Traditionally, Bahamian methods of cooking were determined not only by the raw material available (see FISHING, CONCH, AGRICULTURE), but also by the means available to prepare it (see HOUSEHOLD ARTICLES). Even today, cooking is not easy on the outer islands, where stores are few and irregularly supplied by the MALL. Supplies like sugar, flour, and rice have to be shipped in, but people can grow some of their staple foods, like beans and corn. INDIAN CORN or GUINEA CORN has to be TRASHED, FANNED to remove the HUCKS, then pounded with a MAUL to make grits, HOMINY, PEAS AND GRITS or HOE-CAKE. Rice can be eaten SO SO as BAREFOOT RICE, or added to other ingredi­ents to make PEAS AND RICE, RICE BELOW, HOPPING JOHN, or FIRE ENGINE. In any case rice must be SOAKED so the grains will be ONE ONE, nobody likes SOBBY RICE, but most people love BUN-BUN (also called POTCAKE or SWINGE). Flour can be prepared many ways; the simplest is FLOUR PAP (or GRIVEL or DIPNER) or FLOUR TEA (BOUFOO). Quick breads include JOHNNY CAKE, MOON BREAD, BREAD BISCUITS (also called FLOUR BISCUITS), PANNY-CAKES or GRIDDLE CAKES, and an entire range of DOUGH BOYS (Or DOBIES or DOUGHS) including DROPLETS, DROPPERS, SINKERS, SLIDERS, SLIPPERIES and STICK-TO-THE-RIBS. Without leavening, bread will be DUMB; to make ^'LIGHT-BREAD or RISE BREAD, one must use the FLESHMAN or an EAS' CAKE from a previous batch. One must put the dough to LIGHT before it can be LOAFED OFF and al­lowed to SPONGE again before baking.

The RELISH of a meal may just be FLAVOURING MEAT or a more substantial portion of meat that might be ROASTED, BAKED, DUNNED, BROILED or STEWED DOWN with POT GRAVY and MIX HERBS. Favorite main dishes also include BOIL FISH, STEW FISH, and STEAM FISH, as well as CRAB-AND-DOUGH and SOUSE. Dessert may be a FLOUR CAKE with ICENING or some other BAKE-THING such as BAKER'S CAKE, ROUND-THE-WORLD, SWEET-POTATO PONE, GUAVA DUFF, or one of the many coconut wonders: COCONUT BOMB, COCONUT CAKE, COCONUT CREAM, COCONUT DOUGHBY, COCONUT DUFF, COCONUT JIMMY, COCONUT RUSH, COCONUT TART, or COCONUT TRIFLE. Candies include TUFFY, JAW-BONE BREAKERS, BENNY CAKE, and GRANNY CAKE (or PEANUT CAKE). Beyond the many ice creams made from tropical fruits and STIFFEREEN, ices include BAGGY, CUP, and ICICLE. Beverages may be nourishing drinks like BANANA WATER or FISH TEA; hot drinks like COFFEE TEA, GREEN TEA (or LIPTON TEA), COCOA TEA or CHOCOLATE TEA, CANE TEA or PEAR-LEAF TEA or SPICE TEA; COOL DRINKS linke JEBIM or SWITCHER.  Drinks like GIN-AND-COCONUT-WATER, MALAFEE or TAFFIA can leave one HALF-HOT, HOT, or totally PIFLICATED.