When I decided to make a long weekend trip to visit Amanda and Ryan, I knew this was the perfect opportunity to cross Florida off of my USA Food Tour list. Key Lime Pie is the food of choice and I was more than happy to oblige by it. I started doing my research in and around the South Florida area to figure out where we should make a stop.
Once I had mentioned my plan to Amanda, she immediately came up with an even better idea. She suggested that we make a trip down to the Florida Keys and really sample the best of the best Key Lime Pie. I was beyond excited about this as the Keys have always been on my bucket list. We also decided that we could not just make one stop, because really how would we be able to choose? Instead we settled on several different locations.
Our first stop was more local to Amanda and Ryan’s home. We were looking for a delicious, new place for lunch on the water. We were on vacation after all. We discovered the appropriately named Old Key Lime House and decided to give it a try. After our delicious lunch we each ordered a soon-to-be-discovered large piece of pie. We learned that the crust is made fresh in house and is a blend of graham cracker, granola, and pecans. It is then layered with a tangy yet creamy layer of key lime filling and topped with a thick layer of fresh whipped cream. To be honest, I could have stopped there on the pie tour. This slice was to die for. But onward we went, we had more pie to taste!
The next stop was en route to Key West. We did some research along the way and found Mrs. Mac’s in Key Largo. We stopped at an odd hour so we each again, ordered a slice of pie. This slice I feel was the most traditional. Graham cracker crust, sweet and tangy filling, with a piping of freshly whipped cream.
Once we landed in Key West and walked around a bit, we stopped for our third slice of the weekend. Kermit’s of Key West is highly ranked on the southernmost island of the continental US. I ordered the traditional slice, which was similar in texture and consistency to Mrs. Mac’s however it was much more tangy. Amanda and Ryan wanted to try something a little different and ordered chocolate dipped. It looked amazing! But you know me and chocolate.
Sunday we had two stops to make. On our way home we stopped in Islamorada for lunch. We found a picturesque cafe right on the beach. After lunch we ordered just one slice this time (I think we were all getting a bit key limed-out). This slice definitely had the best presentation. It was drizzled with a raspberry glaze and topped with fresh berries and whipped cream. It was pretty tart however the fruit was a nice balance.
I also picked up a slice to go from the Key Lime Pie Factory in Key West. Now, since we brought this slice home and I was to leave the next morning early, I actually never got a chance to try this. However, I left the taste test to the Chiplock’s. Their description was that it was very light, slightly tangy, with a nice crunchy crust. They also said it was not their favorite amongst the group but satisfying.
I feel that Amanda, Ryan, and myself were able to sample a decent variety from all over southern Florida and the Keys. Each piece had a component that made them stand out amongst the rest yet all still stuck to the traditional flavorings. I must say, this may have been the most fun Food Tour yet. I loved spending the weekend with two of my closest friends, exploring and eating our way through the Keys one slice at a time.
