8 Traditional Foods
You Have To Try in Key West

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 whipped cream. The spicy and acidic flavors of the limes provide a great contrast to sugar and sweet cream. Key lime, also known as citrus aurantifolia, Mexican lime, and West Indian lime is a fruit indigenous to Malaysia, and it has been connected to Florida since the 1830s when a botanist named Henry Perrine started planting them on Florida's Indian Key. Today, they are used in this traditional, refreshing pie that is even better when paired with light-bodied, crisp, and fruity white wines.Expand

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 Delmonico's Restaurant. It is believed that Delmonico's chef named Charles Ranhofer invented the dish in 1860s for a customer named Mrs. LeGrand Benedict, who wanted to eat something new. Ranhofer even published the recipe in his cookbook, The Epicurean, published in 1894. Regardless of the inventor, eggs Benedict are nowadays found throughout the world, in numerous variations such as eggs Mornay, Florentine, Blanchard, Hussarde, and Cochon.Expand

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 other, then topped with a variety of ingredients such as butter, maple syrup, fruit jam, honey, whipped cream, or peanut butter. American pancakes are often served for breakfast in the United States of America and Canada, and are sometimes accompanied by fried eggs, bacon, or sausages. In America, there are a few varieties of pancakes, and the most popular ones are johnnycakes (made from fried cornmeal) and silver dollar pancakes (smaller than regular pancakes). Originally, pancakes were symbolic of the sun and played a key role in the early religious rituals of the Native Americans, who first made them from ground cornmeal that was then cooked on hot rocks.Expand

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, potatoes, beans, and herbs and spices. The combination is boiled for a few hours until all the flavors blend together. This red-colored chowder is light and brothy when first prepared, but if it's left overnight and eaten the next day, its consistency slightly thickens due to the starches coming from the potatoes. Red conch chowder is always served hot, and it's recommended to add a few dashes of pepper sherry on top before serving.Expand

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. The bread is a key ingredient of the popular Cuban sandwich, and it is recommended to pair it with a hot cup of coffee.Expand

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 liquid is reduced, while a combination of butter, bell peppers, shallots, and garlic is sautéed and sprinkled with flour and mixed with brandy and cream until the combination becomes thick. The cooked shrimps are added to the pot and simmered until hot, and the dish is then served, often garnished with sliced green onions or parsley. It's recommended to serve shrimp bisque with French bread on the side for mopping up the juices.Expand

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 hard to pinpoint, but steak and seafood meals became popular throughout the United States during the 1960s. The meat is typically grilled and served with an accompanying thick sauce, while the seafood is usually grilled, fried, baked, or boiled, depending on the choice of seafood. Although surf and turf is sometimes associated with low-quality food, it can often be the most expensive item on a menu, since it uses expensive ingredients. However, surf and turf dishes are still quite popular, and there is even a food holiday called National Surf and Turf Day, celebrated every leap year on February 29.Expand

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 sandwich. Today, there are numerous variations on the Cubano, so some use different bread or add ingredients such as lettuce, tomatoes, and mayonnaise.Expand