A Truly Bahamian Dish

Bahamians have a talent for cooking which have been passed down from generation to generation. On some Islands, there might be slight changes in the ingredients, but the recipe and it's name remains the same. A favorite dish is "Boiled Fish" served with hot home made bread and butter or "Johnny Cake". This "Johnny cake" is also bread, which is made without yeast.The correct name is actually "Journey Cake" because it will last longer and was used by Family Island Passengers as they Journeyed by Mail boats from Island to Island. These trips took weeks, so on board "Journey/Johnny cake" was served. Grouper is the most popular fish for "Boiling". Bahamians are "Masters" at cooking the "Flaky, White, Tender Fish", so mild to the taste, so healthy for eating. 1. 2 pounds Grouper Fish 2. Salt and Peppers to taste 3. 2 table spoons Butter or cooking oil 3. 1 Medium Hot Pepper (Optional) 4. Juice of 2 Limes/Lemons 7. One large Onion chopped 8. 1+1/2 cups of water 9. 1. Table spoon All Spice (Optional) Wash Fish, and cut into 3 inch pieces, sprinkle with salt, place in a covered pot. Add the juice of 1 lemon , other ingredients, and water.When the fish is partly cooked, diced white potatoes may be added. Watch the boiling process to ensure that potatoes and fish are not over cooked. When serving, place the juice of the remaining lemon,pepper, and salt on the table for those who might want additional seasoning. Cooked yellow grits, and a ripe Avocado would make this a truly Bahamian dish. Try it.

The Joys of Writing

Twisting and struggling like a fish caught on a Fisherman's hook, I was drowning in a sea of "Writer's Blocks", "Rejections", and "Procrastinations". I plucked the last page of my latest Novel from my ancient typewriter, crushed it into a tiny ball and threw it across the room. The ball landed in the waste basket near the door. Thoughts of throwing my typewriter into the waste basket next, crowded my mind but instead, I bowed my head and prayed, "Please God, help me to overcome my past writing mistakes and find the Joys of Writing in my part of the World, The Bahama Islands. Before my prayers were finished, I saw them, hundreds of butterflies clinging to the blossoms of a "Strong Bark Tree" in my front yard. The butterflies stood motionless on the dew laden blossoms as they sucked the sweet Nectar in contentment. As I moved closer, the sweet fragrance from the blossoms made me realize that this was the real reason why the butterflies had come to my tree. "The Strong Bark", or " Strong Back Tree" as it is sometimes called by Bahamians is a valuable tree to have in your garden. Although it flourishes and grow in the "wilds', it is very valuable to many Bahamians. The leaves when brewed make an excellent tea. The berries are bright orange, when ripe, soft and semi sweet to the taste. The tree grows deep into the soil, and is so strong that it refuses to fall, even in Hurricanes. I thought, how sad it was that new or foreign land owners were not aware of the significance of these trees, and were cutting them down. I knew at that moment that the historical "Strong Bark" trees would slowly disappear from the Bahamian landscape. But, these fragile butterflies had come to escape the cold harsh winter and had traveled thousands of miles up from South America to Eleuthera, Bahamas. They had come to show me a lesson about determination. To be continued in the soon to be published book "In Search of Bahamian and American History" by Vera Chase

The Birds Brought Beautiful Flowers

Who would think that Birds can create a garden? Well, this is exactly what happened along the Beach in Balara Bay Eleuthera,Bahamas The wild flowers were so beautiful in a kaleidoscope of colors, as far as my eyes could see. They presented a picture of peace and beauty against the white sand the sea. As I gathered them in my arms, and I could smell the tantalizing fragrance, I fell in love with the though of all of these flowers belonging to only me. I sat among the flowers everyday, but wondered who planted them and if the answer is "no one",then where did they come from. I pulled the "roots" from the soil only to discover that they grew in shallow soil in the sand. So, maybe the seeds were washed up on the beach, I thought, but No, because such radiant beauties would not survive in Salt water. So, I kept the mystery of the "Beach Garden" to myself until a few years ago, I ran into an old friend and he explained. He saw the same flowers growing in Canada, and the birds who lived there must have brought the seeds on their feet. Yes, my friends these migratory birds had flown thousands of miles to spend the Winter on Eleuthera, and I guess other parts of the Bahamas. This was true, because I saw some of the same wild flowers on the Montague Beach in Nassau, recently. I stared at them for a long time knowing that the secret of their existence lies with me and my friend. Now with you.

