Fall Leaves at Darby Creek Metropark

Wow. The last few times I posted, I was in denial about Summer ending. Two months later and we’re quickly approaching Christmas. So where have I been? The short answer is working long hours, starting to train for a triathlon, planning a major vacation (This winter, we’re going a culinary tour of Oaxaca, Mexico!) and enjoying lots of good food and good times with family and friends. I’ve been so busy living life that I haven’t had time to blog about it. And now there are so many things I’d like to write about that I’m not sure where to pick back up. So I’m starting with a recap of the last few months.

A Fall day at Darby Creek

September:

• After all of the bridal shower festivities, my sister Ashley married her fiance Justin in a beautiful outdoor ceremony.


The happy Bride & Groom

• Jared and I did a lot of hiking at the Metroparks, biking on the Olentangy River Trail and brunching. All that exercise works up an appetite, right? To me, food and exercise go hand in hand. Aside from the obvious benefits, regular exercise lets me enjoy good food without gaining weight or sacrificing my overall health.


Our trusty old Schwinns at Scioto Audobon Metropark

• I went on a 9 day business trip to West Virginia. It was tiring, but I am grateful that I got to go. I was there to help train and organize another office. But I also learned a lot that I could bring back to my own office here in Columbus.


Sunset over the mountains of WV

• Of course, I also tried several new recipes. My favorite was a Vegetarian Lasagne that took 3 hours and 2 sauces (Tomato & Béchamel) to create. It tasted incredible but got a little overcooked on the top; so it didn’t look very pretty in pictures. I plan to make it again, very soon, and post the recipe.


Lasagna sauces simmering on my stovetop

October

• Jared and I attended Taste of Grandview Heights. This was our first “Taste of”. From what I understand, it is much more casual than most of these events. While we enjoyed trying new foods, one of our favorite things about this event was how the staff of restaurants we frequent recognized and chatted with us. Specifically, I’m thinking of Mazah Mediterranean Eatery, home of the best Falafel and some of the prettiest food around. We were also happy to see Old Bag of Nails Grandview, which we refer to as our Cheers bar and which we love for its laid-back atmosphere and friendly bartenders. Local businesses: make your customers feel special & we’ll stay loyal.


Somehow, the only pic I have of downtown Grandview is an old cameraphone pic from last winter

• I made these Apple Cider Doughnuts. I’m not posting the recipe because, for once, I followed it exactly. These doughnuts were perfect – soft and airy on the inside, sweet and crispy on the outside. They are a lot of work, but well worth it.


The best doughnuts ever

• Before venturing out to Highball Halloween (which I highly recommend if you haven’t been), I hosted a Halloween party complete with Halloween-themed food and drinks. Among other things, I made a Graveyard 7-Layer Dip and a Zombie Bride Cake (with from-scratch Devil’s Food, of course). Jared invented a Candy Apple Cocktail, my sister made a Bugs & Dirt Cake, and several of my guests brought goodies including Sangria and Halloween-sprinkled Chocolate-Covered Pretzels. While Christmas is my favorite food holiday, Halloween is a close second. Halloween food is fun. There aren’t really any expectations; so you can get really creative and kitschy. And while Christmas is a family holiday, Halloween is a great time for friends to get together, eat ridiculous amounts of sweets and enjoy one anothers’ company.


Zombie Bride Cake



Fun Halloween Food

November

• November brought Dine Originals Columbus Week. This is another event that I hadn’t attended in the past. My friends and I opted for a meal at Skillet. The food was creative and excellent, as always. My only complaint is that I don’t think Pumpkin Polenta was worth the $30 price. Another friend and I agreed that the $20 prix fixe is probably more fitting for such a casual restaurant. That being said, I’ll definitely be returning to Skillet very soon.


Skillet's Dining Room

• In other Columbus food news, Jared and I finally had a chance to try the lunch special at Venky’s Spice House. For $5.99 (I believe), you get an appetizer, two curries, daal, naan, rice and dessert. Venky’s is one of our favorite Indian restaurants. Their food is more flavorful than several other area Indian restaurants, and their prices are great. We were excited about this lunch special because we could try things we’d never had before. And the portions were so generous that we had enough for dinner that night.


