Key West

Old sour is a unique American sauce that is especially popular in Key West and the Bahamas, where it is a staple found in almost every kitchen. It used to be made with bird peppers, key lime juice (or sour oranges) and salt, but today it is typically made with a fermented combination of lime juic... Read more

Key lime pie is a glass-green sweet and sour dessert originating from the Florida Keys. It consists of intensely aromatic Key lime juice, condensed milk, and eggs that are mixed together into a custard. The custard is poured into a buttery crust made from graham crackers and topped with sweet whi... Read more

Eggs Benedict is a breakfast or brunch meal consisting of toasted halves of an English muffin that are topped with a slice of ham or bacon, a poached egg, and sauce Hollandaise. Although there are numerous theories about the origin of the dish, most people agree that credit should be given to ... Read more

American pancakes are made from a thick batter consisting of eggs, flour, milk, and baking powder. Additionally, fruit such as apples, strawberries, and blueberries can also be added to the batter, along with buttermilk or chocolate chips. When served, they are usually stacked on top of each othe... Read more

Red conch chowder is a Caribbean dish that's especially popular in The Bahamas, Cayman Islands, and the Florida Keys. The conch is pounded with a hammer in order to make it tender, and it's then chopped and combined with onions, celery, green onions, hot peppers, tomatoes and tomato paste, potato... Read more

Cuban bread is a long, white bread characterized by its (ideally) rectangular shape, hard and thin crust, and soft, flaky interior filled with numerous air pockets. It is still unclear whether it was first created in Tampa or Miami, but everyone agrees that the best Cuban bread is made in Florida... Read more

Shrimp bisque is a traditional Cajun dish originating from Louisiana. The soup is usually made with a combination of large shrimp, seafood broth, shrimp broth, butter, bell peppers, shallots, garlic, flour, cream, brandy, hot sauce, and seasonings. The shrimps are simmered in the broth until the ... Read more

A variety of foods might be included in a surf and turf, but traditionally, it is an entrée that includes both a portion of meat and a portion of seafood. The meat is usually a steak, while the seafood might be anything from lobster to shrimps or prawns. The origins of surf and turf are ha... Read more

A Cuban or a Cubano is a grilled, pressed sandwich made with Cuban bread that is filled with ham, roasted pork, Swiss cheese, pickles, and mustard. It was originally invented by Cuban immigrants in Florida, who wanted to make their own variation on a classic grilled ham and cheese sandwi... Read more

Stone crab claws are a popular seafood dish, particularly in areas where stone crabs are native, such as Florida in the United States. Stone crabs are unique in that they are often harvested for their claws alone, while the rest of the crab is returned to the ocean alive. Since stone crabs can re... Read more

Pan con minuta is a Cuban-style sandwich originating from Miami. It's made with a combination of Cuban bread rolls, onions, tomatoes, a tangy tartar sauce, and fish such as snapper that's fried in batter. The unique thing about this sandwich is the minuta part, which refers to the butterfly cut. ... Read more

Sour orange pie is a traditional dessert originating from Florida. This sweet pie consists of a pie crust, filling, and meringue topping. The crust is made with a combination of graham crackers, sugar, and butter; the meringue topping is made with egg whites, sugar, and cream of tartar; and the f... Read more

Minorcan clam chowder is a Floridian dish hailing from St. Augustine. This Manhattan-style, tomato-based chowder is made with a combination of onions, bacon, green bell peppers, clams with their juice, crushed tomatoes, celery, thyme, bay leaves, potatoes, and datil chili pepper, which is grown i... Read more

Tangelo is an evergreen tree with dense foliage that was first cultivated in Florida and southern California in 1897 as a cross between the Mandarin orange or a tangerine and either the pomelo or the grapefruit. Nowadays, it’s cultivated in tropical and subtropical climates. The fruit is de... Read more

Oranges are a key part of Florida's state identity, and they have been commercially grown in Florida groves since the middle of the 19th century. It is believed that Ponce de Leon, a Spanish explorer, planted the first orange tree in St. Augustine in the 16th century. Today, it is an industry tha... Read more

The warm waters of Florida’s Gulf Coast are home to the state’s quintessential seafood delicacy - the stone crab. This small crustacean has a smooth, red-brownish shell with a pair of hefty claws which are packed with sweet, flaky, and delicate meat. Stone crab’s meaty ... Read more

Datil is a type of hot pepper grown in the area of St. Augustine, bringing some serious Florida heat to the table. The pepper ranges from 100,000 to 300,000 Scoville heat units and it's from 12 to 120 times hotter than jalapeños. Visually, datil looks like a slightly elongated and... Read more

Rum Runner is an old cocktail dating back to the 1950s. It is a rum-based concoction that is often tweaked with other ingredients. The classic version combines rum, orange and pineapple juice, banana liqueur, grenadine, and blackberry liqueur. To make the cocktail, all the ingredients ar... Read more

Golden Dream is an after-dinner cocktail made with a combination of Galliano herbal liqueur, triple sec, orange juice, and fresh cream. In order to prepare it, all ingredients are shaken with ice, then strained into a chilled cocktail glass. This sweet, frothy concoction was first made b... Read more

John Daly is a spiked version of Arnold Palmer. It is a cocktail that combines lemonade and iced tea—same as Arnold Palmer—but it gets the alcoholic kick from vodka. The drink is made by pouring vodka, iced tea, and lemonade in a highball filled with ice. The combination is s... Read more

Glowtini is a cocktail made with a combination of Skyy Citrus vodka, blue curaçao, peach schnapps, sweet and sour mix, and pineapple juice. In order to prepare it, the ingredients should be shaken with ice, then strained into a glass with a sugared rim. It was originally developed... Read more

Miami Vice is a cocktail that is best described as a fusion of Strawberry Daiquiri and Piña Colada. The drink originated in Miami—hence the name—and it was mostly enjoyed in nightclubs and beach bars. The cocktail is still popular in Miami, but it was at its peak durin... Read more