A conch is a common name which is applied to a number of different species of medium-sized to large sea snails or their shells.
True conchs are marine gastropod molluscs in the family Strombidae, specifically in the genus Strombus and other closely related genera.
There are also many species often called "conch" that are not in the family Strombidae, and these include Melongena species (family Melongenidae), and the horse conch Pleuroploca gigantea (family Fasciolariidae). They also include the sacred chank or more correctly Shankha shell, Turbinella pyrum and other Turbinella species in the family Turbinellidae.
Second in popularity only to the escargot for edible snails, the "meat" of the conch is used as food, either eaten raw, as in salads, or cooked, as in fritters, chowders, gumbos, and burgers. All parts of the conch meat are edible. However, some people find only the white meat appetizing.
In East Asian cuisines, this seafood is often cut into thin slices and then steamed or stir-fried.
In the West Indies (and The Bahamas in particular), local people eat conch in soups (commonly Callaloo) and salads. Restaurants all over the islands serve this particular meat.
In Providenciales in the Turks and Caicos Islands (at Three Queens, Blue Hills) there is the Annual Conch Festival in November each year. Local restaurateurs compete for the best and original conch dishes, and are judged by international chefs. Free sampling of the dishes follows, and there are other competitions, events and music well into the evening, making this a very popular event for Islanders and tourists.
In the island of Grenada, conch is commonly eaten in curries or in a spicy soup. It is locally referred to as lambi.
In the island of Guam, the people eat it "findened", meaning soaked in soy sauce with vinegar or lemon with hot peppers.
In El Salvador, live conch is served in a cocktail of onion, tomato, cilantro, and lemon juice. Lemon juice is squeezed onto the cocktail, causing the conch to squirm, and then the whole thing is slurped down whole, as in the manner of oysters.
In Puerto Rico, conch is served as a ceviche: raw conch marinated in orange juice.
* Conch shells are occasionally used as a building material, either in place of bricks, or as bulk for landfill.
* In Grenada fishermen use Conch shells to announce to the community that fish is available for sale. It is also used at Carnival times in the popular Jouvert Jump where Diab Diab (Jab Jab) mas blow conch shells as part of the festivities.
* In the Bahamas, broken or up-turned conch shells are imbedded into the tops of outdoor walls in an effort to maintain home security; the broken or up-turned shells are sharp enough to cut any intruder who attempts to jump or crawl over the wall.