Wednesday, June 16, 2021

Recipe Sharing: Global Flavors: Bahamian Food

My ethnic background is Bahamaian-American. My mother was American and my father was from The Bahamas. I sort of have a tradition of sharing a little something about my Bahamian roots in every community that I join. What I would like to share with this group is Bahamaian food. Matador Network published an excellent article titled “Traditional Bahamian food and dishes from the Bahamas”. The 8 foods are listed below.

1. Johnny cake

2. Conch salad

3. Chicken souse

4. Guava duff

5. Rum cake

6. Pigeon peas and rice

7. Goombay Smash

8. Conch fritters

Out of these 8 foods, the 3 foods that I remember our family eating regularly when I was growing up were conch salad, conch fritters, and pigeon peas and rice. These dishes are very easy to make. However, depending on where you live the ingredients may not be available. You may live in a place where you can just go to the local fish market to buy conch. If not, just Google “where can you get fresh conch” and you will find online stores. The same thing for pigeon peas. You might be able to get them at your local grocery store. If not, you can buy canned or dried pigeon peas. The other 5 Bahamian dishes on the list are just as tasty. But the three I mentioned have special memories. Here are links to the recipes. Hope you get a chance to try them.

Conch Salad

Conch Fritters

Pigeon Peas and Rice

NOTE: Some people vary the conch salad recipe by adding diced mango or pineapple.

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Original Source

Wednesday, September 23, 2020

Taste of the Islands - TV Cooking Show on PBS

Finally! Singing the Hallelujah chorus. AGAIN!

This time all the rejoicing is because of a food TV show.

We relocated to Austin, Texas in 1998 and my mate's first observation about living in this land-locked part of the state was that the city was missing a good Bahamian restaurant or at least someplace that serves dishes that look like island food!

Once we got cable TV hooked up and got settled in, his next complaint was that the #food channels didn't have a good cooking show to teach people how to prepare common island meals.

In 2015, his prayer was finally answered. Although the series did not last for very long. But it was fun while it lasted!

Our public television station (PBS) airs a show called “Taste the Islands”. Chef Irie (real name Hugh Sinclair) lives in South Florida but is from Jamaica.

My mate is from The Bahamas.

Close enough!