Seafood and Tropical Dishes of the Florida Keys
Key West Lobsterfest, Key Largo Food & Wine Festival and Beyond
Jul 26, 2008
Described as 'Floribbean', Florida Keys' cuisine incorporates local seafood and tropical fruits alongside Caribbean and Cuban influences. The culinary tradition of Key West's near neighbour, Cuba, is saluted in Cuban dishes such as ropa vieja and picadillo, typically partnered with black beans and yellow rice.
Fish and Seafood Delights
The waters of the Keys are home to a wealth of fish such as yellowtail snapper, tuna and mahi-mahi - all staples on local restaurant menus. For instance, the Yellowtail Largo is a fresh catch of snapper sautéed with shrimp, artichoke hearts and capers in a lemon-white-wine sauce.
Marinated conch ceviche, pan-seared tuna and seasonal items such as sweet Key West pink shrimp are just a few of the many other dishes that delight the palates of residents and visitors alike.
Seafood enthusiasts can even enjoy the satisfying taste of their own catch in one of the many restaurants which offer a 'cook the catch' option.
Keys' Spiny Lobster
It does not get any better than succulent Caribbean Florida Lobster. The Keys' clawless crustaceans, known as spiny lobsters, are famous for their sweet, juicy and tender meat. Lobster is served steamed with clarified butter, paired with a seasoned stuffing, napped in a rich bisque or cold in savory salads topped with creamy dressing.
Stone Crab Claws
A trip to the Keys isn't complete without sampling stone crab claws, an eco-friendly meal. In factc, stone crabs are a renewable resource: during the season from October to May, crabs are de-clawed and returned to the ocean, where in about 18 months they will grow a new claw. The claws' sweet meat is a great gourmet treat, whether served warm with melted butter or chilled with mustard sauce.
Conch Fritters
Perhaps the most symbolic seafood dish of the Keys is the conch fritter. A conch (pronounced konk), is an edible marine creature whose meat is mixed in a light batter and deep fried. A favourite dish in restaurants from Key Largo to Key West, Conch fritters are served with a cocktail sauce or mayonnaise-based dip.
Mahi-Mahi
The signature dish of the Mandalay Restaurant is Lazy Mahi-Mahi. This fresh local catch is rolled in Japanese breads crumbs, sautéed and topped with diced tomatoes, shallots and grated Parmesan and drizzled in a Key lime butter sauce.
Key Lime Pie
Most restaurant menus feature Key lime pie, the typical dessert of the Florida Keys. Originating from Asia, Key limes are distinctive in both their tartness and small size. This creamy yellow pie, which looks like banana cream pie and is served topped with either whipped cream or meringue, combines sweet and tart tastes into a unique flavour.
Key Largo Food and Wine Festival
Key Largo, the island at the head of the Florida Keys, becomes a food and wine lover's paradise from Friday 1st to Saturday 9th August 2008 when the island's bountiful tropical fruit, fresh snapper, tuna, mahi-mahi, shrimp, and lobster take center stage in the nine-day Key Largo Food and Wine Festival, incorporating a multifaceted menu of 30 events.
Celebrating local culinary talents, the Festival includes a variety of gourmet wine dinners, feasts and fiestas, palate-pleasing adventures and explorations of superlative crisp white wines from around the world.
Fans of fine food can even learn to cook their own catch during the festival, and each of the 19 participating restaurants is also offering to cook patrons' lobster harvest and serve it with tasty side dishes for just $15 per person.
Key West Lobsterfest
Lobster lovers are to savour sensational crustaceans during the 12th annual Key West Lobsterfest, a tasty salute to Florida's clawless lobster set for Friday to Sunday, August 8th through 10th 2008. The festival celebrates the bounty of the Florida Keys' lobster season that runs from August to March.
The festivities begin Friday night just after sunset with the Lobsterfest Duval Crawl, featuring drink specials at participating bars on Duval Street.
Saturday it's time to celebrate the sweet juicy taste sensation of the Florida lobster with dishes ranging from appetizers to full dinners with traditional trimmings. All lobster to be served at the event will be caught by Keys lobster fishermen. The fun-filled Key West Lobsterfest Street Fair opens at noon and continues until 11pm with booths and live music from top local and regional bands.
Finally, on Sunday feast on Lobster at The Doubletree Grand Key Resort's Lobster Brunch.
