And the local tradition is by no means limited to the backyard, for it has become a common sight to see little `camps', complete with gas stoves in which to cook lunch, set up along the Bermuda Day parade route.

Here are some recipes for a few May 24th favourites that will surely be served next Monday. Just remember if you are going to the parade, store everything in a cooler with plenty of ice, so no one spends May 25th sick with food poisoning.

MACARONI SALAD 1 pound small shell macaroni, cooked in plenty of well-salted water, drained and 'refreshed' with cold water 3/4 cup mayonnaise 1/4 cup sour cream 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard 2 tablespoon fresh dill, minced Sherry peppers, or your favourite hot sauce, to taste Salt to taste 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 cup radish, cut in match sticks 1 cup corn frozen, blanched or freshly cooked, cob cut off 1 small red bell pepper, chopped 1 small yellow bell pepper, chopped Cayenne pepper to taste MIX together the mayonnaise, sour cream, mustard, dill, sherry peppers, salt and garlic. Toss together the macaroni, radish match sticks, corn and sweet peppers.

Dress gently, adding mayonnaise and sour cream as desired and chill overnight in the refrigerator to allow flavours to develop. Adjust seasonings before serving at just cooler than room temperature.

POTATO SALAD This potato salad is more complex than the garden variety of boiled potatoes and jarred mayonnaise. 3 pounds red potatoes, scrubbed, skin on 1/4 cup dry vermouth 2 tablespoons grainy Dijon mustard 1/3 cup peanut oil 1/3 cup apple cider vinegar 2 tablespoons Tabasco, or other Louisiana-style hot sauce 2 garlic cloves, minced 2 teaspoon celery seed Sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste 4 ounces or more Stilton cheese 2 tablespoon fresh parsley, minced PUT the potatoes in a large pot with cold water to cover. Bring to a boil and cook until fork tender (a half-hour or less). Drain and cool under cold running water just enough so you can comfortably handle them. Cut the larger potatoes in half, even quarters. Toss with the vermouth and allow to continue to cool down.

Make a dressing by whisking together the mustard and oil, then the vinegar, hot sauce, garlic, celery seed, salt and pepper. Pour on and blend with the potatoes. Crumble the cheese all over and sprinkle with parsley and fold in gently. Keep cool. Best served the same day.

MACARONI & CHEESE 2 pounds elbow macaroni 1 1/2 pounds (or more) sharp Cheddar cheese (the good stuff) grated 1/4 pound butter 2 medium onions, minced 1/2 cup all-purpose flour 6 cups whole milk 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, minced 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard 2 tablespoons mayonnaise 1 tablespoon paprika 2 teaspoons white pepper 3/4 cup unflavoured bread crumbs COOK elbows in well-salted boiling water until a dente (do not over-cook).

Drain and rinse in cold water. Saute' the onions in half the butter until translucent. Add flour and blend until smooth. Stir in milk, beating until smooth and cook about 5 minutes.

Blend grated Cheddar cheese, parsley, mustard, mayonnaise, white pepper and paprika into sauce and blend all together with macaroni. Spoon the fairly gloppy combination into a 4-quart casserole (a pretty one you'll want to serve in). Sprinkle all over with bread crumbs, dot with remaining butter and bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes or until bubbly and golden on top and browned at the corners.

Variations: add minced jalapeno pepper, or 3/4 pound cooked, crumbled bacon, or 1 cup of julienned smoked ham, or a medium-sized can of well-drained tinned tuna or crab meat to the mixture.

HOPPIN' JOHN 2 cups long grain rice 1 pound black-eye peas 2 teaspoons fresh thyme 1/2 pound smoky bacon 2 Bermuda onions, chopped 1 clove garlic, chopped 3/4 pound chourico sausage, chopped Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste Tabasco sauce to taste BOIL peas and thyme until the peas have split. Drain, reserving about a quarter cup of water with the peas. In a deep, heavy-bottomed pot, fry up the bacon until just crisped and remove with a slotted spoon. In the same pot, add the onion, garlic and chourico, cook until golden and the chourico just browned.

While this is going on, boil the rice in plenty of well-salted water until tender. Drain and keep ready.

Drain off most of the fat. Add the peas and water, stir and cover a few minutes. Add the cooked rice and reserved bacon and mix well. Cook over lowest heat until nearly dry. Take care not to scorch the mixture. Adjust seasoning with salt, pepper and Tabasco sauce.

RUM, FIRE & BRIMSTONE BARBECUE SAUCE 1 6-ounce tin tomato paste 1/4 cup molasses 3 tablespoons brown sugar 1/2 cup Gosling's Black Seal Rum 3 cloves garlic Generous pinch of allspice 2 tablespoons Worchestershire sauce 2 tablespoons soy sauce 4-6 jalapeno, serrano or habanero peppers seeded, chopped COMBINE all ingredients in a food processor and pulse until smooth. Pour into a heavy-bottomed pot and bring to a boil. Simmer 2 minutes and remove from flame. Cool completely and cover in a snap lid jar. If refrigerated, it will keep for months. Very hot on the tongue, nearly tolerable when cooked. .