Welcome to the Bahama Islands history and cuisine! Enjoy a romantic vacation in the Bahamas! But there’s another world out there beyond the major tourist destinations just waiting to be discovered: The Out Islands of Abaco, Andros, the Berry Islands, Bimini, Cat Island, Crooked Island, Eleuthera, the Exumas, Harbour Island, Long Island, and so on.The Out Islands have long been a popular destination for sailors, sport fishermen and divers… Visitors to the Bahamas soon discover that instead of arriving at one destination, they have stumbled upon many! Just 50 miles off the Florida coast, the islands of the Bahamas are as diverse as they are lovely. The bustling marketplaces, marinas, and hotels of Freeport and Nassau seem worlds away from the pine forests and mangrove swamps of the Lucayan National Park.The more cosmopolitan islands provide traditional tourist fare, but others offer secluded beaches, tiny palm-lined villages, and stalagmite-filled caves. Stretching from Grand Bahama and Abaco at the north to Great Inagua at the south are 23 inhabited islands and hundreds of uninhabited islands and cays (pronounced keys). With six distinct ecosystems and many different adventures to be had, the islands of the Bahamas offer visitors a paradise of possibilities. This book also includes over 50 Simple-To-Cook Recipes and features Fritters and more fritters, Bahamian Ham & Banana Mix, Island Minced Pie, Rumball Cookies, Boiled Fish, Johnny Cake, Goombay Smash, and many more favourites ‘‘from the islands of ocean blue where Columbus landed in 1492.’’ Although virtually any type of international food can be found in The Islands of The Bahamas, it would be a mistake to miss an opportunity to sample the local cuisine. No matter where you are, you won’t have any difficulty finding plenty of restaurants serving Bahamian cuisine and fresh local seafood at reasonable prices. The cuisine of The Islands of The Bahamas is never, ever bland. Spicy, subtly and uniquely flavoured with local meats and produce, more than any other cuisine in the West Indies, Bahamian cooking has been influenced by the American South. The light, luscious, tropical, and healthy Bahamian cuisine derives from seafood, which is a principal industry as well as a local food staple. Nourished and supported by the local catch for centuries, the Bahamians have perfected a spicy cuisine using their traditional conch, grouper, crawfish, pigeon peas, breadfruit, guava, mango, and a variety of hot pepper sauces.The conch, pronounced ‘konk’, is served, cooked or uncooked, in chowders or fritters, or added to soups, salads, and stews. Other delicacies include land crabs and local spiny lobsters, which are boiled, baked or steamed and served with pigeon peas, rice or grits, or minced into salads and soups. Popular dishes also include boil fish served with grits and stew fish served with vegetables. Try some of these recipes for a taste of the Bahamas at home.
