Mac was the first to introduce conch fritters on Bequia. He experimented with his batter in our house kitchen, using friends as tasting guinea pigs, and it wasn’t long before the fritters were added to the Pizzeria’s menu. Having a fun sense of humor he called them Conch Macnuggets, a name I decided to change years later because it was misleading; they were actually fritters, not nuggets, a fact that was pointed out by customers several times.
Mac guarded his recipe for the fritter batter zealously, not unlike Colonel Sanders and his secret chicken recipe! It was never written down and no-one ever saw him make it. I would send a bucket up to the house with the necessary ingredients and that is where he would mix his mysterious batter.
I knew of course what went in the fritter batter, it was my job to assemble the ingredients for Mac. Raw conch, ticky thyme, eggs, flour, limes, onions, garlic, salt and of course flavor peppers would make the trek up the hill in a bucket and the finished product would be sent back down. The batter would then be transferred into smaller containers and refrigerated, with no-one the wiser as to how it had been made.
The fritters were delicious and easy to prepare, making them a perfect appetizer for the restaurant. The original ovens were small and the restaurant busy, which meant people often had to wait quite a while for their pizzas. The introduction of the fritters was a blessing, guests could eat something tasty while they waited and they appreciated it. So did I!
On really busy nights the fritters practically flew out the swinging doors. Most tables would order at least one portion to share as an appetizer, often calling for more when they realized how good they were. One staff member had the task of standing over pots of hot oil, dropping raw batter in by the teaspoonful and removing the fritters once they were a golden brown. Once patted with paper towels to remove excess oil they would be served as either a starter or as a main course with salad.
When Mac died suddenly in 1994 my staff and I had to figure out how he had made that batter! We knew WHAT went in it, but not HOW. We did our best to replicate Mac’s recipe, but in my opinion the conch fritters were never quite the same without his special touch.
