Author: gatorgirl.outoftheswamp@gmail.com

Cocoa Beach Winery – Cocoa Beach, FL

When I was on vacation in Cocoa Beach, I passed by a cute little shop that had signs for wine tastings. I thought I would check them out and see what they had to offer.

This little boutique was set up very different from a typical winery. It was a shop that sold several types of things from jams to juices. The side of the shop that sold wine offered wines from two different wineries on the west coast of Florida.

The friendly hostess offered tastings on any bottle I wanted. This was great because these were brand new wines that I had never seen before. When deciding how to write about my experience, I decided to break it down by each winery. That allows for an easier understanding of everything I tasted.

Florida Orange Groves Winery

This winery is located in St. Petersburg, Florida. All their wines are made in Florida with 100% Florida citrus juices. Many of their wines have won awards across the state.

www.FloridaWine.com

I started off with the fun wine called Hurricane Class 5. This is a tropical sangria wine that blends pineapple, watermelon, passion fruit, key limes, and mangos. It was sweet. It was served chilled which made it refreshing. The label has the actual image of Hurricane Andrew  that hit South Florida in 1992 as a Category 5 storm.

Up next was the Key Limen. It would not be a Florida wine without some key lime. This was a true specialty with fresh key lime juice. It was both sweet and tart. If I closed my eyes, I could picture myself on Duval Street in Key West. This is a true vacation wine.

The third wine was Blueberry Blue. This blueberry wine was semi-sweet. It was full of flavor. The blueberries tasted so fresh in this wine. It was made with 100% Florida blueberries.

White Gold was next up. This was a peach wine. This was served chilled which made it refreshing and crisp. It was a subtle peach flavor. It would be perfect sipping by the pool on a hot summer afternoon.

The final wine I tried was the St. Pete Sangria. This was a red sangria. They used Florida muscadine grapes, citrus juices, and fresh raspberries. I could taste the subtle hint of the raspberries. They also added a little brandy to the wine to give it a little kick. It was a nice touch. All that was missing was some chopped up fruit.

Murielle Winery

This winery is located in Clearwater, Florida. They also make all their wines in Florida. They take their traditional wines and blend them with fresh fruit juices to create updated flavors.

www.muriellewinery.com

The first wine I tired was the Dragon Fruit Blush. The dragon fruit was infused into a bold Shiraz. It created a unique flavor that was surprisingly sweet.

Staying with the sweetness I tried the 3 Berry next. They took the Shiraz and blended it with raspberry, blackberry, and boysenberry. This wine was lot sweeter than the previous wine. I felt like the taste of the boysenberry really shined through.

The third wine I tried was Raspberry. It was a simple name but there was nothing simple about the flavor. They took their Merlot and infused it with black raspberries. This wine was delicious. It was slightly sweet. It could easily be sipped by itself or with a nice salty cheese. I bought a bottle of this to enjoy at home.

Sticking with the true Florida them I went with the Tropical Storm as my last wine. This was a Pinot Grigio that was blended with pineapples and pears. It was not that sweet but not too dry either. One sip I could taste the pineapple and the second sip I could taste the pears. It was a unique blend. It was not chilled, but I could see it being chilled to enjoy with something salty.

So Cocoa Beach Winery is not a typical experience. It was a great way to try different wines from around the state in a relaxing environment. The owner of the shop was sweet and friendly. She was very knowledgeable about the wines she was serving. She really liked what she was doing.

If you are in the Cocoa Beach area you should check them out. Visit their website a www.cocoabeachwinery.com to see everything they have to offer.

Enjoy!

T

Rusty’s Seafood & Oyster Bar – Port Canaveral, FL

I was driving around Port Canaveral and came across a restaurant that had a big sign that said now open. This was Rusty’s Seafood & Oyster Bar and they had been closed because of the pandemic. Lucky for me they were open once again and I was hungry for some oysters.

They had tables on a great back deck. It overlooked the water which allowed me to watch boats go back and forth.

It was brunch time, so I ordered a Bloody Mary to enjoy while looking over the menu. This was a nice spicy Bloody Mary, just how I like it.

I started off ordering the calamari. The tender calamari were breaded and lightly fried until crispy. They sprinkled parmesan cheese on top while it was still hot, so it melted slightly. They also served a side of marinara sauce. The calamari were so soft and fresh. It melted in my mouth. It tasted great when dipped in the marinara sauce. The sauce was loaded with flavor of oregano and basil.

