It’s also the main component of the national dish, flying fish and cou cou: fillets of the small fish are fried until crisp, then served hot and spicy with a thick, creamy mash of cornmeal and okra. Flying fish is a must-tryįlying fish is a Barbados icon. Getting its name from its habit of leaping out of the water, using wing-like fins to glide, it's native to the island and appears on coins and the country’s passports. For something more casual, join a tour of the island’s brightly painted rum shacks. Learn about the history of the country's oldest export at Mount Gay Distilleries, founded in 1703 and believed to produce the oldest rum in the world, or get an insight into rum production at one of three other active distilleries, Foursquare, West Indies Rum Distillery and St Nicholas Abbey. Widely considered the birthplace of rum, no visit to Barbados is complete without having sampled the beloved spirit - as well as the ubiquitous rum punch, made from the perfect mix of rum, lime juice, sugar cane syrup, a splash of Angostura bitters and a scrape of nutmeg. Get ready for it with this round-up of some of the country's best dishes, ingredients, eateries and beloved foodie traditions. A time to ‘lime’ - the Barbadian word for partying and having a good time - this four-day gala showcases Bajan produce and gastronomy through the creations of local and international chefs, from street fare to upscale gastronomy. As the Caribbean’s biggest celebration of food, the annual Food and Rum Festival could only happen in one place: Barbados, the culinary capital of the West Indies.

Barbados food and rum festival review