Jeanne’s hotsauce story
I grew up listening to stories about the ‘home country’ from my grandfather, aunts and uncles. My dad was just three years old when the family immigrated from the Netherlands to America in search of a better life. Although most immigrants of my father’s era came intending to make America their home, and easily assimilated into both the language and culture of their newly chosen homeland, their children and grandchildren often return to that country in search of their heritage. My grandmother was unique in that she never wanted to stay in America, to the point where, although she understood it, she didn’t speak English. So the stories I heard from Grandpa, Aunt Grace, and Uncle John reflected a different perspective than those Grandma shared.
But when I married, those types of stories took on a whole new flavor – Barbados. From our first date until today, some 40+ years later, I’ve listened to my husband, and others in his family and their circles of friends and family, lovingly talk of Little Bimshire or just The Island (a ball of cou-cou surrounded by salt fish sauce)! By whatever name they called it, the meaning was the same – it was Home! Just as Jewish people outside of Israel say at Passover, “next year in Jerusalem”, Bajans spoke of home in nearly every conversation, every story, and shared, longingly, their plans to return to live there, in that distant ‘someday’! Some make it back, but for many it is a dream deferred until they feel it is out of reach, and so they tell stories around the kitchen table to all who will listen.
Now, as I get older, I want to share my life experiences, as well as those stories that I can recall from the elders, with my grandchildren. I noticed a bright spark of interest in my sweet granddaughter, Taryn, when I visited them over Christmas and when I showed her some of the pictures I’ve gathered of my ancestors. She asked questions and listened intently to the few stories I had time to share with her. For her, and all my grandchildren, I see Bajan Hot Sauce as one key to unlock their curiosity and give them a sense of who they are and where they came from. Hopefully, as we add more stories, experiences, and cultural items, like recipes, our descendants will appreciate the richness of this culture and the pride Bajans have of their heritage, and they, too, will want to go ‘home’!
Bajan hotsauce: Jeanne