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00:04The best way to experience the true flavor of a place is through its food so I'm off on my
00:11culinary travels again. I'm looking for dishes with a story to tell. It's an aphrodisiac. Traditions
00:24passed down through generations. And the freshest and ziniest of ingredients from land and sea so
00:34here I am in the Bahamas exploring islands of white sands turquoise seas and food that is as vibrant as
00:42its people from hidden beach shacks and fish fries to fine dining with a Caribbean twist.
00:54Scoop it off. This is the last bottle known to man. Wow. I'm diving headfirst into the flavors,
01:04the colors, and the rhythms of island life. So come on, grab a plate, loosen that belt,
01:11and join me in my quest as I search for a little bit of island zest. Welcome to the taste
01:17of the Bahamas.
01:27The Bahamas is a chain of hundreds of islands and coral shallows in the warm Atlantic Ocean. Just a
01:34short hop from Florida and right at the heart of it all are Nassau and Paradise Island, my Bahamian base.
01:42Today I'm digging into island traditions and getting a feel for the flavors that have stood the test of
01:48time. I'll be meeting a local chef who loves cooking with heritage ingredients. And this recipe,
01:54I cook this from technique, memory, because I'm allergic to crap.
01:59Tasting herbal concoctions that islanders have been taking for generations.
02:08And stirring some classic Caribbean ingredients into my one pot veggie wonder.
02:16Sometimes when you get to this stage, you've got to stir it up.
02:23But first, I'm taking 66 steps back into Bahamian history.
02:33This immense staircase was chiseled out of the rock by enslaved Africans in the 1790s.
02:40When slavery was abolished, it was named in honour of Queen Victoria. And today the Queen's
02:46staircase stands as a quiet tribute to the people who built it.
02:50Nassau and Paradise Island are steeped in history. And to think that this staircase was
02:56hand-carved through solid limestone almost 200 years ago is just quite incredible.
03:04The staircase opens into a giant stone corridor. This former limestone quarry formed a shortcut
03:12between Fort Fincastle above and the town and harbour below. It really is a true man-made wonder.
03:22That same hard labour went into building the forts that guarded Nassau. And the biggest of them all
03:29was Fort Charlotte, built in the late 1700s when British forces feared attacks from Spain, France,
03:36and the newly independent United States. With more than 100 cannons pointing out to sea,
03:42the message was simple. Think twice before you attack this place. Today, I'm walking in unopposed to
03:49meet historian Bobby Pinder from the Bahamas Antiquities Monuments and Museums Corporation.
03:55This is actually chiselled limestone that you will find here in the Bahamas, and they created blocks out of
04:01limestone. And when you go throughout the forts in its entirety, you'd see dungeons, you'd see tunnels,
04:08you'd actually see places where the soldiers would have had for their sleeping waters as well, and places where
04:13they would have used to cook as well. There was plenty of storage for barrels of gunpowder here too,
04:19and the equally important barrels of rum. The sheer scale and firepower of this place worked,
04:25because Fort Charlotte was such an effective deterrent, it never fired a single shot in anger.
04:32It must have been so boring for the soldiers though. You know, there you are, transported out here to
04:38the Bahamas to Nassau to protect the island, to protect the nation. Nothing's happening.
04:44So, what did the soldiers do to while away those long hours? Well, some of them decided to make their
04:50mark with a little graffiti, ships, dates, names. You know what, I have a feeling just like these carvings,
04:58I've only just scratched the surface of the history here. I always tell people that every island has a
05:04different story. Every island in the Bahamas has 700 islands, and every island has a different relation
05:10to its pristineness, to its cultural history, and to its historical heritage as well. There's a reason
05:17this place is here, there's a reason that life continues, and the reason we should be proud of
05:22what we've got here. Definitely. What a pleasure talking to you. Thank you so much, Bobby. My pleasure.
05:27He's lovely with you. Bahamian cooking, like its history, is a combination of African, European,
05:34and Caribbean influences, mixed with the unique spirit of the islands themselves. And when you
05:40talk about the story of food here, Simeon Hall Jr. is the man, a chef who loves cooking good old
05:46island recipes using hearty heritage ingredients. But talking about keeping traditions alive here,
05:53what are you going to cook for me? Well, I'm going to do a bohemian crab and rice. The real
05:59deal,
06:00the absolute real deal with South Andrews crab and really, really fragrant rice and everything
06:07that you need to make this an absolutely amazing dish. I can tell. What do you need to put in
06:11here to
06:11bring it alive now, tell me. Well, you know, what we're going to do is just put in a little
06:15bit of oil.
