Barbados Today

The Harambee House headquarters of the Barbados Council for the Disabled this weekend took on an atmosphere of a fun eatery portraying a wide array of dishes with a Barbadian touch as some members showed off cooking skills while others turned up to taste.

The smell of food flooded the air amidst much laughter at the inaugural Taste My Hand Culinary Competition Saturday as BCD ex officio member Rev Joseph ‘Johnny’ Tudor entertained with running commentary while judges of the PomMarine Hospitality Institute sampled and pronounced on a variety of dishes creatively prepared by members of associations within the umbrella organization along with closely linked groups.

Breadfruit, yard fowl eggs, goat milk, golden apples, pumpkins, flying fish, gooseberries, tamarind, rum, Bajan thyme, sweet potatoes, and Barbados sugar were among the local ingredients that had been blended with other inputs to produce a variety of dishes for which the audience showed their appreciation by devouring the bountiful supply once the judging had ended.

Contestant Diana Applewhaite said she chose Old Brigand Rum for her special Apple Delight with a Bite drink because the one-eyed Buccaneer on that Barbados rum label had to be a BCD member.

Rudyard Welch said that for his unique creation of Breadfruit Bites he included goat milk and “I specifically used the yard fowl eggs because I wanted it to be 100 per cent Bajan”.

Johnny Tudor, a former member of parliament, suggested that this meal will encourage Bajans to grow more of the local bird and quipped, “We need some more yard fowls in Barbados, we have some politically but we can’t eat them; though we should eat them.”

Unsurprisingly, Welch’s Bites won him the prize for Use of the Most Local Ingredients.

The competition was judged in four categories. Hugh Blackman, with his Breadfruit Pie, was first in the Savoury category; and Breadfruit Cou Cou with Stuffed Flying Fish earned Brenda Hewitt second.

For the Sweet items, Cheryl Griffith was first with her Conkies; and Malinda Maloney second with her Carmel Golden Apple Bread.

The 2017 King for the Richard Stoute Talent Contest for differently abled persons, calypsonian Granville Carter, was first in the Beverages category with his Tammaberry Zipper; and Diana Applewhaite followed in second place with the Old Brigand-laced Apple Delite with a Bite.

Carter’s Tammaberry also earned him first place in the 100 per cent Bajan category; and Brenda Hewitt came second with her Breadfruit and Sweet Potato Cou Cou. (GA)