When my curry grows up, it wants to be like the curry at Venky's

• Since Jared and I like to try new, local restaurants, I am a loyal follower of Fudha. If you haven’t heard of it, Fudha offers half-price gift certificates for local restaurants. They donate $1 of the cost of each Fudha to the Mid-Ohio Foodbank. This is a great way to try new places, or save some money at trusty favorites. The first time we went to Skillet, it was actually with a $20 gift certificate that had cost $10 through Fudha. When Venky’s offered one, I snapped it right up.


When I used my Fudha at Skillet, I meant to review my tasty meal. Obviously, I never got around to it.

• Of course, when November rolls around, so does The Food Holiday – Thanksgiving. We get together with our loved ones and give thanks for all of life’s blessings, then eat copious amounts of food. Due to my work schedule, I wasn’t able to go home to celebrate with my family. This was the first time Jared and I celebrated Thanksgiving alone together. It was a bittersweet day for me since I really missed everyone. But I did enjoy the chance to make my own, slightly nontraditional Thanksgiving meal, which I will be posting sometime this week.


Making Thanksgiving Dinner

Every day, I’m reminded of how thankful I am that Jared and I moved from a small town in Michigan to Columbus. We are both Ohio natives, from the Cleveland area. But being away from your home state for several years has a way of making you appreciate it. I don’t know that we’ll be here forever because I hate winter with a passion. But for now, we’re really enjoying our life in a new city and learning about all that it has to offer.

Downtown Columbus, seen from the Olentangy Trail

Actual size - 6". I'd like to see you eat all of these in one sitting.

Warning: Long story ahead. If all you want is the recipe for the amazing, colorful cookies pictured above, go ahead & click “continue reading”.

Lisa was one of my closest friends in high school. She was also my first culinary-minded friend. She liked to cook and bake as much as I did. At the time I was a vegetarian while she was a carnivore. But that didn’t stop us from spending many happy afternoons together talking about and trying new recipes. Lisa came by her kitchen skills honestly. Her mom was also a great cook and baker, and had no qualms about letting two teenage girls take over her kitchen. These two ladies introduced me to the joy of the Monster Cookie. Monster Cookies are 6″ diameter, 3/4″ thick peanut butter-oatmeal, chocolate-chip M&M Wonder Cookies.

Fast-forward several years. We graduated high school, lost touch, then got back in touch courtesy of good old Facebook. In the meantime, I forgot about Monster Cookies until the husband and I were discussing cookies one day. I described them to Jared, who thought they sounded amazing. So I began my search for The Monster Cookie Recipe. I found several recipes, but none were exactly right. Either they were missing an ingredient or called for one I didn’t remember going into the recipe.

I eventually quit searching & decided to try to recreate the cookies on my own. One day. In my typical ADHD manner, I got distracted by the tons of other recipes I wanted to try and never got around to Monster Cookies. To be honest, they kind of dropped off my radar until my sister’s second bridal shower. This wasn’t the Tea Party Bridal Shower that I hosted. This one was much less work for me since my sister’s sweet Mother-in-Law and her fiance’s family hosted it. All I had to do was show up! Anyway. When I walked into the shower, I checked out the food and desserts (What can I say? Food is my hobby). And what did I see but… Monster Cookies! Sure, they were smaller than the ones I enjoyed as a teen. But I immediately knew that those cookies with their oatmeal texture and colorful M&Ms were the same cookies that I’d been trying to find a recipe for. I pretty much tackled Ashley’s Mother-in-Law and begged her for the recipe. She said she’d give it to me.

By the end of the shower, I still didn’t have the Monster Cookie recipe. I thought maybe Ashley’s Mother-in-Law forgot about it, and returned to Ohio tired and happy after a wonderful celebration for my sister. Fast forward a few days. I checked my mail and received a letter from Ashley’s Mother-in-Law. Contained in the letter, in her beautiful writing, was the recipe for Monster Cookies! I couldn’t wait to make them. Fortunately, the following weekend’s plans included a Columbus Crew soccer game and tailgate. Our friends had already decided to provide burgers, corn on the cob and a grill. Jared volunteered to bring Cream Cheese Stuffed Jalapeños. This left me with dessert duty and a perfect excuse to make Monster Cookies. Which finally brings me back to the Monster Cookie recipe I’d been searching for.