Now one of the main reasons I wanted to eat at Rusty’s was because of the oysters. They had four options to choose from. I went for their Oysters Parmesan. I asked the waitress how these were prepared because the menu was not clear. The shucked fresh oysters and topped them with garlic butter and parmesan cheese. Then they baked them in the oven until the cheese was melted and the butter was sizzling.

These smelled glorious when they were brought to the table. They were extremely hot, so I waited a few minutes for them to cool.

They used a ton of cheese on these oysters, which is fantastic. The oysters were sweet tasting and the cheese added a slight saltiness. It was a great contrast. The butter made the oysters savory and smooth. Since these were baked instead of chargrilled, they did not have a smoky taste. They were delicious.

I also got the grouper sandwich with French fries. Typically, I would get the fish blackened. However, they offered a Jamaican jerk option. I thought that was something unique and wanted to try it on fish. I have only ever had Jerk chicken.

The grouper was a beautiful piece of fish when it came out. It was light and flakey. The jerk seasoning added a nice heat that had a slightly sweet taste. It went so well with the fish because the taste of the fish itself was mild and the seasoning could shine.

Now just because I was done eating did not mean I was ready to leave Rusty’s. The views were so spectacular I wanted to enjoy them a little longer. To enjoy the views, I ordered a classic tropical cocktail, a Pina Colada. This drink was cold, which was refreshing for hot, sunny Florida. The creamy texture and the sweet taste of coconut put me in a happy place. Plus, I got a souvenir glass.

The food was fantastic at Rusty’s. I enjoyed everything and I am still thinking about those delicious oysters. I am glad that they were back open when I was in town.

If you are in Port Canaveral or near Cocoa Beach check them out. www.rustysseafood.com

Enjoy!

T

Graham’s Beach Bar – Cocoa Beach, FL

I found a great little hole in the wall bar in Cocoa Beach called Graham’s Beach Bar. It is nothing fancy, but a lot of locals were there enjoying drinks and food. I love finding places like this.

I was a little hungry for lunch, so I order a few things off the menu. I got the cheddar jalapeno poppers. I love the cheddar version more than the cream cheese, but most restaurants only serve the cream cheese. I was happy to see the cheddar on the menu.

They came out popping hot; I needed the cheese to cool a little so I would not burn my mouth. The cheese was creamy and cooled down the heat from the jalapeno. It was the perfect dish to start with.

I also ordered the Buffalo cauliflower. These were breaded and fried pieces of fresh cauliflower. I was a little disappointed because they were plain. There was no Buffalo wing sauce on them like I was expecting. They were crispy and tasted fine with the ranch sauce but I think they would have been better with some tangy wing sauce and maybe some blue cheese crumbles.

This was a nice quick little spot to grab a quick bite. I was also happy to be able to support a local business. Check out their Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/grahamsbeach/

Enjoy!

T

Pelican’s Bar & Grill – Cocoa Beach, FL

There is a ton of things to do in Cocoa Beach, Florida. The beaches are beautiful. They have a huge pier that you can walk along, fish from, or pop into one of the many restaurants.

Towards the end of the pier is a restaurant called Pelican’s Bar and Grill. I popped in there to get a quick snack. It was the perfect place to cool off from the Florida heat, and watch the waves crash up onto the beach.

I ordered the crab and shrimp dip because I wanted a quick snack. I was expecting this to come out hot, but it was a cold dip. It was good cold. It made it feel more appropriate for a summertime snack.

They had a generous amount of crabmeat in this dip. They sprinkled in a few baby shrimp throughout. The dip was creamy and a little sweet. They served the dip with tortilla chips. The chips created a nice crispy contrast to the soft dip. This would have also been delicious with some toasted crostini.

The views were great from the restaurant. It was the perfect stop to grab a quick snack. If you are near the pier you should check the out.

www.cocoabeachpier.com/dining/pelicans-bar-grill

Enjoy!

T

Island Grove Wine Company – Kissimmee, FL

If you like fruity wins, then I found the perfect winery for you. Island Grove Wine Company had a variety of fruit wines from blueberry to strawberry. And they are all made in Florida. I was looking forward to checking them out.

The winery is set up a little differently than the traditional wineries I have visited. This was a touch-less, serve yourself winery. The way it works is you put money onto a chip card. Then you insert that card into the different wine machines and select the wine you would like to try, as well as the size pour.