Controlling Your Mind

Dear Friends, This might surprise you but'an idle mind is the Devil's work shop"Let's talk about this. Do you know that if you don't control your mind and keep your thoughts in order, your mind can and will kill you. What is the dictionary definition of the 'mind". 1. It is your ability to be aware of things and to think and reason. 2. The ability to concentrate,and stay attentive. 3. Memory,opinions,sickness, wellness, joy, sadness, and many more are controlled by the Mind. I believe that in order to have a long,healthy, and prosperous life you must speak directly to one thing that controls your life, that is the "Mind". The Mind has a good connection to all of the parts of your body,and speaks to them as I am speaking to you. The Mind sends them signals of Pain and other illness and discomforts. The Mind blocks your creativity, and can bring on tiredness, depression, and lack of interest. When you are asleep, the Mind is partly at rest in the physical body, but is sometimes very alert in your dreams, playing back scenes of your life that sometimes spans many,many years or recent activities such as scenes from a Horror movie you saw last night.It is like a Computer, it saves information. I believe that the cure for all of this Authority and control on our lives is to stay active, and creative.DO NOT ACCEPT, sickness and poverty and all the other "stuff". When you are being "attacked' by your mind, simply say " I am not going there today". Think right, be happy.

In Search of Bahamian History

My search for the origin of my French last name began in 1987, as  I reflected on how my father's name "Charles Leonard Poitier" and that of my siblings, aunts and uncle were connected to Cat Island:How did the last name reached Cat Island, Bahamas.Therefore, I began my investigations, leafing through pages of Encloypedia Americana, at a time when the Internet was in the early stages, took long hours.
Weeks, then months passed as I  checked  citizens'  with French last names in the Caribbean, Montreal, South Pacific, and the United States. Searched Will,Church and Burial records in various Countries of the World,

In 1989, when my daughter left Town for University studies at Tuskegee University in Alabama, I went with her to study and seek to find an American connection to the Poitiers in the early American Colonies, there was non.But, my eyes picked up a trail of another man 'Charles Potter", a slave owner from Rhode Island whom I assusmed was the Slave Owner I seeked.

The Creative Art of "Bottling" Tomatoes on Cat Island

Dear Friends, This form of preserving the delicate ripe tomatoes has been passed down from generations on the beautiful island called 'Cat Island" in the Bahamas. Imagine, acres of rich farm land with thousands of plants, with tomatoes ripening in the brilliant Bahamian sun light. There are no large markets on Cat Island to purchase these very perishable crops. They are juicy and sweet, sprinkled with salt, and a squeeze of lemon, they are a treat. But the story of the huge crop of tomatoes on Cat Island is an interesting one and I observed how the people in Arthur's Town won't allow their hard farming labor to go to waste.The tomato crops had to be saved for future meals. I sat inside my friend Meonie Webb's House away from the mosquitoes to observe the bottling tomatoes process. Stepping out side to get a closer look was a mistake because the mosquitoes were furious. But, this hard working crew, the mosquitoes did not bite. The sterilization started as empty bottles (soda/beer)were washed clean in hot soapy water, using a bottle brush. Crackling Fires were lit and the bottles placed in into huge 50 gallons drums which were placed over the fire to boil. Many persons in the neighborhood including the children participated, some by "feeding" the fire with more wood, and others peeling the skin from the 'blanched' tomatoes. The tomatoes were then 'crushed' in a hand operated machine The sterilization took several hours. After the bottles were "cooled", they were filled with tomatoes, 'Capped" with a hand operated bottle caper, then placed back into the barrels to boil again. This seemingly never ending 'bottling' took my waiting far into the night. I never left my window seat where I observed in awe and respect for the faithful people of Arthur's Town, Cat Island who never let this Culture die. They either 'Bottle" tomatoes or give them away to friends and relatives.

Embracing The Past With the Future

Dear Friends, while living in the present is very exciting with advancement in Technology moving like a rocket flight to the moon; many persons in the 18 to 45 age  categories  are accepting changing  technologies  and enjoying them like  a new born baby tasting a sweet formula for the first time.

An introduction to Computers and the Internet is a venture into the unknown  for a Senior Citizen." going where they have never gone before".

Smart phones can be intimidating, particularly  for  those who are not aware that tapping the letters on the keyboard lightly have  better results, than placing the finger tip directly on the keys . It can take several minutes to respond to a text  for beginners.

To compare my past to the future  I made  a mental trip back to to 1996 when I wrote letters by hand, taking them to the Post Office here in Nassau Bahamas. I purchased  stamps for delivery to my friends in far away Scotland, Indonesia, Finland, Australia, Canada and Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania. The letters took weeks and sometimes months to arrive. My letters addressed to Susan in Australia, and Tony in Tanzania written at this time, never  received a response. I believe they never arrived to the destinations.

 I am embracing my past days with the future  and will never handwrite  my  manuscripts, letters, nor  speeches again. I will save time and energy by using my Computer and send emails. I will use Face book, Twitter, Google + and Linked in to communicate. I promise to  change  my long distance preference  by using 'What's App" on my smart phone. Good bye 1996, hello 2016.