Mince Lobster, Conch Soup, Stuffed Snapper
With the waters of the Bahama Islands teeming with an abundance of seafood there is no reason to wonder why Bahamian cuisine is made up of a myriad of tantalising delicacies, many of them emanating from the sea.
Each spoonful of conch salad, mouthful of boiled fish and stewed conch, slice of ‘Johnny’ cake, plate of crab or peas n’ rice, fried fish with coleslaw and glass of cold ‘Switcher’ or concoction of Bahama Mama, all provide a taste of Bahamian culture. Food plays a pivotal role in the cultural traditions of the Bahama Islands. Many of the native dishes are an infusion of the influences of the Africans, the Caribbean, the Arawak Indians, the French, European, and Dutch settlers. Combined with the bountiful harvest of this tropical paradise, the diverse roots have developed into unique techniques, seasonings and flavours indigenous to The Bahamas.
Holidays like Christmas and Boxing Day, especially after Junkanoo, are celebrated with stewed conch, souse (chicken, pig feet, sheep tongue) and fish (stewed or boiled). Conch prepared as chowder, a salad, cracked or fried in a batter as fritters and smothered in sauce are usually enjoyed during a Saturday afternoon drive, a relaxing, social time or as a treat looked forward to on return from a stay abroad.
Taxi drivers, tour guides and waitresses are almost sure to recommend Bahamian beverage delights like fresh coconut water, freshly squeezed ‘switcher’ (made from citrus and known as limeade), Goombay Punch soda, rum punch, daiquiri with a twist of mango or other seasonal fruit grown locally. Guava duff, coconut and pineapple tart, peanut and benny cake, sour sop, coconut and mango ice cream satisfy the sweet tooth for dessert.
What makes food a special part of Bahamian culture that is appealing to both the palate and the eye and keeps visitors asking for more? “It’s really preparation … how it’s prepared and seasoned,” said Charlie Major, Jr., of the popular Nassau Stadium, home of celebrities, visitors and locals. It’s the “flavour” he said. “There’s nothing like seasoning food with goat pepper and lime juice,” to give that down home, island style taste. In addition to seafood dishes, a bowl of hot soup is another way to get a taste of Bahamian culture. An assortment of soup is served up at Charlie’s place including delicious crab soup, okra soup and peas soup n’ dough. Fresh, steamed mutton, crab n’ grits, boiled crab n’ dough and minced crawfish are among other local favourites. Raquel Davis of ‘Drifters’ at Da Fish Fry, Arawak Cay, agreed. “It’s the way we prepare it. They (foreigners) can go anywhere in the world and get fish and peas n’rice, but it’s what we put in it and how we serve it.” A real sea treasure, Davis said when conch is requested by visitors, conch salad and conch fritters are highly recommended. The latest ‘hot’ seller for locals, however, is ‘tropical salad’, a modified version of the traditional conch salad which incorporates apples and locally grown fruit including mangoes and pineapples. Some restaurants, like Drifters, have tweaked the traditional dishes adding new techniques such as conch balls, similar to conch fritters, conch bits, a bite-size version of cracked conch and snapper stuffed with conch and shrimp, grouper chowder and so much more.
Food is definitely one of the delights that are sure to give you a taste of Bahamian culinary culture. No matter the event, homecoming, regattas, lunch-time brunch at a local restaurant, or just a home-cooked meal, the dishes that grace Bahamian menus will certainly provide the down-home, distinct Bahamian flavour.