Hello, dearest readers! I am so excited to be sharing a different kind of post with y’all today… a travel post all about Key West! I have vacationed in these islands several times, and while this gorgeous location is most famous for key limes {and pie!}, there’s so much more to do and see and eat than you’d expect! I have an amazing, no-bake recipe for Key Lime Icebox Cake you can enjoy until your next vacation to the Florida Keys. But first, let’s find out a bit more about the islands…
A favorite destination for Ernest Hemingway, Jimmy Buffett, and many more, Key West is known for its palm lined streets and fish that is fresh enough to draw any committed culinary traveler. With a distinct mixture of cultures, the island is not only home to a strong seafood scene, but a tantalizing fusion of cuisines. At night, the street a lit up with vibrant sidewalk cafes that lure in passersby with delicious scents of their specialties. Live music and hopping bars are the perfect pairings to watch the sunset into the Gulf of Mexico.
The Florida Keys is home to five districts, each with their own personality and attractions that make visitors feel like they are a world away. The southernmost paradise, Key West, is just miles from Cuba and is home to an enviably temperate climate and a delicious array of fresh seafood set to a beautiful backdrop. Bringing together a multitude of cultures that have made Key West home during its history, Key West’s food scene has delicious flavors, like African and Cuban, that are difficult to find anywhere else in the US.
As a guide to the restaurant and seafood landscape, Paul Menta of Three Hands Fish gave us the lowdown. A professional chef and community advocate, Paul is the perfect person to talk to to find out the secret dining spots of Key West. The Philly native began his culinary career in Spain and France and eventually came to Key West to continue his love for competitive kite surfing. An athlete, distiller, chef, and entrepreneur, Paul has made it his mission to tap into all Key West has to offer.
His most recent venture, Three Hands Fish is a community supported fish market in Key West. Its members, chefs and home-cooks, have access to the freshest fish, shrimp, stone crabs, and lobster that come in on the docks. As Paul describes it, the first hand is the hand of the fisherman, the second the market, and the third is when the fish makes it into the hands of the individual or restaurant. Paul is proud of his market as it brings local, traceable seafood to the people with plenty of variety to avoid over fishing a specific species.
Key West has seafood unlike anywhere in the world and the crucial ingredient is the water. The Gulf of Mexico mixes with the Atlantic ocean making a perfect nursery for a plethora of fish, crab, and lobster. Not to mention, the fishermen of the region have come together to create a sustainable plan for the future of their industry, naturally controlling over-producing populations that threaten to take over the ecosystem.
If you are looking for a taste of the freshest seafood right on the dock, Paul suggests visiting The Stoned Crab restaurant. This restaurant serves up some of the best of what Key West is known for, the stone crab, but they also do it in a stunning setting with an unbeatable view of the water. The moment you set foot in the restaurant you will feel as if you have traveled back in time to the 1950s. Housed in a resort built in 1956, the restaurant keeps alive the tradition of the fishermen bringing their catches straight to their dock, something that is no longer happening in other areas.
For the die-hard cooks, go for a ride on a private charter to catch the freshest fish for yourself. Paul recommends Lucky Fleet, chartered by Captain Moe, to take you on this adventure and help guide you in hooking the best seasonable seafood. Whether you are an avid deep sea fisher or this is your first time, Captain Moe will take you on a great adventure not just a boat ride. From sailfish to tuna or grouper, they will lead you to the right spot. To learn how to prepare the seafood you just caught, take a class at Isle Cook where Paul himself will teach you how to cook local recipes and healthy meals with seafood.
I don’t know about y’all, but I can’t wait until my next vacation to the Florida Keys! There is so much to see and so much amazing cuisine to experience. I’ll definitely be planning my travel itinerary in advance. Since I know most of us {including myself!} can’t just hop on the next plane to Florida and lay on the beach ASAP, I have whipped up a little something to bring the taste of Key West to you! This Key Lime Icebox Cake requires absolutely no cooking or baking, and yields a fresh, creamy, completely irresistible dessert that will take your tastebuds straight to the Keys. Happy cooking! 🙂
- ⅓ cup key lime juice
- 1¾ cups heavy whipping cream
- ¾ cup sweetened condensed milk {note: this is NOT a whole can}
- 30 graham crackers
- sliced key limes, for garnish
- First, line an 8x8 glass or metal pan with wax paper. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, whip the heavy cream using a hand mixer until it forms stiff peaks.
- Slowly drizzle in the sweetened condensed milk, followed by the key lime juice, until a thick cream forms.
- Line the bottom of the prepared pan with graham crackers, and spoon an even layer of cream on top. Repeat 4-5 times until you have used up all the graham crackers and cream, finishing with the cream.
- Refrigerate the icebox cake for at least 2-3 hours, but optimally overnight. The cream will soak into the graham crackers and soften them, creating a cake-like texture.
- Before serving, garnish the cake with slices of key lime. Serve chilled!
In accordance with the FTC Guidelines, I am disclosing that I received compensation from Honest Cooking for my time and participation. Although I have material connection to Honest Cooking and Key West, any publicly stated opinions of Key West and their products remains my own. Recipe is an original creation of Valentina Celant at TheBakingFairy.net.
This looks so perfect for the summer! I LOVE key limes!
Kari
http://www.sweetteasweetie.com
key lime pie is a bit too limey for me, but the graham cracker layers would balance things out quite nicely! i love an icebox cake. 🙂