When Eric and Jolande arrived on Bonaire in 2009, they quickly discovered something fascinating: almost everyone had heard of traditional Kadushi soup… but very few people still made it themselves. Finding someone willing to prepare authentic “Sopi di Kadushi” turned out to be harder than expected.

Many younger people simply did not know exactly how to make it anymore. And many older people? Honestly… they didn’t feel like doing all that work anymore. Traditional Kadushi soup is incredibly labor-intensive. Just cooking the soup the traditional way takes around 25 hours, not even including harvesting and cleaning the cactus itself.  

Eventually, Eric found Norman, owner of the local snack bar LeMaSe, willing to prepare a proper traditional pot of Kadushi soup. The result? Let’s just say… traditional Kadushi soup is not for everyone.

The original recipe has a very strong texture and flavor profile that can be quite overpowering for first-time visitors. So Eric came up with another idea: what if a modern version could be created that stayed true to the tradition, but was easier to prepare and more accessible to a wider audience?

A befriended chef on Bonaire, Gert-Jan Uithof, accepted the challenge.

Together they developed two new recipes: one for people who truly enjoy cooking, and an “almost instant” version for those with slightly less kitchen talent.    

Then came the real test. By coincidence, The Cadushy Distillery was hosting a celebration for elderly people from Rincon around the same time the new recipes and packaging were finished. Eric nervously decided this would be the perfect audience to test the soup. He expected criticism. Lots of criticism. Instead, the reactions were overwhelmingly enthusiastic. Recipe approved!

Today, every package of Cadushy Cactus Soup contains a small recipe booklet featuring all three versions: the original traditional recipe, the creamy modern recipe, and the almost instant version, keeping Bonaire’s cactus soup tradition alive for a new generation.