Monster Cookies

Ingredients
3/4 c. butter
1 c. granulated sugar
1 c. brown sugar
4 eggs
2 c. crunchy peanut butter
2 1/2 tsp. baking soda
4 c. quick oats
12 oz. semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 lb. Plain M&Ms

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350°.
2. Cream butter and sugars. Add peanut butter, then eggs. Stir in baking soda, chocolate chips and M&Ms.
3. Shape dough into large balls by hand, place onto a cookie sheet and flatten. Bake for 12-15 minutes. Let cookie cool on a cookie sheet before transferring to a cooling rack.

A colorful cake for a whimsical bridal shower (made by yours truly & her mom)

A few weeks back, I wrote about my sister’s upcoming bridal shower. At the time, I didn’t want to reveal everything I was doing because I wanted Ashley to be surprised. Now that the shower is over, I can finally blog about it. First, a quick reminder of what I had planned. For her bridal shower, Ashley wanted a tea party, complete with the traditional High Tea menu of tea sandwiches, scones, and pastries. I decided to make it more Alice in Wonderland/whimsical and less Queen of England/formal, with a bit of a garden party feel.

The Shower Site - The Carriage Barn at Mill Hollow Metropark in Vermilion, Ohio

When I started planning, I had a million ideas bouncing around my head. And I wasn’t entirely sure I could use them all. I was also a little nervous, as I had never thrown such a big and important party. And, in addition to planning and hosting the shower, I was determined to make the food and the cake. Fortunately, the wonderful ladies in my family were there to help me pull everything together for Ashley’s shower. I am happy to say that it turned out exactly how I’d pictured it in my head.

Teapot Centerpieces & Lollipop Flower Favors

Click below for my tea party menu and lots of pictures of the event. Maybe they’ll inspire you to host your own tea party!

Tea Party Menu

• Cucumber Sandwiches with Cream Cheese & Dill
• Tomato Sandwiches with Cream Cheese & Italian Parsley
• Mini Egg Salad Croissants with Green Leaf Lettuce
• Tortilla Roll-ups
• Raw vegetables with Dill Dip
• My Tropical Fruit Salad & Key Lime Dip



• White Chocolate Cranberry, Orange & Maple Scones from Avenue Fine Pastries in Lakewood, Ohio, served with clotted cream & preserves
• Strawberry Cake with Buttercream Frosting
• Chocolate-Cherry Cupcakes with Almond Whipped Cream Frosting

• White Cherry & Lemon-Mint Iced Teas, Raspberry Limeade & Coffee

With the exception of the tortilla roll-ups, scones and raspberry limeade, everything was made from scratch by me or one of the ladies in my family. I used cake recipes I had tried before, though they were in a different form. For the cake, I used this Strawberry Cupcake recipe. I like it because it does not call for cake mix or strawberry-flavored gelatin, which a lot of strawberry cake recipes do require. Also, it isn’t overly sweet which is nice when you’re using a frosting that’s as sugary as buttercream. For the cupcakes, I used this recipe for the Great American Chocolate Cherry Cake. Both recipes turned out moist & fluffy cakes that were easy to frost and work with. (A quick aside on the cake. It’s maybe the fifth cake I’ve ever made and the first tiered one. Considering this, I’m extremely happy with how it turned out!)

The Beautiful Bride showing off her edible cake topper

Of course, we had to play a game. I hate the majority of shower games, especially the one that involves making a wedding dress out of toilet paper. Instead, I decided to do a quiz called “Getting to Know the Bride & Groom”. I asked 21 questions: 7 about Ashley, 7 about Justin & 7 about them as a couple. The questions asked about things like his winter hobby (snowboarding), her (a daycare) and where they’re honeymooning (Ocho Rios, Jamaica). The winner was the person who got the most questions right.

