We’re back after a few weeks away. You didn’t think we’d give up that easily? We still have a giant world out there to explore.

And I’m excited that our first country back is also the first country I ever visited outside of my own. Growing up in South Florida, it was not uncommon to vacate on a very cheesy Caribbean cruise. And since the Bahamas is the closest country to the southern United States, how could I not have spent a few of my childhood days there?

THE CUISINE

Unfortunately, when I visited the Bahamas as a kid, I don’t remember eating any traditional Bahamian food. And that is most likely because I didn’t. Growing up in a family of conservative eaters, we sadly stuck to the cruise ship buffet rather than venture to any local spots in the Bahamas.

The one thing I do distinctly remember is trying the unofficial national soda, Goombay Punch, a very sweet pineapple-like drink. The logo and taste has been forever embedded in my mind.

Perhaps that sweet sip sprouted my love for trying different foods and drinks from around the world.

Since The Bahamas is made up of more than 700 islands, the natural food of choice comes from the ocean. Seafood is plentiful, especially shellfish and conch. Conch is served in many ways, including in chowders, fried and “cracked”, steamed, stewed, or as a raw salad with citrus.

Rock lobster, crab, snapper, grouper, and other delectable sea creatures also find their way into Bahamian cuisine.

Meats, especially chicken and goat, are common. And they’re almost always served with a range of sides that are not so different from the side dishes served in the American South. Don’t be surprised to find versions of cornbread (called johnnycakes), rice and beans (usually pigeon peas in The Bahamas), macaroni and cheese (usually baked), potato salad, and cole slaw.

Desserts are often breads and pastries with fruits like guava, pineapple, and coconut. Those desserts that don’t have fruit, might be doused in rum or stuffed with cornmeal or peanuts.

BAHAMIAN FOOD IN NEW YORK

Just a few months ago, a Bahamian restaurant opened in the Lower East Side of Manhattan. Before then, I couldn’t find a dedicated Bahamian restaurant.

I am so excited to try The Bun House, which does traditional Bahamian dishes like cracked conch and curry goat, but also unique fusion twists with classic flavors. The buns refer to a series of Asian baos (steamed buns) stuffed with Bahamian fillings. Keep your eyes peeled because I will be posting an update as soon as I make it over to try these intriguing dishes.

THE VIDEO

Sam and I are back to our usual antics in the latest episode. We learn about things like what makes an island an island and discover a potato that mysteriously ended up in our cupboard. And once again, Sam is the greatest helper. He is an expert potato scrubber and has a blast tenderizing the conch.

And while we cook these flavors of The Bahamas, we both dream about going down to the islands, swimming with sting rays, trying some tropical dishes, and meeting the famous swimming pigs.

THE DISH

For the season two premiere we decided to go big and make two dishes. These dishes are not often served together, but I wanted to try them both. So I figured we’d do a two course meal. Probably should have made dessert, but there’s always next time.

I was most excited for cracked conch, once we were able to located the correct conch (see below). Growing up in South Florida, I actually enjoyed cracked conch more often than I had fried calamari.

This is the National Dish of The Bahamas and is often served as an appetizer or in a sandwich. The conch is usually sliced, breaded, and deep fried. It’s commonly served with either a tartar sauce or  a tropical dipping sauce mixed with ketchup, mayonnaise, and lime juice.

Chicken souse is a clear spiced chicken soup that is usually served on the weekends (all weekend long) and is purported to be a miraculous hangover cure.

We didn’t test out the hangover theory, but we did enjoy the curing affects. The souse (pronounced sow-z) is boiled three times to get rid of any of the impurities and most of the fat of the chicken. The base is a bone broth and lots of lime and peppers.

SPECIAL INGREDIENTS

Conch

So the conch almost didn’t happen because we had a difficult time tracking it down.

You know conch, don’t you? At least you recognize the shell that is often purchased at souvenir shops in beachside shops in Florida and the Caribbean. Or maybe you don’t.

Anyway, conch is a giant sea snail that has quite a bit of delicious meat inside when extracted and tenderized.

I located quite a few places selling canned scungilli, which is used a lot in Italian cuisine. The can says “sliced conch” but I knew this was not the right stuff. It probably would have been a totally disaster if I had used that.

I didn’t want to give up though so after calling around and getting a lot of confused grocery employees, I located something close to the real deal at a Latin American market in New Jersey.

So the conch they would use in The Bahamas is known as Queen Conch and it is not legally available for consumption in the United States. For good reason. The mollusk is way overfished and on the verge of going extinct.

I found a conch that is the closest I could and I believe its meaty texture comes as responsibly close as possible.

Yucca

If you’ve ever. had Caribbean or Latin American food, odds are pretty good that yucca has ended up on your plate.

Also known as cassava, yucca is a tuber or root that has a rough brown skin but creamy white flesh inside. It’s used in many different forms but usually provides a distinct starchy texture and nutty flavor. It’s easily obtainable in any Latin American marke

THE RECIPE