Hush puppies are made with cornmeal, flour, eggs and sugar. Once blended, the mixture is dropped by the spoonful into hot fat and fried to a golden brown. Old-timers say the name derived from cooks, who, while preparing meals, tossed bits of fried batter to quiet the dogs who were waiting for kitchen scraps. Most natives were raised on conch and clam chowders, and even the newest eateries include them among their soups and appetizers. Local conch chowder is made with whelk.
Traditional chowder is made with chopped meat, water, butter, salt, pepper and diced potatoes.
For a different flavor, you might also add squash, onions and other spices. But you can sometimes luck out and catch a school or fire department holding a fund-raising clam bake. If that happens, drop your plans and head on over for some real good food. It is said that the idea for the clam bake came from the Native Americans, who taught early residents to cook clams, fish and corn in the steam of hot stones. Modern-day clam bakes usually offer clams, chicken, sweet potatoes, white potatoes, onions, carrots, corn and sometimes a few shrimp.