All Hail the Queen (Conch)!!!!

One word: Conch (pronounced Konk…and we use that word in another context too… “to violently hit a person…preferably in the head eg. “Watch me ‘konk’ you” or “Watch out before that coconut ‘konks’ you!”) But SERIOUSLY….let’s talk CONCH…

"Shells on the Wharf" J. Christina Photography (c)2014

Maybe it’s because I’ve been craving this mollusk (YES! A really huge TASTY snail) for at least a week now…I have changed its presentation in my head from cracked (beaten, floured and fried), to frittered (placed in a batter and fried….something similar to hush puppies), to scorched (scored and seasoned with herbs and orange juice etc…maybe raw…maybe grilled…sigh)…and then I’ve really been thinking of a conch salad (raw and cut into manageable pieces with lemon juice, orange juice and  herbs like onion, sweet pepper, celery etc.) Yeah…I’m leaning more toward the salad because I can FINALLY try the tropical conch salad that is all the rage these days.  

Atropical conch salad would be prepared normally, but fruits such as strawberries and pineapples are added…this variation on the salad is a skill that has been honed by another family island and is becoming a big hit here…a hit that I haven’t tried yet.  And I’m not feeling pressured in any way, I think I’m a bit old school, and it isn’t just with my food…

• ·         Am I the only one who gets peeved when they realize that the Microsoft Word program now starts you up in the Calibri font? I’m a Times New Roman type gal…and I feel weird writing in a different font…

• ·         Do you think I’m going to be one of those older people who INSIST on calling establishments by their previous names? Eg. Telecoms (pronounced Telecalms by my grandparents) ---> BaTelCo (our generation) ---> BTC(…the sidekick must be the only person who calls it BTC in our home)…well I call it BTC when something goes wrong (does that count?)…they have this slogan that goes “BTC dun done it again” (BTC has done it again!) and it’s supposed to be a GOOD thing, (especially when they are mentioning how they have upgraded a cell phone package etc.)

See what I mean?!  (Let’s get back on topic though…)

I’m craving conch…

Known as an aphrodisiac for generations, the Strombus Gigas (Queen Conch), a simple, one-toed delicacy (sounds weird huh? LOL…but it has one nail that it uses to slowly pull itself across the ocean floor as it eats) is a staple in our diet and can be prepared in countless ways (I cannot complain).

So until I actually get it, in ‘some way, shape, or form’ I will dream about the many tantalizing ways I can prepare it, and OF COURSE nag my husband as subtly as I can until he craves it too (I think I will teach you guys how to do that in my next blog post, so stay tuned!) Ha!

Hands up in enthusiasm , heart full of schemes,

xoxo Jenna