Book Review: Sweet Dumplings and Salt Fish Stew, Second edition

Poetry/Short Story Collection

Sweet Dumplings and Salt Fish Stew, Second edition

Walter Edey

AuthorHouse

2004

ISBN: 1-4184-0488-8

Soft cover

154 pages

Sweet Dumplings and Salt Fish Stew is author Walter Edey's collection of cultural offerings based on the sights, sounds, and food of his homeland, Barbados, West Indies. This assortment of poems, short stories, and personal musings shares the author's childhood experiences and sage advice about general observations and the changing world.

The poems "Howzat Nelson" and "Amandla" refer to the island's history of slavery and offer a cry for freedom and unity: "A simple plan, love your fellow man-Don't forget, we have no place to hide-There is only one planet, on which we all reside."

"Igniting Flames" encompasses several short, numbered thoughts about a variety of life issues from luck to service to love: "Love is searching for your purpose, developing self to its fullest and sharing what you have with the rest of the world."

The longest story in the collection is "Love We Cou Cou Don't Lump It!" which combines the delectable details for making one of Barbados' national dishes with the tale of a mother and her immature, irresponsible adult son.

Much of the book is written in the dialect of the author's native land, adding richness and substance to the collection. There are also pictures included in the book that document the author's accomplishments in his adopted home, New York, and his performances as a poet and actor. One of the great perks of the book includes the Caribbean recipes for garlic dumplings, sweet potato pie, and, of course, sweet dumplings and salt fish stew.

 For a look into Caribbean life and a few native recipes to incorporate into any serious cook's repertoire, Sweet Dumplings and Salt Fish Stew fits the bill.