Barbados is an erstwhile paradise of outrageous fortune, consisting of arrows and accolades, sadly more the former than the latter. When a former sugar estate can become the proposed site for a new real estate development of a nest of condominiums and dub it progressive – Bulkeley Heights, this is a name synonymous when Barbados used to have 12 sugar factories while ground provisions between white and black residents was the rule and not a rare treasure. We dominate with centenarians on a global scale for now, but I doubt how many will emerge from this generation onwards…

In my view, this is not only unnecessary but perhaps can be avoided if we use Rosemary Parkinson’s “Barbados Bu’n-Bu’n” as a guide for what was and should still be. She explored more of the island than I ever have, finding a bakery in Bank Hall I didn’t know of, even though it a stone’s throw from me…

Chasing souse in St George and looking at old time history like BICO ice cream when you shaved the ice for your leaden larder before fridges. Have you been to Cheapside market in the City for breakfast on a Saturday? These volumes are a cornucopia of knowledge, not only myself, but Baba Elombe Mottley, Karl Watson & Art Smith, Oprah’s former personal chef and founder of Common Threads using cuisine as a unifying force, praised the two volume cased set…

“Experience the tropical beauty and the very special tastes of this region…”

These volumes took over four years to compile, it is not enough to quote Churchill’s Blood, Sweat, Tears and Toil as comparative into making this treasure! Not only a writer, she creates phenomenal art and is an advertising maven of great knowledge… Her two volume set is on the shortlist for a global award come the 9th of this month;-

“You are on the shortlist for the Gourmand World Cookbook Awards, in category A12 – First Cookbook. The whole list will not be public until all categories are finalized. The Best in the World will be announced on June 9 in Yantai, China. The top 3 in each category will have the right to use the Best in the World self-adhesive or digital stickers.

“It is quite an achievement to be on the shortlist. It is extremely difficult. The quantity and quality of entries from the 205 participating countries have reached a new high this year. All the books listed … are truly excellent, in very different ways.

“It is an opportunity to show to the world that self-published books today are equal or better than most traditional trade publishing by placing your book in the spotlight...”

Government and Barbadian reporters should be there, sigh! These books should be in every school and at UWI Cave Hill as mandatory reading and not just learning, but performing the recipes – do you know Barbados has Jewish food? Guyanese cuisine? So many from afar come here and share what was their home with their new home and we do nothing? Shame!

Be it birthday, anniversary, Christmas, Chanukkah or Eid Al Fitr this is a gift which is more than manna, all Barbados needs Barbados Bu’n-Bu’n! I am going to have fun trying a recipe at least once a month, this will occupy me for a good while!