After the game, my grandma (Honey) cut and served the cake. Everyone had cake and chatted while Ashley opened her presents. Unfortunately, we didn’t know that someone had booked the Carriage Barn for right when the shower was scheduled to end. So we had to leave in a bigger hurry than I would have liked. But the rest of the day went so smoothly that I couldn’t be too upset over it. I am so thankful that I had the chance to throw this shower for Ashley, and that it allowed so many wonderful ladies to get together and enjoy good food and celebration on a Saturday afternoon.

From L-R: Me, Mom & Ashley modeling our tea hats

Finally, I can’t thank my Mom, Honey, Aunt Ruby and Cousin Dianna enough for helping me make this such a special day for Ashley. They put up with my bossiness and helped me with anything I asked them to do. Without them, this wouldn’t have been such a success.

Bridal shower supplies & inspiration. I couldn't resist buying the coordinating tissues because my sister is a crier.

This September, my little sister Ashley is getting married! She and her fiance, Justin have been together for several years. They are one of the cutest, most loving couples I’ve ever seen. I couldn’t be happier that they’re starting their life together as husband and wife in less than 8 weeks.

Justin & Ashley

Of course, I’m thrilled that Ashley asked me to be her matron-of-honor. Not only do I get the privilege of standing beside her while she says her vows, I also get to plan her bridal shower! As soon as Justin and Ashley got engaged, I started scheming and dreaming about this shower. I knew immediately that I wanted whatever I did to scream “Ashley” ~ a sweet girl who loves to garden and appreciates all things whimsical and colorful. Her only real request was that we have a tea party.

I toyed with the idea of hosting an actual High Tea. But my family just isn’t that stuffy or formal. Also, the shower is in late July, which isn’t exactly hot tea weather. So I came up with the idea of a Mary Engelbreit-Inspired Tea Party. Ashley loves her illustrations; and I think they’re the perfect inspiration for a whimsical bridal shower. Originally, I didn’t plan to use much actual Mary Engelbreit branded stuff. I’d just planned on something involving cherries, teapots and daisies in primary colors and checkerboard patterns. Then in March, I went to Michael’s to get new gel food colors for my Easter cookies. Ashley’s shower wasn’t even on my mind until I spotted the perfect Mary Engelbreit invitations ~ blue and white with cherries. It was the exact color scheme and design I’d had in mind for her shower cake and decorations!

For this tea party, I’m serving a traditional menu of tea sandwiches, scones and pastries. Instead of hot tea, I’ll be making iced teas. Of course, there will also be a whimsical, colorful cake, which I plan to make and decorate. It will have 2 tiers and a topper. For the topper, I’m using a Teacupcake from Fred & Friends. I must admit I’m a little nervous about the cake. I’ve a made a few layer cakes and countless decorated cupcakes. But I’ve never made a tiered cake by myself, nor have I ever made a cake for an event as important as this. Fortunately, Mom is a great cake decorator and will be there to help me.

Also, I’m firmly convinced that cooking is a much about one’s mental attitude as it is about one’s ability to follow directions. When I lived in Mexico, my host mom was fond of judging whether food was hecho con cariño, or “made with love”. She always said that food looked and tasted better when it was made with love. Though I’d never thought about it before, I realized it was true. When I put time and care into the food I prepare, it does turn out better. This cake, and everything else I am making, are things that I care deeply about because I am making them for a wonderful girl who is my sister and my friend.

Aside from truly caring about my kitchen creations, I’ve found that confidence does wonders for culinary success. When I approach a challenging recipe or technique, I make it a point to tell myself that it will turn out well. And you know what? It usually does!

My setup for making shower favors. The dining room table often doubles as a workspace for my kitchen projects.

Now I’m dying to share everything I have planned for this shower. But I don’t want to reveal all the surprises yet (especially not since Ashley reads my blog). But I do want to say that things will be pretty quiet here for the next couple weeks while I make the favors, food and cake for this shower. After it’s all done, I plan to write about the shower and some of the things that I’m learning during this time.

Thanks to stock.xchng users nkzs for the Cherries image and cybersnot for the Berry Heart.

Sugar Cookies: 4th of July Edition!

