Pig Tails 'N Breadfruit: A Culinary Memoir [Hardcover]

Austin Clarke (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 2000

A tantalizing Caribbean memoir--part cookbook, part family history--by "one of the more talented novelists at work in the English language today" (Norman Mailer). Reminiscent of Like Water for Chocolate, Pig Tails 'n Breadfruit blends lyrical, evocative writing with engaging descriptions of how to cook the dishes of Austin Clarke's native Barbados. Winner of the 1999 Martin Luther King, Jr., Achievement Award and author of eight highly praised novels and five short-story collections, Clarke is considered one of the preeminent Caribbean writers of our time. Pig Tails 'n Breadfruit describes the way he learned traditional Bajan recipes--food that has its origins in the days of slavery, hardship, and economic grief--by listening to his mother, aunts, and cousins talk about food while they cooked it. From Oxtails with Mushrooms, Smoked Ham Hocks with Lima Beans, and Breadfruit Cou-Cou with Braising Beef, to Clarke's renowned Chicken Austintacious, each dish evokes the vibrant, sun-drenched island of his childhood and is accompanied by stories about the rituals of food and family. The result is not only succulent food, but a unique portrait of growing up in Barbados in the late 1930s and early 1940s.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

In this delightful culinary memoir of Barbados, Clarke deftly captures the way his mother and other women talked about food and treated cooking: vegetarians are dismissed as "those who prefer bush and grass, as if they is sheeps and cows"; the cook is instructed to listen to music while making ham hocks and pig tails, and exhorted, "Show me your motions, girl!" As Clarke notes in his introduction, the whole concept of measurements and written recipes is foreign to the women of Barbados (who do almost all the cooking) since they learn their way around the kitchen from their mothers. Native Bajan Clarke entertains with discussions of Souse (made of pig parts including the snout and ears) and Breadfruit Cou-Cou (which Clarke's mother claims was fed to slaves because they could never hide afterward--the gas they passed gave them away). It's the cultural insight that's the real treat here, though: in a chapter on Bakes (basically, fried dough), Clarke relates the significance of flour in Barbados and the implications of the insult, "Boy, you are wearing a flour bag!" He also has a few stories of his own to tell; a chapter on the sardine omelet he once cooked for Norman Mailer and another on cooking in front of his aging mother (who corrects his technique, even as she readily admits that she has never cooked the African Chicken he is making) are charming. Clarke's voice deserves to be savored. (Apr.)
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal

The colorful cuisine of Barbados is the star of this book, and readers will find themselves immersed in the food and culture of that vibrant country. Clark, the author of eight novels and five short story collections, begins his mix of family stories and detailed descriptions of the island's "hot cuisine" with his childhood in the late 1930s and early 1940s in St. Matthias. Information on preparing such Barbadian dishes as Breadfruit Cou-Cou with Braising Beef, Pelau, and Pepperpot is included, but the book lacks precise measurements and detailed cooking instructions, since written cookbooks have not been part of Barbadian culinary experience; cooks there are expected to rely more on taste and touch. Recommended for most medium- to large-sized libraries where the author's lyrical, evocative writing style is certain to please armchair cooks and travelers.
-John Charles, Scottsdale P.L., AZ
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 256 pages
• Publisher: New Press, The (April 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1565845803
• ISBN-13: 978-1565845800
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.7 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.5 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #781,919 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Bajans Shouldn't Read this Book in Public, September 5, 2003

By 

P. Gibson (Ottawa,Canada) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Pig Tails 'N Breadfruit: A Culinary Memoir (Hardcover)

The more acquainted you are with the food rituals of West Indians (and Bajans in particular), the more you should restrain yourself from reading this book in public. You will grin, chuckle and gafaw, and people will stare at you.

5.0 out of 5 stars Visit beautiful Barbados...., May 9, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Pig Tails 'N Breadfruit: A Culinary Memoir (Hardcover)

This delightful book evokes the language and spirit of Barbados. The author weaves in tales of growing up in Barbados with memories of the food, 'hot cuisine', that fashioned his childhood. For anyone who has visited the island, this will surely bring back fond and enticing memories. Read the book, visit Barbados!

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Descriptions of preparing dishes, lovingly detailed., April 5, 2000

By 

Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Pig Tails 'N Breadfruit: A Culinary Memoir (Hardcover)

This culinary memoir of the author's childhood in Barbados describes his early introduction to cooking, his involvement with native dishes, and his progress in becoming a cook. Don't look for recipes here; it's more a memoir and biography of Barbados cooking, though descriptions of preparing dishes are lovingly detailed and rival James Beard's American presentations.