06:16Yeah. Okay. Don't skimp on the oil. Oil carries flavor. And then this is crushed tomatoes.
06:20Mm-hmm. So. How much of this you want in there? About half. Beautiful.
06:28Good to go. Lovely, lovely, lovely. So this is the type of stuff that you cook at home, is it?
06:34Yeah, for sure. For sure. When I cook in for me, I cook in. You know, I'm playing around.
06:40When I cook in for me, I cook in. Because this is what we call a pilau. A pilau is
06:47a cook-up.
06:48Yeah. Meaning that it's all sorts of different ingredients brought together.
06:51And it used to come from different houses. So you had the rice. I had the crab. You had the
06:56tomatoes.
06:57We came together and we would cook together. Simeon's love of all recipes like this was passed on to him
07:03by his grandmother. So what was it like growing up with a grandmother who was so passionate about
07:09cooking? Because when did you start? Age seven or something you started? Well, I got my first
07:14paycheck at age seven. But I started cooking at four. I made an omelette with my grandmother.
07:20When I became a professional chef, I realized it wasn't an omelette. It was burnt eggs.
07:24But for a better story, I tell everybody it was an omelette.
07:28I love that. My first paycheck at seven. I've got a 30-odd year old and I'm starting to get
07:34him to work.
07:37Land crabs are a real island staple. But they don't all taste the same. The black ones give you a
07:43rich
07:44earthy flavour, whilst the white ones are lovely and sweet. So you can see, look at the shell. Totally
07:49different. Size, colour, it's totally different. That's a white crab. This is what we call a black crab.
07:54Yeah, beautiful. And these are the claws. So in the Bahamas, of course, we put everything in there.
08:01Now here's the trick. I use green gold peppers. This is the heirloom version of habaneros,
08:10or scotch bonnets. So I use a green one for the flavour and I use a ripe one for the
08:16kick.
08:17And I put it in there, halved and not chopped, so that you can kind of fish it out at
08:22the end.
08:23Okay, beautiful. And this recipe, to be honest, I cooked this from technique, memory,
08:30and everything else because I'm allergic to crap.
08:36But you know, my grandmother taught me, I'm going off of the scent, the sizzle. I can look at the
08:41oil
08:41and see that it's starting to separate, so I know it's time for the rice. Yeah.
08:45Yeah. My grandfather, who was also a very passionate cook, he used to say, grab the steam
08:51and smell it. Yeah, of course. You know what I mean? Yeah, yeah, yeah. And have a little bit of
08:55a smell.
08:55That's wonderful. All different techniques that just make us more passionate about cooking,
09:01make us enjoy it more. Do you know what I mean, Simeon? Yes, 100%. Food for me is,
09:06is the way that we tell stories. I tell people all the time, your plate is your flight. What you
09:12put
09:12on your plate says so much about you, it can introduce a stranger to who you are. So when you
09:19eat this, I want you to know who I am. Okay. Except you don't eat crap. Yeah, but you know.
09:28How amazing is that? He can never eat this dish, and yet, he can probably cook it better than anybody
09:34else. What about these? This right here. This is the baby right here. This came from my yard.
09:39You grab avocados in your yard. We call it pear in the Bahamas. If you say avocado in the Bahamas,
09:45people relate that to store-bought avocados. When you say pear, then you're talking like one ass.
09:51Okay. So that's what I want you to call it. This pear, okay? In the garden, I'm picking the pear.
09:55Exactly. Exactly. And we're going to turn that pear into something Simeon calls a relish.
10:02Beautiful. Well, it smells good. Let me just season this up a little bit.
10:07Okay. And now, our dish is ready. My grandmother would be proud of me. So this is definitely
10:14right where we want this to be. The crab is all, all of that fat is really, really coated,
10:20all of those grains of rice. It's nice and singular. This crab and rice. This crab and rice.
10:27I'm so glad I'm allergic to crab. You look like you was one of us.
10:32Yeah, well, I like a good portion. I love it. Oh, can I try it?
10:38Of course, please. Oh, that's delicious. Yep. It's hard to believe that this hearty
10:44crab and rice dish is normally served as a side, especially when Simeon has made such a massive pot
10:51just for me. In our culture, when we love you, we cook in abundance. So doing this and then doing
10:59some other dishes as well is how we express love. And so that is what we would do. Thank you
11:05so much.
11:05What is it? Brilliant. Lovely.
11:11Coming up, I taste a tea that might take a few years off me.
11:16So now you want to live for 150 years.