I’ve spent the last month doing a lot of cooking, baking, bicycling and traveling. This has left me with very little time for blogging (I know, such a tough problem to have).

After being out of town so much, I’m excited that I’m not going anywhere for the long weekend. Instead, I’m planning to stay and play in Columbus. I can finally check out the North Market Farmer’s Market on Saturday. The rest of the weekend includes The Crew soccer game, new recipes, working on my sister’s bridal shower, going to the pool and who knows what else. I’m also planning to update this blog with some things I’ve made recently and try to get into a semi-regular posting schedule.

Until then, I hope that everyone has a fun and relaxing 4th of July Weekend!

Blank Canvas

I have a confession. I am the owner of a box of 101 Wilton cookie cutters, most of which I have never used. I make cutout sugar cookies every year for Christmas. I did Halloween ones for a party one year. But I’ve never really thought to do cookies for Easter or any other holiday, probably because I usually come across a million other creative ideas for Easter desserts.

For the past few years, the ladies in my family have spent the day before Easter at my Grandma, Honey’s, house decorating cupcakes. We try to make our Easter cupcakes fun and creative. One year we made gumdrops into tulips. Another, we arranged the cupcakes to look like bunnies hopping across a garden. This year, I decided to break out all the Easter/Springtime cookie cutters and make a huge batch of sugar cookies to decorate alongside the cupcakes. Today, I will be passing a pleasant afternoon in the kitchen with my Mom, Sister, Grandma, Aunts & Cousins, getting hopped up on sugar and caffeine and making pretty things to eat.

Tomorrow, I am going to church with my husband, then having Easter dinner at my aunt’s house. I am really looking forward to everything. I hope that whatever you are doing this weekend, that you have a great weekend and a Happy Easter.

Leaving Key West, driving north on U.S. 1. I thought this stretch of road looked like something out of Miami Vice

Tuesday morning in Key West came too soon. The last day of vacation always does. After a final breakfast at Duval Inn, a taxi took us to the tiny Key West Airport to pick up the rental car. The taxi driver had a lot of suggestions about our drive north on U.S. 1. Chief among these was that we veer of the main highway on to Old Card Sound Road and have lunch at Alabama Jacks. Alabama Jacks was, he said, the best place to get fresh seafood and an atmosphere that was unique, even for the Florida Keys. Not being one to argue when good food and interesting people-watching are at stake, we opted to take the detour.

Upgrade!

But before getting to Alabama Jack’s, Key West had one last treat in store. The compact we had reserved was not available. Since we couldn’t get the car we had been promised, Budget upgraded us to a Mitsubishi Eclipse convertible! Drive over the sea on a sunny day with the top down and the music up? Yes please.

Alabama Jacks, as seen from Old Card Sound Road

I am grateful for our taxi driver. If he hadn’t suggested the little detour, we never would have found Alabama Jacks. It is located at 58000 Old Card Sound Road in Key Largo, just outside of Key Largo Hammock State Park. The restaurant is built over the water on a couple of large, floating barges. The dining area is completely bordered by water on one side. If you arrived by boat, you could actually dock alongside the restaurant. Like B.O.’s Fish Wagon, it’s mildly surprising that Alabama Jacks is standing and in one piece. It is exposed to wind and water, giving it a weathered character that can’t be duplicated. It is decorated with nautical paraphernalia and has an area for a live band to perform. The service is friendly, but slow. I found this to be the case almost everywhere I ate in the Keys. Honestly, it was a good reminder to me to slow down, relax and enjoy the good things in life.

The view from Alabama Jack's dining area

The menu at Alabama Jack’s is heavy on seafood, much of which has been battered and deep-fried. Their alcohol selection is limited to beer and wine. Before this trip, my dad told me to eat a conch fritter for him. Since Jack’s claims to have the best conch fritters in Key West, I decided this was the place to do it. I order the conch fritter platter while Jared ordered (I think) a fish sandwich and fries. The conch platter was served with a salad (iceburg lettuce with a tomato wedge and ranch dressing) and lightly-seasoned fries.