I made sure I had enough money on the card to try several of the wines. The first one was the Rustic Raspberry. This was one of their seasonal wines. I could smell the raspberries right away. This wine was super sweet to me, and it had a hint of tartness in the aftertaste. It is a great dessert wine.

The second wine was the Bold Blackberry. This was a blend of Merlot and blackberries. To me it was sweet with a dry aftertaste on the first sip. It mellowed out on the second sip.

For my third tasting I went for the Sunshine State White Sangria. This sweet, refreshing wine combined pineapples, peaches, and mangos. I really enjoyed all the tropical flavors. I could really taste the mangos on the second sip. I could see myself enjoying this on the beach, watching the sunset.

In sticking with the sangria’s, I went for the Sunshine State Berry Sangria next. This blended different berries and citrus fruits with their blueberry wine. The aroma was powerful with a slight spicy smell, but it was not in the taste. It was drier for a sangria. After holding it in my mouth after sipping I could taste a hint of pepper.

My final tasting was the Southern Strawberry. They blended strawberries with Riesling. I could smell the strawberry right away, it was very intense, but in a good way. The wine was light and sweet. The perfect dessert wine. I just wish I had some chocolate to enjoy with it.

This was a different type of wine tasting experience. The wines were great, and the casual atmosphere was perfect for sitting and enjoying wine with friends.

Check them out at www.IslandGroveWineCompany.com

Enjoy!

T

The Crooked Spoon – Clermont, FL

I love to hear about food trucks that become overwhelming successful that they are able to open up free standing restaurants. That is exactly what happened to The Crooked Spoon in Clermont, Florida.

It is a very cozy gastropub. The lighting is lightly dim, which helped create the cozy feeling. They used hardwood throughout that helped create an elegant feel. Even with all the social distancing between the table, the restaurant was full of customers.

They had several specials on their menu that seems to change with the season. The Grouper sounded wonderful based on the menu description, so I made sure to order that for my dinner.

The presentation on the plate was beautiful. Each element on the plate way layered perfectly.

The grouper was pan seared in a buttery beurre blanc sauce. The sauce had a velvety smooth texture. It was packed with herb flavors, which accented the sweetness of the fish. It was a light sauce which did not weigh down the flakey fish.

On the plate they included roasted red potatoes and fresh green beans. The potatoes were tender, and the skin was slightly crispy. The green beans were sautéed and still a little crispy as well. They tasted wonderful in the beurre blanc sauce.

To top off the fish they had some fried arugula. The crispiness of the arugula was nice. I had never had it like this before. There was a slight peppery taste, but it did not affect the taste of the fish.

My dinner was fantastic. They served the right amount of food, so nothing went to waste. They have a very eclectic menu and offered a lot of choices for guests. I would go back and check out one of their cheeseburgers. They looked really good.

If you are in the area, check them out. You can visit their website at www.thespoonclermont.com

Enjoy!

T

Lakeridge Winery – Clermont, FL

With things starting to open back up I was thrilled to see that Lakeridge Winery was open for tours and tastings. This is the sister winery to San Sebastian Winery in St. Augustine that I wrote about several months ago.

Because of all the social distancing that is in place, the tour of the winery was self-guided. I got to take my time and walk through the barrel rooms looking at all the tanks.

I got to see where they pack up all the cases and ship them off to stores.

The grounds are growing. They have several huge fermentation tanks outside filled with wine. They have rows and rows of grapevines. Most of them are the native Florida Muscadine grape.

For the tastings, they had different stations set up. You take your tasting cup and just move from station to station at your own pace. It is not rushed at all. The tastings started from dry to sweet.

The first tasting station was for the Cabernet Sauvignon. This red wine was slightly dry but was mild to me. There was a hint of oak flavor that is common in Cabernets. I could imagine myself eating a bowl of spaghetti while enjoying this wine. I bought a bottle of this to enjoy at home.

The second tasting was the Chardonnay. This was definitely dry. I thought this was much dryer than the Cabernet. When it comes to wine, Chardonnay is not my favorite but if you are a Chardonnay fan, this one could be great for you. This one would be great with some blue cheese and crackers.

My third tasting was their Chablis. They classify this as a semi-dry wine. This is one of their wines that is made from the Florida Muscadine grape. His is a mild wine to me. It would be a great compromise wine if one person liked dry and another liked sweet. I think both people would enjoy this, especially if enjoying some nice grilled chicken. I enjoyed this tasting so much that I asked for another taste just to be sure. And I am glad I did. This was another bottle that I bought.