11:20And stir timeless ingredients into a time-saving one-pot wonder. It's a taste of the Bahamas in one
11:27pot.
11:35Welcome back to the Bahamas. Today, I'm stepping back into history.
11:40You look at the panels and walls of history. We've been able to tell our story and tasting
11:44dishes that have been enjoyed here for generations.
11:48When I cook in for me, I cook it. You know, I'm playing around.
11:52And now it's time for an all-time favorite island tradition,
11:55a really good cup of tea.
11:59We all like a cuppa, don't we? But here in the Bahamas, it's all about bush tea.
12:05It's not just a drink. It's a remedy. It's a ritual. It's a part of their tradition.
12:10And I tell you what, each root and each leaf has a purpose and a story. And I'm about to
12:16find out more.
12:19Long before pharmacies and health supplements came along,
12:22Bahamian families were using bush tea as a form of medicine. And the family here at Tasty Teas...
12:30Hi, welcome to Tasty Teas.
12:32..is keeping that tradition alive.
12:35This is the strong back, one of my personal favorites.
12:37JJ Forbes grew up drinking bush tea every morning, and he swears by it.
12:43Now, over here is the life leaf. Listen, any respiratory issues, asthma,
12:49anything to do with respiratory sicknesses, this is your best friend.
12:53OK, wonderful.
12:54Yes, absolutely.
12:55People here really believe in these plants, JJ included, but herbal remedies aren't regulated
13:01like medicines, so quality can vary. And if you're ever unsure, have a quick chat with your
13:07healthcare professional. It's always a good idea.
13:10So right now, we've got the Sweet Margaret, which is one of my personal favorites. It's only grown in
13:15the Bahamas, OK? And Sweet Margaret is traditionally used for memory. If you're forgetful, that's the tea for you.
13:22Yeah, I think that's going to sell well, didn't you?
13:24That'll do the right trick. So next, we've got the hibiscus flowers.
13:28It's full of vitamin C, great for nerve function.
13:31According to JJ, every leaf and herb here is good for something.
13:36Now, bay lavender, only grown in the Bahamas as well. Traditionally used for arthritis and joint
13:42pains, OK? So care this for your Grammy. What about this little bad boy here, then?
13:46Now, now, hold on. This is my favorite. You guys call it lemongrass in the UK.
13:50Yeah. And in other parts of the world. But in the Bahamas, we call it fever grass.
13:54Say fever grass. Fever grass. Oh, you sound good.
13:57Yeah, my. I've been there too long, I've been.
14:00Listen. Yes, sir. That is traditionally used for fevers, colds, flus.
14:03Can I have a little smell? Something, man. Listen, go ahead.
14:05Yes, I'm... Take a whiff. How it smells?
14:07Like lemongrass. Fever grass!
14:12I'm getting the hang of the accent now. And more importantly, I'm getting a cup of tea too,
14:17as JJ gets her fever grass and ginger brew going, while I find out more about JJ's family.
14:24So, Mum and Grandmother, everyone still kicking?
14:27Well, my mother's about 180 years old.
14:29You know. She's looking... She's looking so good.
14:34She's up in her mouth. All I heard, what?
14:38Mum, are you all right? All right.
14:42Oh, lovely. JJ's mum, Hilda, set up the family tea business after she recovered from a serious illness.
14:49She's convinced bush tea saved her. And I'm not going to argue with a 180-year-old woman.
14:55Family is sexy all along. All right.
14:59Apparently the secret to a life-enhancing brew is drying your herbs in the sun.
15:04You get the best purity out of it when it's nice and dry, you know. So, even the bees are
15:10joining us.
15:10They know the good stuff. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. I like that. Yeah, come and join us. Absolutely.
15:14Now JJ pops in the ginger, pours in the hot water, adds a dash of lemon and some nectar for
15:22sweetness.
15:26Oh, yeah. Delicious. It is delicious. It's light. It's light.
15:30I just love it. On a hot day like today, there's nothing more refreshing than a bit of fever grass,
15:36lemon and ginger tea.
15:38Yes, sir. Absolutely. Any time, any day. Drink it hot, drink it cold.
15:42I can't feel myself getting any younger yet, but I'm definitely refreshed.
15:48And before I go, JJ's got one final bit of tree medicine for me to try.
15:53The seeds from the legendary moringa tree, which are packed with vitamins and nutrients.
15:58So, this is our moringa tree. So, let me look for a good one. I think this is a good
16:04one. I'm a little shorter than you.
16:05OK, let me lift you up. You got it? There you go.
16:15Oh, wow. And how do we open this up, then? So, we just crack that right open.