Conch fritter, on a styrofoam plate with plastic utensils. I absolutely love how laid back Keys restaurants are

Having never eaten a conch fritter (at least, not that I could recall), I had no idea what to expect. I had thought that, being shellfish, it would have a fishy flavor and a chewy texture. I think I had fried calamari in mind, actually. This was nothing like I had expected. For one thing, the conch meat was sweet. And it wasn’t much chewier than any other fish I have eaten. I really enjoyed it. The batter was light and not greasy in the slightest. For condiment options, I was given ketchup, tartar sauce and lime wedges. While the conch was good on its own, it was even better with a little Tabasco sauce and a generous amount of fresh Key Lime juice. My only complaint was that it was so big I couldn’t finish it all.

After lunch, we split a slice of Key Lime Pie, relaxed and chatted before resuming our journey back to Ohio

Waiting for the plane. Call me crazy. But I absolutely love airports.

Shortly after lunch, we arrived at Miami airport, much earlier than we needed to be there. Not being able to resist a bookstore, I purchased a newer Tim Dorsey novel to read while waiting for the plane. For those that don’t know, Tim Dorsey writes satirical novels revolving around a Florida history buff/serial killer named Serge A. Storms and his pothead sidekicks. Dorsey’s zany novels have quickly become a vacation reading staple for me; and I’d highly recommend them to anyone who loves Florida and silliness. This book was especially nice to read after finishing The Devil’s Highway by Luis Alberto Urrea. (A quick aside, because it’s my blog and I can veer off-topic if I want to: Urrea is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors with his poignant fiction and nonfiction tales of life in Mexico and on the Mexican-American border. I love all of his work. The Devil’s Highway, the true story of 26 Mexican men trying to cross into the United States through the deserts of Arizona, is compelling but not exactly light reading. If you are going to read him, I suggest starting with The Hummingbird’s Daughter, a novel about Teresita, the Saint of Cabora and Mexican Medicine Woman).  With a new book and my husband by my side, I ended my Key West vacation reading, people-watching and daydreaming about future travels to faraway places.

The sunset at Miami Airport. Not nearly as impressive as the sunset over the water. But still gorgeous in its own way.

The whole time I was in Key West, I had been craving Mexican food. Who am I kidding? I’m nearly always craving Mexican food. While I knew I wouldn’t find the most authentic fare in that part of Florida, I still wanted to try at least one Mexican place. After watching the sunset, we walked back to Duval Street for a Mexican dinner and a low-key evening. Having lived in Mexico for two summers, I am picky about Mexican food. So I approached Salsa Loca expecting Tex-Mex fare rather than authenticity. If you are a fan of real Mexican food, I recommend that you do the same.

Salsa Loca offers a laid-back atmosphere with mediocre food and service

As far as Key West restaurants go, Salsa Loca is large, rambling and a little chaotic. The entrance to the indoor dining room is at 623 Duval Street. Around the corner, there is a separate entrance to the outdoor dining area. Given the choice, I’ll always sit outside. So that’s where we headed. It is casual, a mix of bar-height tables, picnic tables and patio furniture. Dogs are welcome; and I wouldn’t be surprised to learn that shoes are optional. A couple seated near us actually brought their dog with them. The waitress gave the dog its own bowl of water, which it lapped up happily before dozing while its owners enjoyed their dinner.

Salsa Loca’s menu is similar to that of most other Tex-Mex places. The sinchronizadaa, which is described as a tortilla sandwich, is the most popular menu item. I ordered that while Jared had a combination meal. Both meals were served with yellow rice and refried pinto beans. His chile relleno was acceptable, if a little light on batter and cheese. It, and the burrito were covered in a red sauce that tasted like it had come from a can. The rice and beans were just average. My sinchronizada was a little bland, but still pretty good considering my low expectations. It was filled with a generous amount of lightly-seasoned shredded chicken, cheese, onion and jalapenos and topped with sliced avocado. Everything was improved once it had been covered with some hot salsa. Overall, Salsa Loca was no better or worse than I had expected. However, I don’t understand why it got such rave reviews from our B&B owners as well as a few other people that we spoke to.

