So you want to take a vacation to the tropical paradise of the Bahamas. He found his flights, chose his accommodation and planned his activities. But what are you going to eat while you’re there? Although many hotels and restaurants offer typical contemporary western food, no travel experience is complete without trying the local cuisine. What can you expect to be served in the Bahamas?
The Bahamas is an archipelago made up of more than 700 islands. Due to the abundance of water, traditional Bahamian cuisine relies heavily on food that can be harvested from the ocean. Seafood is a staple food in the Bahamas. The national dish is concha (pronounced ‘konk’), a large tropical variety of sea snail. The meat of the mollusk is firm and very pale in color. There are many ways to prepare and serve conch, such as steamed, stewed, or fried. Fresh, uncooked, cracked conch sprinkled with spices and lime juice is also a delight.
Bahamian cuisine includes seafood such as crabs and rock lobsters. Rock lobster is also known as spiny lobster or crayfish and is usually served grilled, chopped, or in a salad. Crab species, such as the Florida stone crab, are eaten in many cultures, although crab dishes in the Bahamas are commonly served baked.
The other common seafood found in the Bahamas is, of course, fish. There are a variety of ways to prepare fish, but a traditional Bahamian favorite is fish boil served with grits. Large fish like halibut and bonefish can also be fried, sautéed, baked, or grilled.
Despite the abundance of seafood, chicken, pork, and goat are also popular meat dishes. Some tourist destinations offer chicken as an alternative to shellfish to cater for guests with shellfish allergies. Grilled iguana meat was once a popular food; however, due to the species’ endangered status, iguanas are off the menu.
Soups are a mainstay of Caribbean cuisine, and the Bahamas are no exception. Many cultures have a fondness for soup, leading to endless combinations of ingredients. Popular soups in the Bahamas include conch chowder, pea and ham soup, chowder, pepper stew, and pea soup with meatballs and salt beef. For a unique Caribbean soup, the bold flavors of sousé, a soup made with meat, water, onion, celery, lime juice, and bell peppers, are a classic.
Tropical fruits are a key element of Bahamian cuisine, whether eaten on their own or as a delicious ingredient in a variety of dishes. Pineapples, mangoes, guavas, passion fruit, medlars and papayas are grown in the Bahamas. Papaya is one of the most versatile fruits, used in desserts, chutneys and tropical drinks. Papayas contain papain, an enzyme that breaks down tough fibers in meat and is therefore used as a meat tenderizer. It is also a key ingredient in ‘Goombay’ jam, a Bahamian condiment made from papaya, pineapple and green ginger.
Dessert in the Bahamas is a very fruity affair, with almost all traditional desserts containing tropical fruit. Fresh fruit is deliciously sweet on its own, but can also be baked into tarts, crumbles, or any other baked goods. Duff is a traditional Bahamian dessert created by folding fruit, particularly guava, into a batter and then boiling it.
As you would expect from any tropical island, The Bahamas also offers an impressive variety of beverages. Switcha is one of the most famous drinks and is made from native limes or lemon with added sugar and water. Coconut water is often served as a light snack and can be mixed with sweet milk and gin to make juice from heaven. Bahamian cuisine offers a variety of other cocktails, including the Bahama Mama Rum Punch, the Goombay Smash, the Yellow Bird, and the Planter’s Punch. Beer is also a popular drink, served cold to take the heat off.
Each local restaurant will have its own twist on Bahamian cuisine. Dishes are seasonal and also change throughout the year. That’s part of the enjoyment – every meal is a new adventure in the Bahamas!