celebrate Independence Day -- November 30.

A special church service will be held at Christ Church, Devonshire, on Sunday, November 21, at 11 a.m..

And on Thursday, November 25, "Bajan Men Can Cook'' -- mouthwatering traditional dishes prepared by Barbadian chefs -- can be sampled for just $5.00 at the Spring Garden Restaurant in Hamilton.

The celebrations end with a glittering gala banquet -- to be addressed by Barbadian Minister of Housing and Lands Gline Clarke -- at The Harbour Room, Number One Shed, Front Street, Hamilton, on Saturday, November 27. Tickets for the dinner -- $50 or $75 for patrons -- can be bought from Jeans Plus Boutique, Spring Garden, Ja'Nuzzi's Hair and Beauty Salon, as well as from Barbados Association members.

If you are unable to check out the `Bajan Men Can Cook' event you can still sample some delicious Bajan cuisine in the comforts of your own home. Here are a few tasty Bajan recipes you might want to try: *** COU COU 8 medium sized okras 8 ounces cornmeal 11 pints water 2 tablespoons butter or margarine 2 teaspoons salt WASH and slice okras and drop into boiled salted water. Cook until okras are tender. Pour off and reserve about 3 of the water leaving the remainder in with the okras.

Stir in cornmeal with coucou stick, pressing against the sides of the pot to remove any lumps. Gradually stir in remaining liquid a little at a time, stirring until mixture is thick and smooth.

Turn into a well buttered bowl and serve with steamed flying fish.

*** STEAMED FLYING FISH OR BUCKLED FLYING FISH 4 flying fish (well cleaned and boned and put into a mixture of lime and salt) 1 tablespoon Bajan Seasoning Eschalot Thyme Marjoram Parsley Hot pepper 2 onions, sliced 2 medium tomatoes, sliced 1 teaspoon lemon or lime juice 1 teaspoon mustard 1 tablespoon melted butter or margarine Salt and pepper to taste Lemon or lime slices REMOVE the flying fish from the lime and salt mixture and wash thoroughly.

Season well with Bajan seasoning, then fold each fish over, putting the tail through the mouth.

Arrange in a well greased enamel plate, add a little boiling water, top with onion, tomato slices, a teaspoon mustard and a teaspoon pepper sauce, sprinkle with lime or lemon juice, then pour over the melted margarine. Cover with another enamel plate. Steam until fish is tender. Serve with lemon slices.

NOTE: This method of steaming fish is easy and can be done by placing the cover enamel plates on the top of the cooking boiler. Greaseproof paper may also be placed on top of the fish before covering with the plate.

*** GREEN PAWPAW CASSEROLE 2 pounds cooked green pawpaw 2 eggs slightly beaten 1 green sweet pepper chopped 2 tablespoons margarine Salt and pepper to taste 1 medium sized onion minced 2 ounces bread crumbs 1 pint milk 4 ounces chopped ham MIX together the pawpaw, onion and most of the margarine, blending them well together. Stir beaten eggs into milk and add the pawpaw mixture, seasoning and chopped ham. Season well.

Pour into a greased casserole or pie dish. Sprinkle with crumbs, dot with margarine. Bake at 450 degrees for approximately 15 minutes or until browned.

(Serves 6 approximately).

*** BREADFRUIT CHEESY 2 pounds breadfruit 2 ounces margarine 1 green sweet pepper chopped Salt and pepper to taste 6 ounces grated cheese 6 tablespoons of milk 1 medium sized onion chopped PEEL the breadfruit and boil in salted water. Drain well and mash, beat with cheese, egg yolks, margarine and milk. Season with sweet pepper, onion and salt and pepper.

Whisk egg whites until stiff and fold very lightly into the mixture. Pour into a well-greased pie dish and bake for about 30 minutes in the centre of a moderate oven (350 degrees F. Gas mark 4).

*** PLUM PUDDING 2 pounds dried fruit (dunks, pawpaw, golden apple, lemon or orange peel, etc.) 2 ounces nuts (shelled) 1 pound bread crumbs 6 eggs 1 pound flour 1 pound soft brown sugar 1 teaspoon spice 1 level teaspoon ground ginger 1 teaspoon almond essence 10 ounces finely chopped suet or margarine 1 gill stout 3 tablespoon brandy (optional) 1 gill rum Juice and grated rind of 1 orange 1 pint milk 1 teaspoon salt Browning Almond essence and rum for pouring over pudding.

GREASE three one-point pudding basins. Wash and either mince or chop the dried fruits. Sift the flour, baking powder, salt and spices in a mixing bowl and add the sugar, bread crumbs, suet fruits, nuts and grated orange rind.

Beat the eggs well and add to them the stout, orange juice and brandy and stir this in the dry ingredients adding enough milk to make the mixture a soft dropping consistency.

Pour mixture into pudding basins and cover. Steam for approximately 2-3 hours.

*** BAJAN XMAS CAKE 5 pounds mixed dried fruits 1 pound chopped nuts or almonds 1 pound mixed peel 1 pint rum 1 pint falernum 1 pint wine 2 tablespoons almond essence 4 tablespoon peanut butter 12 ounces sugar (brown) A mixture of rum, falernum and almond essence for pouring over cake when finished 1 (1 ) pound pineapple jam 1 tablespoon grated orange rind 1 tablespoon mixed spice 1 teaspoon salt 12 ounces flour 8 ounces margarine 8 eggs Browning MINCE all fruit together, add orange rind, rum, falernum, wine, almond essence, peanut butter, jam and spice. Put in a jar and permit to steep until required (the fruits can be used if required immediately) or can be steeped for 3-4 weeks.

When ready to bake the cake, cream butter and sugar. Add eggs beaten in one at a time, then add the fruit mixture. The fruit mixture may be put over a low heat and allowed to cook for a few minutes to shorten baking time of the cake and reduce possibility of the cake burning in the oven.

Add the flour and browning last. Put mixture into baking tins greased and lined with two thicknesses of waxed paper. Fill pan 3 full.

Bake in a slow oven 275 degrees F. for 2-3 hours according to the size of the cake. Test with a skewer before removing from the oven. As soon as the cakes are removed from the oven, throw over them a mixture of rum, wine, falernum and almond essence. Prick cakes with skewer and pour as much of the mixture as the cake will absorb without flooding the pans.

Allow cakes to remain in pans two or three days to absorb liquor, especially if they are to be iced.