“Souse struggle” or gluttony?
GRAND BAHAMA, BAHAMAS – A photo of a bowl of sausage sauce, dubbed the ‘Grand Cay Special’, recently toured the Bahamian social media sphere, sparking a frenzy of hundreds of users over the legitimacy of the controversial dish.
The viral photo, which was posted by “Good Eats by Queen Cuisine,” a Grand Bahama-based takeout, boiled those unfamiliar with the dish with contempt for the unorthodox meal, while others knowing the souse expressed alternate feelings.
“The souse struggle,†said one social media user.
“Don’t criticize it until you’ve tried it. If they do it right, it’s so good,†another social media user said.
Denise Duncombe, the owner of the take-out and from Abaco, said Eyewitness News that it was not the first time that she had prepared the dish.
“I grew up on [it]. In Grand Cay, the sausage sauce – it’s one of our favorite breakfasts, â€said the self-taught cook.
“I’m a cook, but I post it when I do it for myself.
“Everyone was like, ‘So what is this? I’ve never seen him before.
“So I started doing it for them and they keep demanding it more and more.
“It’s not only known to me; most of the islands you go to, especially Abaco, it’s like a normal thing.
“Sausage sauce is one thingâ€
Chef Simeon Hall Jr, a food writer and culinary historian from the Bahamas, provided insight into the origin of the sausage sauce, suggesting the meal is a regional dish that may have originated from Harbor Island.
“I know the sausage sauce. Sausage sauce is one thing, â€he said. Eyewitness News.
“The hot dog souse is very important in Britain. Souse sausage – I had been eating souse sausage since I was about 12 years old.
“My uncle at the time made sausage sauce all the time.
“But when you know and understand Bahamian cuisine, where it comes from, and each island prepares food differently, then you will understand.
“When you go to each island, everything is different. Everything is based on the same food culture, but it’s different.
He used the example of conch salad, noting that tropical conch salad is only served in New Providence, while pickled conch salad is served in Grand Bahama, particularly the West End.
Move over, chicken souse
According to Duncombe, since his take-out restaurant post went viral, sausage sauce has become a popular product in his establishment, surpassing its more traditional counterpart, chicken sauce.
“Everybody [who] happens who hasn’t tried it before wants to try the sausage sauce, â€she said Eyewitness News.
“In fact, he replaced the chicken sauce.
“I ate chicken sauce on the first and second day and it didn’t even sell. Now I’m making two jars of sausage sauce.
Speculating on why her customers opt for sausages over chicken in their breakfast sauce, Duncombe said she believed it was because “sausage is a breakfast thing.”
She suggested that the sausage is probably the best option “if you are looking for a breakfast and don’t want a heavy breakfast. [and] not chicken, because you might want chicken for lunch â€.
She added, “The sausage sauce, I guess it just takes a step up. You could get a bigger breakfast – you have the potatoes, carrots, gravy and you can also have yellow oatmeal if you want, or you can have it with Johnny cake.
Written by Gabrielle Sterling, Intern for Eyewitness News
