As a child, we collected and prized conch shells which we found on the beach during early morning walks. But I never thought about eating the mollusk or sea snail which lived inside these interesting-shaped shells. At least not until our recent trip to Nassau in the Bahamas where conch is a staple in their diet.
After a city tour, we asked our driver where the best place conch fritters and cracked conch could be found. Without hesitation, he replied, “Linda’s Place”. Linda’s is located in Woodes Rogers Walk where you will see a charming succession of little shops and market stalls where vendors sell vegetables, fish and, of course, conch You can check out her facebook page, https://www.facebook.com/Lindas-Place, to see we aren’t her only fans!
What does conch taste like? It is a soft meat when tenderized and a little rubbery in texture (think octopus). Its smell is much like crab and doesn’t possess a strong “sea” smell.
Conch fritters are seasoned with cayenne pepper, salt, pepper and red pepper flakes and mixed with the conch meat, onion, red, yellow and green peppers, celery and garlic. They are dipped in a flour batter and deep fried and served with a side of hot sauce. Cracked conch is deep fried conch and looks a bit like deep fried calamari but has a lot more taste and served with a squeeze of lime juice. It is the perfect afternoon snack to go with a local Kalik beer.
The pistol of the conch is commonly referred to as “Bahamian Viagra”. It is eaten raw and sucked down similar to eating an oyster. I’m told it has no flavor and is too small to eat to satisfy your hunger, but you will have to try it yourself to determine its aphrodisiac effects!
And our driver did not steer us wrong. Linda’s conch fritters and cracked conch were amazing. Linda was a delight and was so appreciative of the return of cruise ships to Nassau so she can provide the cruise guests with a meal like they won’t get anywhere else! I hope you will make an effort to meet Linda if you find yourself hungry and in Nassau.
