“Struggle souse” or delicacy?
GRAND BAHAMA, BAHAMAS — A photo of a bowl of sausage souse, dubbed the “Grand Cay Special”, made the rounds through the Bahamian social media sphere recently, sending hundreds of users into a frenzy over the legitimacy of the controversial dish.
The viral photo, which was posted by “Good Eats by Queen Cuisine”, a Grand Bahama-based takeaway, had those unfamiliar with the dish boiling with contempt for the unorthodox meal, whilst others acquainted with the souse voiced alternative feelings.
“The struggle souse”, opined one social media user.
“Don’t diss it until you try it. If they make it right, that is taste so good,” stated another social media user.
Denise Duncombe, the owner of the takeaway and an Abaco native, told Eyewitness News that it was not her first time preparing the dish.
“I grew up on [it]. In Grand Cay, sausage souse — that’s one of our favorite breakfasts,” said the self-taught cook.
“I’m a cook, but I post it when I just do it for myself.
“Everybody was just like: ‘So, what’s that? I’ve never seen it before.’
“So, I actually started making it for them and they just keep demanding it more and more.
“It’s not only known to me; most islands you go to, especially Abaco, that’s like a normal thing.”
“Sausage souse is a thing”
Chef Simeon Hall Jr, Bahamian food writer and culinary historian, offered insight into the origin of sausage souse, suggesting that the meal is a regional dish that may have hailed from Harbor Island.
“I know sausage souse. Sausage souse is a thing,” he told Eyewitness News.
“Hot dog souse is a big thing in Briland. Sausage souse — I was eating sausage souse since I was about 12.
“My uncle at the time made sausage souse all the time.
“But when you know and understand Bahamian cuisine, where it came from and that every island prepares food differently, then you’d understand.
“When you go to each and every island, everything is different. It’s all based in the same food culture, but it’s different.”
He used the example of conch salad, noting that tropical conch salad is only served on New Providence, whereas pickled conch salad is served on Grand Bahama, particularly in West End.
Move over, chicken souse
According to Duncombe, since her takeaway restaurant’s post went viral, sausage souse has been a hot-ticket item at her establishment, outselling its more traditional counterpart, chicken souse.
“Everybody [who] comes in who hasn’t tried it before wants to try the sausage souse,” she told Eyewitness News.
“It has replaced chicken souse, actually.
“I had chicken souse the first and second day and it didn’t even sell. Now, I’m doing two pots of sausage souse.”
Speculating as to why her customers opt for sausage rather than chicken in their souse for breakfast, Duncombe said she believes it’s because “sausage is a breakfast thing”.
She suggested sausage is probably the best option “if you’re looking for breakfast and you don’t want like a heavy breakfast [and] not chicken, because you might want chicken for lunch”.
She added: “The sausage souse, I guess it just takes it up a notch. You could get a more filling breakfast — you have the potatoes, the carrots, the gravy and you can also have yellow grits if you want it, or you could have it with the Johnny cake.”
Written by Eyewitness News Intern Gabrielle Sterling
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