Summer Sensations

Fettuccine with Stir-Fry Vegetables

After a long, devastating drought not experienced in Barbados for decades, the dry winter months have finally passed. From the onset of the first brief downpours during the month of May, the Bajan landscape suddenly emerges in all its glory. Garden ornamentals start to bloom profusely, offering their abundance of colour, texture and aroma.

The common sites of summer include brilliant yellow Poui trees, fantastic Flamboyant trees, and mango trees in full fruit. Summer colours, flavours, and heat can all be translated in the kitchen through dishes filled with fresh fruits, vegetables and spices.

One such dish is a pasta favourite made with stir-fried vegetables served over pesto infused fettuccine. Onions, red bell peppers, and broccoli are lightly pan fried in olive oil with fresh garlic and dusted with hot cayenne powder. The fettuccine is prepared al dente and mixed with homemade pesto, and then topped with the stir-fry mixture. Serve at lunch time in the garden surrounded by tropical splendour...............

Anole lizard (Anolis extremus) on red Crown of Thorns (Euphorbia splendens)

White Petrea (Petrea volubilis)

Orange Aphelandra (Aphelandra var.)

............or at sundown on the patio while witnessing the glorious sunset. Top this off with a Crumbs Homemade favourite, and kick back and relax. It's going to be a fabulous summer!

Barbados sunset

Winter Warmth

Winter season in Barbados means plenty of sunshine, brisk tradewinds, and deep blue skies, all of which lure plenty of visitors out of the cold and onto the island's sun-kissed shores. Included in those visitors over this winter season were a number of my relatives and close friends who, as my guests, were treated to a dose of Bajan hospitality.

What this meant was rolling up my sleeves and dishing out plenty of home cooked specials, including local fresh fish prepared with curry and other flavourful herbs and spices, fresh vegetables and crisp salads, and loads of fresh fruits. To top off these favourites, I baked up a storm of goodies that kept everyone calling for more.


Featured prominently on my winter dessert menu were Date Nut Squares, Blondies, and Blueberry Gingerbread, all equally tantalizing and delicious. Arranging slices of these cakes on a single platter for tea or after meals was a highlight of the day. The difficulty was choosing which one to taste, and as expected, most of our guests gave in and sampled all.

It was a pleasure having my sister and business partner, Julie, back in Barbados for her usual double-header visit in December and February. Whenever we get together, no matter where we are, we bake excessively, much to the delight of whoever is around us. We have found that an overwhelming favourite is the Pumpkin Walnut Bread which is moist and tasty, with the added joy of roasted walnuts and sweet raisins in practically every whole wheat bite.


My guests have all returned back to their respective temperate locations well rested and well fed, with wonderful memories of their time spent in Barbados. It is time for me now to kick back and savour a slice of that Pumpkin Walnut Bread just baked and smelling amazing. Cheers!

Coconut Bakes

Relaxing with a hot cup of herb tea is my idea of winding down from a long, stressful day at work. Complete that image by adding a slice of freshly baked Coconut Bread, or a soft, chewy Coconut Raisin Drop, each made with freshly grated coconut, plump raisins, and whole wheat flour. The smell alone of something baking with coconut is heavenly; the taste is even more amazing.



Coconut Bread, or Sweet Bread as it is referred to here, is almost a staple in Barbados. Our version is less sweet and more "nutty", but just as satisfying. Most Sweet Breads are sprinkled with granulated sugar before being baked to produce a bread with a crunchy topping. We leave that step out to reduce the amount of sugar being consumed. In our view, adding a generous amount of raisins to the bread provides enough natural fructose (fruit sugar) which complements the nutty coconut flavour. This tea bread is moist and flavourful and oh so Caribbean.


The Coconut Raisin Drops tend to go first when offered at my dessert table. It's really very hard to just consume one of these absolutely delightful mini-cakes. That is why I usually have to make a double batch whenever I have visitors stop by. We also make a White Chocolate Cranberry variety which is also terrific. Sampling one of each is definitely the way to go!

Hola Granola

We all love to snack in between meals, but the question is what to snack on that doesn't make you regretful after you swallow the last bite. One of my favourite snacks is fresh granola, which can be eaten on its own, or as a topping on fat-free natural yogurt which is drizzled with real maple syrup and topped with fresh berries. Most days when I come home from work, I grab the granola bag and hope that it is not empty because my husband, Geoff, is virtually hooked on it. He insists that I make a fresh batch every weekend so that we don't run out during the week.

When my sister, Julie, was last in Barbados over the holidays, she made this granola in a flash and I was amazed at how delicious it was. It is super easy to make and the result is a naturally sweet and crunchy snack that is healthy and satisfying. We've added it to our Crumbs Homemade menu so that we can share it with you.

Crumb of the Month

I love the smell of fresh lemons, especially from freshly squeezed lemon juice or from grating the rind of a lemon. Both ingredients form a part of this amazing Lemon Yogurt Cake which is incredibly moist due to the addition of fat-free natural yogurt to the batter. Add this cake to your picnic basket, and serve with fresh fruit such as strawberries, raspberries or grapes.



Lemon Yogurt Cake is well worthy of being the Crumb of the Month in this first month of a new decade. Fresh, tangy and bold - care to join me for a bite?

Nuts About Coconut

What could be more Caribbean than coconut? No surprise then that we use freshly grated coconut in a number of different recipes at Crumbs Homemade.

I buy my coconuts fresh from the market in Bridgetown every Saturday morning so that I have ample grated coconut available for my weekly baking binges. It is not difficult to crack a hard, brown coconut to get at the white flesh inside. You just hit it with a hard implement a few times until it starts to crack and then gently pry it open. Most coconuts have water inside them which you can collect and use in recipes calling for coconut water. Once you have the coconut cracked open, the white flesh inside can then be pulled off the brown outer shell and grated with a box grater. Most coconuts yield over 2 cups of grated coconut which is plenty for most cakes or breads that include that ingredient.

I prefer not to use dessicated coconut when I bake as I find it too dry, and the unsweetened variety is not readily available in Barbados. But fresh coconuts are available on the island all year around. Freshly grated coconut is moist, naturally sweet and really delicious, adding loads of flavour and the right amount of moistness to cakes, tea breads, and cookies.

I started the New Year making Coconut Raisin Drops which are small, round cakes about 3" in diameter filled with freshly grated coconut and loaded with raisins. They come out soft, chewy and moist, and are a delight to eat at tea time or at breakfast. They also make a great healthy snack, as they are made with whole wheat flour and a minimal amount of raw cane sugar.

In Barbados, Coconut Bread is very popular, also known as "Sweet Bread" because it is sweet and baked with a sugary coating. "Rock Cakes" are also really popular - they are small, plain round cakes that are very dry and hard, and traditionally eaten with a sweet fizzy drink to help wash them down. Taking aspects of both popular items, we developed these Coconut Raisin Drops which are less sweet and wonderfully chewy. These small cakes are already a big hit with Crumbs Homemade customers!