liquor, chocolate syrup and menta– very ORGASMIC indeed! I will say that a lightly salted cod fish and roasted pepper appetizer at the Waterfront Cafè was perfect. My okra and corn cou-cou (Caribbean polenta) was too good to let anyone taste and my seared tuna at the Southside by the Sea was the prettiest display of bok choy and waffle like fritters.

And then, as if free cocktails (I don’t drink) and 5 course meals weren’t enough for we hard working freelance writers (you know, we’re forced to eat and then write about it–ha ha), our host sends me off with a jar of beautiful raw sugar grown in the awesome sugar cane fields I visited! I gave it to my momma.

***************************

I’d indulge you and share more about this awesome little Caribbean getaway, but I’m under contract with the magazine and can’t duplicate information (disclaimer: I might even have to take these pics down if they choose to use them). So I only share a little bit here. Sorry. But, guess what that means!?! You must pick up a copy of the April issue of Odyssey Couleur and look for my story! Hopefully it’ll be the cover story!

Rolled flying fish with cou-cou (polenta) and plantain

Seared tuna w/ bok choy, mashed potatoes, asparagus topped w/ a waffle potato fritter

Didn’t I eat well!!?!?! I feel so lucky for being able to do this every now & then. It’s great inspiration to come home and try my version of the dishes I devoured! Maybe I’ll try the red snapper….

***************************

For an idea of really good Italian food cooked Bajan style, check out my review of Daphne’s here. I absolutely loved this upscale boho chic UK post on my last night there.

PS: I took all the pics (as I do with all the other posts) but we’re working on adding my watermark on all of them. So please do forgive for the inconsistency in seeing it on some pictures and not others. I think the system is automatically imposing it so it may take some time to catch ‘em all. Thanks!