Melange Travel & Lifestyle Magazine July 2020 | Page 20

Photo Credit: Antigua & Barbuda Tourism Authority
mackerel, nursery shark, eel,
sting rays – these may be on
the menu at local eateries – just
ask around. Salted barracuda
is one of the recommended
delicacies. After it’s caught,
the fish is cleaned and salted,
then left in the sun to dry. To
cook, it is first soaked in milk to
remove its saltiness which also
tenderizes it. Some may opt
to just boil it to get rid of the
extra salt. It can be deliciously
prepared in many ways, its taste
reminiscent of salted cod, used
in some of the Caribbean islands
to make the legendary salt-fish
souse and fish-cakes. Eel too, is
mouth-watering. The traditional
dish you really must have,
however, is Fungi. It is made
from ground corn and dates
back to the days of slavery when
corn was in plentiful supply and
a convenient meal for the slaves
who would grind the corn,
add it to boiling water, throw
in some seasonings, stir it until
cooked and serve with whatever
meat was available. Today Fungi
with Fish is the national dish
of the twin islands of Antigua
& Barbuda. Fungi is similar to
what is called Cou-Cou on some
Caribbean islands, or polenta.
The Caribbean islands have
many similarities and all boast of
festivals and activities locals and
visitors find appealing. Barbuda
is no exception. Although
Covid-19 has put a halt to these
activities, March, May, June,
October and November are
usually action-filled months in
Barbuda.
In March, it’s race time! Athletes
would congregate on the
island for the Rorhman Race
which will see them running
and swimming on the island’s
beautiful beaches. Music and
food are good motivators and
the day ends with a fun tug of
war between locals and visitors.
An exciting fishing tournament
also takes place in March.
Caribana, Barbuda’s carnival
takes place in May/June during
the Whitsuntide weekend.
Visitors and locals are treated to
5 days of festivities – costumed