Conch is a type of seafood that comes from an oversized sea snail and is native to the coasts of the Bahamas, the Florida Keys, the Caribbean, and Bermuda. The meat of conches is edible and can be eaten raw in salads or cooked in burgers, chowders, fritters, and gumbos. All parts of the conch meat are edible, but some people find only the white meat appetizing. Conch is soft meat (when tenderized) and can be a little rubbery in texture. Its smell is much like crab and doesn’t possess a strong “sea” smell. When preparing cracked conch, the meat is pounded until it’s shredded, then dipped in egg wash and rolled in flour until completely coated and fried on both sides until golden brown. Steamed conch is cooked by heating oil in a saute pan, adding garlic and onions, sweet peppers, tomato paste, tomatoes, and thyme, then adding the tender conch meat and the reserved liquid that it was packaged with. Chile pepper is added and the dish is seasoned to taste.