16:19Yeah. And it's like a nut inside. Which you're going to eat, OK?
16:25Let's chew it. And it's going to be... I didn't expect it to be so soft.
16:32Yeah. It's a bit licorice-y, isn't it? I usually take three in the morning.
16:35I'm three when I'm going to bed.
16:37Ah, it's been lovely having tea with JJ. He's so enthusiastic about the herbs,
16:42the seeds and the leaves, and it looks like they're doing him the power of good.
16:46So, I think I'll keep on taking the moringa and see what happens.
16:51So, now you're going to live for 150 years?
16:53Like my mother.
17:01It's a hard life, isn't it? After all that afternoon tea, and now I've got to cook in my sea
17:07-view kitchen.
17:08Look at that.
17:09So, I'm going to go easy on myself and make a one-pot wonder my island veggie stew.
17:17It's lovely. Incorporates all the beautiful flavours that we get here in the Bahamas into one pot.
17:24Let's crack on, shall we?
17:26First of all, get your oil. All right, we've got the celery, onion and peppers.
17:32You don't want a high heat on this, okay? We're just kind of sweating it off a little bit.
17:38There. Then it's in with some ginger. Already aromatic. Lovely.
17:42A little bit of that chopped garlic. Now, the great thing about a veggie pot, of course, is that
17:49everything just goes into one pot full of glorious flavours and includes all the lovely veggies or,
17:56as they refer to them here, provisions. I love that, didn't you?
18:01So, a quick stir of my provisions. And then a little bit of stock to keep things from cooking too
18:07quickly.
18:08You can add a little bit of water if you want, just to slow it down. Then that will evaporate.
18:15And then in a couple of minutes, you're back to where you were before. Okay, let's crack on.
18:21Fresh thyme. Look at that. And the bay leaf going in there. That's lovely. A bit of lemongrass. It's fever
18:27grass.
18:29It still smells like lemon to me though. I'm going to give that a bit of a bash.
18:35In that goes. Just give that a little bit of a stir there.
18:40Now, let's get a little bit chunky with my potatoes,
18:44sweet potatoes and some butternut squash. I like the flavour of that texture.
18:51This whole idea of this actual stew is that it really is nice and chunky and healthy too.
19:01What about you? As I get older, I like me veggies a bit more.
19:06Keeps me regular.
19:10Too much information, Aids. Get on with the tomatoes.
19:14Let's get some spices into our food. A bit of curry powder going in there.
19:21And I've also got some turmeric here. Not much, about a quarter of a teaspoon there.
19:26And next to it, I've got these bad boys. Okay, the allspice. You can crush a few of them if
19:31you like,
19:32or a few of them whole, just put them straight in. They are so lovely and fragrant.
19:38Toast that off now. You can see the colour change, can't you, eh?
19:42Next, in with my chopped vegetables and my stock. Let that cook down, I'd say, for a good 10 or
19:4915 minutes.
19:51Then I'll come back and I'll add my carne and my acra and a bit of lime.
19:58Put the coconut in there and stir it wrong. But I've got 10 minutes. Why not?
20:07You know what? There aren't too many kitchens in the world with a view like this, are there?
20:13Sometimes you've just got to stop and take it all in.
20:18Now, for the final touches.
20:21I've got a scotch bonnet pepper here that I'm going to drop straight into my pot.
20:26I have put that in whole. The idea is that it releases all that lovely flavour without the seeds,
20:31which are a bit spicy, all right? And hey, look at this. I've got some acra here.
20:37Let's just chop these up.
20:41And all of that can go in.
20:45Next, for the ingredients that really bring this dish all together.
20:49Look at this. It's just big pieces of corn on the cob.
20:53And then it's time for my usual island suspects.
20:58Lime zest, lime juice, some coconut milk and some seasoning.
21:04I'm sure you've heard it many, many times before, but sometimes when you get to this stage,
21:10you've got to stir it up.
21:15Yeah.
21:17This is a proper Afro-Caribbean soul food. It's hearty, it's spicy.
21:23And now it's ready.
21:27There you have it, guys. A taste of the Bahamas in one pot.
21:31We're talking serious provisions. Accompanied by Likapita Janikia.
21:38I'd say that's pretty historic, wouldn't you?
21:41What a day. Nassau is steeped in history and heritage and brought home to me by Simeon's
21:47wonderful dishes and JJ's teas. It's been a wonderful, wonderful experience.
21:53Join me next time for Ainslie's Taste of the Bahamas.
22:19Ainslie's Taste of the Bahamas
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