Conch is king in the Bahamas

 

In the PENUMBRA DATABASE spy thriller, I wrote in my experience with the conch culture in the Bahamas! This man is cleaning conch on the historic Prince George Wharf in Nassau, Bahamas. This is where the cruise ships dock, and if you ever pull into Nassau on a cruise ship, you’ll see conch shells for sale along the dock. Stroll through town and try the conch fritters, conch salad, and conch chowder being sold at all the bars and restaurants. Conch is the national food of the Bahamas, and is similar to calamari, firm meat, somewhat chewy and can be eaten steamed or deep-fried, or served raw with citrus juices and fresh vegetables. 

Here's a passage from the spy thriller that mentions conch: The group of six talked loudly enough so the locals at the bar and anyone else close by could overhear them. Their ship docked in Prince George Pier that morning and they boasted of the great duty-free purchases they made in downtown Nassau. A few of them walked to McKenzie’s from the cruise terminal, while their newly-acquired friends at the other table took a taxi.

     The rich couple who walked over the bridge to Potter’s Cay from the Paradise Island Atlantis Resort didn’t have much in common with the cruise ship folks, so they sat in silence and admired the spotted eagle rays gliding by in the waters below, the fishermen bringing in boatloads of conch, and the cook expertly cleaning conch before them. As planned, Devon Ledard strolled into McKenzie’s fifteen minutes after they did. He walked past the bar and stood by the tiny back patio, hunting for a place to sit down.

Yep, I like conch so much I squeeze it into scenes in my spy novels. I made this video of a Conch Shack in the Bimini, Bahamas when writing another scene for PENUMBRA DATABASE. They had the best Conch Salad I ever ate... anywhere.