Chicken sinchronizada, margarita & combination dinner

After dinner, we returned to the Duval Inn for a nighttime swim before talking one last walk down Duval Street. It’s rare to find a place that keeps it pool open 24 hours. The Duval Inn does; and we had it to ourselves. I guess no one else was crazy enough to swim in the cooler weather. But I’ve always been a fan of nighttime swims, warm or not. When it got too chilly, we went back to Duval Street for a walk and a nightcap.

Palm leaves & the moon made for a beautiful nighttime swim

Several locals told me that, since Key West is so small, there aren’t a whole lot of “local joints”. Locals go to many of the same places as tourists. They just do it on different nights. This was evident as I walked down Duval Street on Monday night. It really struck me as Jared and I sat at a quiet bar talking with a stranger and watching the Winter Olympics. Spending more than just a weekend in Key West gives you a great feel for the island. I got to see the loud and crazy Saturday night and the low-key Monday night. It gave me a little bit of a feel of both the tourist and the local side of Key West.

Even Irish Kevin's Bar, which is notorious for its debauchery and crowds, is quiet on a Monday night

A sign welcomes you to Mallory Square's shopping area

A fire juggler at the Sunset Celebration

If you attend the Sunset Celebration, I recommend arriving early. Being there an hour before sunset is not unheard of, especially if you want a front-row seat. There is plenty to see and do before and after the sun sets. I saw vendors, a fire juggler, a comedian, a bagpiper with a mohawk and several other entertainers. If you haven’t had your fill of silly souvenir shops, there are tons of them in Mallory Square’s shopping area. And I definitely recommend going to El Meson de Pepe, a Cuban themed restaurant/bar/gift shop located in Mallory Square. There, you can enjoy a mojito while watching dancers move to the sounds of a live salsa band.

Eventually, though, everyone migrates toward the waterfront. Seagulls fly by and pelicans dive and swim while the sky changes from blue to purple, red and orange. Boats of all shapes and sizes cruise past the docks. Locals and tourists alike sing, take pictures and toast the end of the day. Anyone who knows me will tell you that I’m not a crier. But the beauty of this sunset and the unity and joy of those watching brought me to tears.

Yeah, now the sun goes slidin’ across the water;
Sailboats, they go searchin’ for the breeze.
Salt air it ain’t thin,
It can stick right to your skin,
And make you feel fine.
It makes you feel fine.
Cause I want to be there,
I want to go back down and lie beside the sea there.
With a tin cup for a chalice
Fill it up with good red wine,
And I’m-a chewin’ on a honeysuckle vine.
~Jimmy Buffett, “Tin Cup Chalice”

The famous Key West Beach Sign shows the distance in miles from the beach to a number of other locations including New Orleans, London and Cancun

Several things about Ft. Zach’s beach surprised me. I had expected the beach to be crowded. It was relatively deserted, making for a peaceful atmosphere. I had also expected nothing but soft sand and warm water. While there is gorgeous white sand, the beach at Ft. Zach is also rocky. Since it was mid-February, the water was cooler than I’d expected. Fortunately, years of swimming in Lake Erie have made me used to swimming in cooler water and wading on rocks. And I absolutely could not resist how clear and sparkly the water looked. I splashed around, watched the seagulls and pelicans, and took lots of pictures before settling into that beloved beach pastime – reading & sunbathing.

Sometime in the afternoon, I began to get hungry. I checked out the selections at Ft. Zach’s concession stand, and decided against what were likely to be mediocre burgers & hot dogs. This turned out to be a good decision since it started to drizzle as we were leaving the beach, and because we stumbled onto the best fish sandwich I have ever eaten.

B.O.’s Fish Wagon, located at 801 Caroline Street, doesn’t look that great from the outside. It is constructed out of a random selection of planks, plywood, sheets of metal, and even old garage doors; and is decorated with fishing nets and license plates and graffiti left behind by past patrons. Honestly, the place looks like it could fall down at any second. Being the type of person who prefers holes-in-the-wall and little local joints to trendy restaurants and big, pristine chains, B.O.’s is my type of place. Upon arriving, you’re greeted by a sign that essentially says “if you’re in a hurry, prissy or whiny, this is not the place for you”. The girl taking orders sits on top of the cashier’s counter and answers questions about the menu. Behind her, you can see your food being prepared. Upon placing your order, you sit down at a picnic table or on a barstool or at an old cable spool and wait for your food to be delivered.

