Match of the week

Flying fish cutters and Banks beer

Posted by Fiona Beckett (Google+) on January 29 2018 at 11:24

A week without wine might sound like hell for wine lovers but to be honest in Barbados why would you drink anything else? Wine is expensive and there’s not much choice whereas beer is cheap and ubiquitous.

Even though we tried some craft beers we kept coming back to the island’s national beer Banks, a full-flavoured lager of 4.7% which invariably hit the spot. (You can read more about on the Beers of Europe website and buy it from them too if you’ve been to Barbados and are getting withdrawal symptoms)

It goes brilliantly with the flying fish ‘cutters’ - a fried fish sandwich or bun that you find on practically every menu and with the equally popular Bajan fishcakes which are actually more like fish balls and should always be freshly fried.

Of course you *could* also quaff a rum punch but I find most a tad too sweet though my mate Fiona Sims* (pictured above) makes an excellent one deviating slightly from the classic formula (one of sour, 1 1/2 (rather than two) of sweet (sugar syrup in her case), 3 of strong (we used Mount Gay rum) and 4 of weak (water rather than fruit juice). Mix, pour over ice-filled tumblers, then top with a good drizzle of Angostura bitters and a sprinkle of freshly grated nutmeg. Hits the spot every time!

*Author of The Boat Drinks Book if you want other cocktail inspiration!

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