Conch Contents
Interview with Avian Morley
by Perry Joseph
Editor's Note: We were saddened to hear of Avian's untimely passing (September, 2013) in a tragic motorcycle accident. Avian was a most kind man who had a deep passion and love for his Family, work and for his island of Eleuthera. We dedicate these pages in memory of Avian. He will be missed and never forgotten. We leave this article intact in his honor. God bless you, Avian!
When it comes to feasting at the various Eleuthera restaurants, you won't want to miss trying the local conch salads, conch burgers, conch dinners, and especially, the conch fritters! You really haven't lived until you have had a cold drink and fresh conch served however you like your conch done.
This delectable seafood can be sampled in any number of Eleuthera restaurants, bars and conch shacks, and a favorite place for “conching out” on Eleuthera is Avian Morley's Coco Conch Stand and Coco Plum Restaurant.
Avian's conch stand and Bahamian restaurant are just south of Rock Sound, Eleuthera towards the southern end of the island. You can't miss them -- located directly on Queen's Highway. Avian's quaint little conch stand has a delightful view of Exuma Sound, especially nice at sunset. Bring the camera and the no-see-um spray.
If there is one word to describe Avian's food it’s “fresh.” Avian claims his conch and grouper are some of the best on the island and we won't argue. His fresh conch salad is most definitely good -- a testament to “fresh ingredients makes the difference.” And along with “fresh” come the words “be patient” while Avian cooks your food to order. If you are in a hurry (which is hard to believe if you are truly enjoying the wonders of Eleuthera), give Avian a call before you make the trip and let him know what you want.
Avian is like a lot of entrepreneurs on Eleuthera and does a little of everything: taxi service, car rentals, catering and special events. Adjoining his restaurant is a small food and gift shop which has many of the essentials along with a variety of eclectic arts and crafts such as pretty Christmas ornaments made from sea shells.
What you will enjoy most is Avian. He represents one of a number of travel ambassadors on Eleuthera -- a real pleasure to be around and anxious to show you the best hospitality Eleuthera has to offer. Our sincere thanks to Avian for his warmth and for his excellent Bahamian cooking.
Conch Salad King
Q - What year were you born, Avian?
A - I was born in 1972, the 13th of September.
Q - When did you start your restaurant here on Eleuthera?
A - About ten years ago.
Q - What’s the name of the place?
A - Coco Plum Restaurant and Coco Conch Stand.
Q - And Coco Conch Stand, do you run that on a full time basis?
A - Yes, it’s open every day, seven days a week from 12:00 noon until …
Q - How long have you been making conch salad here on Eleuthera?
A - I have been making conch salad steadily now about 15 years.
Conch Salad Recipe
Q - What is your secret to making such great conch salad?
A - Well, definitely it’s the fresh conch, purple onions, the sweet tomatoes, sweet pepper, a dash of orange and lime juice, salt, let’s not forget the hot pepper. A wonderful bowl of conch salad.
Q - Tell me exactly… walk me through the process of how to make conch salad.
A - First, you would have to take the conch out of the shell, clean it very well in salt water to take off all of the slop and slime. And then you would rinse it off in fresh water. You would then slice up onions, very fine dice it up; then tomatoes, same process, dice it up. Sweet pepper, same fashion, and also the conch in the same fashion. Once you have mixed all of that up together you put a little dash of salt, little hot pepper, add a little orange juice, fresh orange that is, fresh lime, not box orange juice and not lime juice in a bottle, fresh ingredients. And then a little dash of pepper, mix it all together, mix it up like conch salad.
Q - That sounds excellent. Where do you get your conch usually?
A - Normally from the north side, and anywhere from three to four miles off Cape Eleuthera there in the perimeter.
Q - How do you keep it fresh?
A - Um, if I don’t dive it myself, normally my friends dive and I purchase it from them. I have what you call a conch troll right in back of the conch stall, which is about 12x12 perimeter and you keep it right in there and I can always go down, either in a bag or tie it together. I can always go and get a fresh conch and make up a fresh bowl of conch salad. I also use it fresh for the entrée, cracked conch or if you want to have fresh conch fritters it’s also cracked fresh out of the shell. I don’t put conch in the freezer when I cook it, it’s all fresh out of the shell.
Q - Can people call up and order fresh conch salad to go?
A - Oh definitely, definitely, a lot of people do that. They call up, and they will have two bowls or three bowls or $50 worth or $100 worth. You can always, if you want a whole lot of it, or if you just want one bowl, call ahead of time and I’ll have it prepared and ready to go when you get here. It takes about four or five minutes to make a bowl, and that’s just awesome.
Conch Salad Ingredients
- Conch meat
- Onion
- Tomatoes
- Sweet pepper
- Hot pepper
- Salt
- Orange
- Lime
Avian's Favorite Foods
Q - What’s your favorite food down here, Avian?
A - Well you know, I love seafood, so right now it’s a three way race. I gotta have fresh grouper, I gotta have fresh lobster and I gotta have conch. You know, any day you can give me any one of those and I won’t argue, I won’t cry, I won’t flinch, just bring it on.
Q - Who’s your favorite musician?
A - Well, I love, um, my hometown boy, Lenny Kravitz, of course. Another home town boy, Ronnie Butler. I love their music. I just love Bahamian music. Junkanoo. One of these days you’ve gotta see me perform junkanoo. You think me making conch salad is awesome. You see me in a junkanoo costume, you won’t want to leave the place.
Q - I’ll have to come back down here some time and see that.
A - I’m telling you, I’m telling you.
Q - Well, Avian, we appreciate the interview. Thank you very much!
A - My pleasure.