There is a lot of love for Ohio, especially Lake Erie & Put-in-Bay, in Key West

Jared & I both ordered the fried fish sandwich with fries. At the order-taker’s suggestion, we shared a “small” order of fries. This turned out to be more than enough for both of us. The fresh-cut fries were good, especially when seasoned with salt and malt vinegar, but nothing special. It was the sandwich that was the star of this meal. The snapper was battered and fried, and served on cuban bread with cheese, onion, lettuce, tomato and Key West Lime sauce. It was perfectly-fried and crispy without being greasy. One of my fried-food pet peeves is when there’s more batter than there is meat. This was not the case with B.O.’s sandwich. While it was coated in a generous amount of batter, there was even more fish, giving it the perfect fish-to-batter ratio. The sauce complimented the other toppings very well. Overall, the combination of soft bread, crispy fish, fresh lettuce and creamy-tangy sauce made for a perfect fish sandwich. I hear that their sandwiches are best when washed down with a beer. Not being a beer drinker, I had the Key Limeade which was also delightfully refreshing.

The one problem with B.O.’s is that its construction makes it a bit risky on a rainy day. We lucked into a table that was covered. Some of the others were not. This was fortunate because it rained harder as the afternoon went on, derailing my plan to return to the beach. Lazing around moved to our room at The Duval Inn, where we read, napped, and generally enjoyed being away from the snow and cold of Ohio and the stresses of work.

No sunset. But I did get to watch the boats on the water

When we decided to go to Key West, one of the things I wanted to do the most was go to the Sunset Celebration at Mallory Square. Growing up on Lake Erie, I have seen more than my share of beautiful sunsets over the water. There is something magical about seeing all those reds, oranges and purples reflected onto the water. Being a night owl, I also like the sunset because it signifies the start of my favorite time of day. I knew that because of the clouds and rain, Sunday wouldn’t be a good sunset night. But we went to Mallory Square anyway. Sure enough, the sky stayed a steely blue that eventually faded to gray then to black. But that didn’t put a damper on anyone’s spirits. Several vendors, street performers, and tourists braved the drizzle to come out and bid the day goodbye.

Mallory Square in the rain

Once the sun set, it was time for dinner. The Upper Crust was not my first choice of restaurant. Pizza places never are. But if Jared didn’t care about things like eating a balanced diet and gaining 50 pounds, he would eat pizza for breakfast, lunch and dinner every day of his life. We had passed The Upper Crust, located at 611 Duval Street, several times while walking around town. We decided to give them a try that night.

Upper Crust Pizzeria, Key West

Upper Crust is a casual restaurant with hardwood floors, stainless steel tables and TVs showing the Olympics. We decided to split a pepperoni pizza with bacon on one half for him and jalapenos on the other half for me. This was another beer-only place, so we both got pop to go with our food. The Upper Crust is yet another place that you wouldn’t want to eat if you were in a hurry. I think that by this time, I’d decided that if you wanted food quickly in Key West, your best bet was Denny’s or Wendy’s. Being in no hurry, we settled in to watch the employees toss our pizza crust, top it and bake it.

Eventually, we were presented with large pizza. From looking at the pizza, it’s obvious that Upper Crust pays some attention to the quality and freshness of their ingredients. They use full strips of bacon instead of the crumbles that so many places use, and freshly-sliced jalapenos. The sauce had a strong tomato and garlic taste but wasn’t sweet at all. The crust was on the thin side, but airy and perfectly cooked. All-in-all, it was a good pizza. It wasn’t the best I ever had. But it certainly wasn’t the worst (that dubious honor goes to Gino’s soggy deep-dish in Chicago).

Post-pizza, we passed another relaxing Key West night exploring the nightlife, making random friends and enjoying life and one anothers’ company.

At night, Duval Street is a mellow, beachy version of Bourbon Street