Now it was time for station four, the Sunblush. This was classified as a semi-sweet. Their description of this wine evoked the image of a Florida sunset. Who wouldn’t feel like they were on vacation after hearing that? They used Muscadine grapes in this wine as well. Naturally, they said you could enjoy this wine with pasta. But I am convinced that all wines can be enjoyed with pasta. I enjoyed this as a sipping wine. I bought a bottle of this too!

Station five started off with their Southern White, a true sweet wine. This was naturally made with the Florida Muscadine grape, which does have a natural sweetness to it. The taste of this wine reminded me of a Moscato or a Riesling, which I really enjoy.  This was crispy and best served when chilled. I could imagine drinking this wine at the beach and joying some fresh tropical fruit.

The sixth station was the last of the main tastings.  It was for the Southern Red. They use the Noble variety of the Muscadine grape for this wine. It turns out that this is their best-selling wine. They also served tis wine chilled. I could see myself enjoying this wine with a big slice of chocolate cake or even a brownie, which is why I bought a bottle of this. It was just so smooth, and the sweetness was not that overpowering.

One of the things I love about Lakeridge winery us their tastings are free. It allows people to determine what they like and then purchase it downstairs in their store. It works because I left with six bottles.

 They offered something new in terms of tastings. They had two special made wines that were done in small batches. To taste these, it cost $5.00. So, I figured it would be worth it. Both wines were made from Napa Valley grapes but were produced 100% in Florida.

The first was a Cabernet Sauvignon. This was a full body wine. There was no harsh after taste. But this was much dryer than their main line Cabernet.

The second special batch wine was the Petite Sirah. This was another full body wine. This had more fruit flavors than I was expecting. I could taste a hint of blackberry.  Enjoyed this wine and thought it would go great with a juicy steak.

Now this ended the tastings that were upstairs in the winery. They were offering additional tastings at the main bar. I made sure to take advantage of this opportunity. I love being able to sample wins before making a purchase. That way I know I will enjoy it.

At the downstairs bar I started off by tasting their Pinot Grigio. This wine is produced in one of their many steel tanks. There was zero oak taste to this wine because of the process. It is semi-dry, definitely not as dry as their Chardonnay.

Next, I went for another sweet wine called Pink Crescendo. This is their sparkling wine. It is a rose and it was very bubbly. It would be perfect for a celebration. They did offer a tasting of this mixed with some pink lemonade. That combination was amazing. It made the taste both sweet and tangy, perfect for a party.

One of the last sweet wines I tried was their Proprietor’s Reserve. This is a bend of their Southern Red and their cream Sherry. It was definitely a dessert wine. It was amazing to me. The sweetness would pair so well with some Parmesan cheese because of the contrast in flavors. This is why I bought a bottle of this.

There are two specialty wines they off that I made sure to try. The first was the Port. This was what I had tried at San Sabastian Winery and loved. I still loved it when I sampled it here. I bought 2 bottles for home.

The other specialty was the Ruby Port. This was the blending of the port and their cream sherry. This was super sweet, almost too sweet for me. I am glad I tried it though.

To my last surprise, the host behind the bar brought out one last treat for me to try. It was a wine slushie. It blended some of their Southern Red wine with a Wine-A-Rita mix and blended it with ice. I was a delicious summer treat. It would be perfect for at the beach or pool.

I had such a wonderful visit and experience at Lakeridge Winery. The entire staff was welcoming and friendly. I would go back in a heartbeat to enjoy another tasting.

Checking out their hours and their wines at www.lakeridgewinery.com

Enjoy!

T

Party Fowl – Cool Springs, TN

If anyone has read my blog throughout the years, then it is known that I love hot chicken. When I am visiting Nashville, I must get hot chicken at least once. With restaurants slowly opening from the pandemic, I was able to try a new place for hot chicken called Party Fowl.

I started off by ordering a cold, refreshing “adult” cherry slushie. It was sweet and delicious. It was a great way to start knowing my mouth would probably be on fire the rest of the meal.

We started with a few appetizers to share around the table. The Fowl Balls were a creative New Orleans style dirty rice ball. They were deep fried and served with a white BBQ sauce. These were not spicy. They were full f rice flavor from the Cajun seasoning. The white BBQ sauce was creamy, but I thought it took away from the flavor of the rice ball.

The other starter was the Hot Chicken Poutine. Now if I were to go back, I would actually order this as my meal. They use crispy French fries and cover them with cheese curds and chicken gravy. Then they top it with hot chicken. They chop up chicken tenders for this and I was able to select the heat level, so I went with medium.

