Welcome to the Bahamas! It’s a beautiful collection of islands in the Atlantic, just north of Cuba and Hispaniola. It’s a place best known for its gorgeous scenery, chilled out atmosphere, and colourful architecture.
The Bahamas, which is part of North America but often considered to be in the Caribbean, has a similar history to many countries in Central America and the Caribbean, but the difference is that it was never colonized by the Spanish. Long story, short: It was originally inhabited by the Arawakan Tanio Amerindians, and then was the first stop for Christopher Columbus in the New World in 1492. It was later colonized by the British, African slaves were brought in to set up plantations, and when slavery was abolished in 1834, many of the African people continued to reside there. Contributing to the Bahamas’ rich history is the fact that it was a haven for pirates (yar!) back during the 18th century, and then the country became independent in 1973. It, like many other countries around the world, is still part of the British Commonwealth.
The fact that the Bahamas was colonized by the British instead of the Spanish is what separates the country’s cuisine from its neighbors. It’s not a place that is renowned for its food, but their fresh, tasty dishes are definitely worth some praise.
Seafood is the staple food in the Bahamas; crawfish, crabs, snapper, conch, and grouper are the most popular, and they are cooked in a variety of ways, and included in most meals. Meat, primarily ox-tail, pig’s feet, chicken, goat, sheep or pork, are also used in Bahamian cooking, but less often than seafood. Common fruits and vegetables include coconut, pineapple, bananas, dates, mangos, plantains, passion fruit, papaya, hot peppers, onions, peas, tomatoes, potatoes, corn, celery, and limes. These, combined with seafood or meat, are what make up the dishes of the Bahamas.
The most popular Bahamian dishes are simple and make the most of the available ingredients: souse (a clear-broth soup with vegetables and meat), peas’n rice, pea soup, conch soup/chowder, conch fritters, Johnny cake, and stew fish. Guava duff is a guava based dessert that is very popular in the Bahamas, and the country is known for its tasty choice in beverages.
Check out the Bahama Mama – a delicious rum-based cocktail, from the Bahamas Gateway website.
Bahama Mama
Serves 1
Ingredients
¾ ounce Bacardi Gold rum
½ ounce Nassau Royale Liqueur
½ ounce Cointreau
2 ounce orange juice
1 dash Angostura Bitter
½ ounce Grenadine
¼ ounce lemon juice
Shake in a martini shaker filled with ice. Pour into a highball glass and garnish with an orange slice and a cherry.
Coming up on Wednesday: a Bahamian recipe for you to try out! Have you ever been to the Bahamas? If so, what’s your favourite dish? Do share!