The flavor combination of the spicy chicken with the salty gravy and creamy cheese paired so perfectly together. The medium heat of the chicken was a lot spicier than I was expecting. It does not hit you right away, it kind of creeps up on you. Eventually it mellows out but not without drinking some water and eating a few French fries.

So, when it was time to order my hot chicken plate, I went for the medium spice. I knew that would be spicy enough. I got the hot chicken and beignets. It is basically my dinner and dessert on the same plate.

The chicken was fantastic. It was crispy and spicy. The heat was the right amount to make my nose run but not lose my sense of taste. The chicken was plump and juicy as well. The slice of Texas toast was soaking up the grease from the chicken as well as the spice. I did not dare eat that.

I also must talk about the side I chose, the mac and cheese. It was homemade with creamy cheese and a crispy top layer of cheese. It is the perfect side with hot chicken. I also feel that the creamy cheese helps calm down the spice.

They also have homemade potato chips. They cook these up in bacon grease. They are light and crispy with a slight hint of bacon flavor.

The beignets were the perfect addition to this plate. The fluffy fried dough was covered in a bourbon glaze and topped with powered sugar. It was the complete juxtaposition to the chicken.  The bourbon glaze was sweet and tasted perfectly with the semi-sweet dough.

The next time you are in Nashville, you need to check out Party Fowl for their hot chicken. You will not leave disappointed.  Check out their website at www.partyfowl.com

Enjoy!

T

Country Chicken ‘N Fish – Lakeland, FL

I absolutely love fried chicken. It is one of my favorite comfort foods. There is this little hole in the wall place in Lakeland, Florida that has been cooking up homemade fired chicken for decades, Country Chicken ‘N Fish.

You can just walk up to their window and place your order.

I had been passing this restaurant for years and always noticed a line of people waiting to order. I finally made a stop. I picked up an 8-piece bucket to enjoy at home. They have some picnic tables outside if you want to enjoy it there, but most people get theirs to go.

The chicken was piping hot when I got my order. It cooled off a little by the time I got home, which as a good thing. The breading on the chicken was super crispy. It locked in the moisture of the chicken, so it was very juicy. The flavor of the breading was your classic southern style, slightly salty with a hint of black pepper. Nothing fancy, just simple.

The wings were extra crispy and very meaty. They are the perfect kind of wing you want when watching football.

They have a few other items on their menu including fried fish. I definitely want to go back and try that. I can see why this restaurant has been around for a while. The food is great, and the staff was very friendly.

Check them out at https://www.yelp.com/biz/country-chicken-and-fish-lakeland

Enjoy!

T

A & N Italian Deli – Clearwater, FL

A while back I wrote about an Italian market called Felice’s Deli. They have amazing dishes and desserts that can be eaten there or taken home to enjoy. Well it turns out they have a sister location called A & N Italian Deli. It is in Clearwater, Florida. I was excited to check them out.

They are a little smaller inside, but they still carry all the desserts, deli meats and cheeses, and prepared Italian specialties, like meatballs and eggplant.

For my visit I wanted to get a nice, big Italian sandwich. I figured I would not go wrong with The Godfather. This sandwich was loaded with Genoa salami, capicola, pepperoni, mortadella, and provolone cheese. There was so much meat. Then they added a little tomato and lettuce. They drizzled Italian dressing across off the it. The dressing soaked into the fresh made sesame seed hoagie roll.

The bread was amazing. It really tied the entire sandwich together. The crust was crunchy and held together nicely. The meats were so tender and full of flavor. The saltiness of the meats were smoothed out by the creaminess of the cheese and the fresh juiciness of the tomato.

Knowing the meaty sandwich would fill me up, I got some desserts to go. The mini cheesecakes and mini cannoli would be perfect for later.

The cannoli were amazing. The shell was crunchy and had a hint of cinnamon. The filling was extremely smooth and creamy. There was no grittiness to it at all. The few chocolate chips added a little extra crunch.

The mini cheesecakes were also creamy in texture but firm. One was topped with cherries and the other with blueberries. That added a little extra sweetness to each bite. The graham cracker crust held it all together but did not take away from the cheesecake itself.

I loved my lunch and dessert from A & N. The flavors were wonderful. It is nice to find another authentic Italian deli in Florida. Check them out at www.felicedeli.com

Enjoy!

T