Well, we will still call this a Tequila Report even though I had iced tea. Had some smooth stuff a week ago with Lou Garofalo, but they will be few and far in between.
Anyways, I did the Great Gulf Coast Art Fest in Pensacola,FL last weekend and on Monday, the way home to Tampa, I decided to do a little side trip to Apalachicola (Hereafter referred to as APP). Had not been there in 20 years and was curious about how it was doing. Seen many articles about it, and they all sounded good. APP is known for their oysters. It lies right at the mouth of the APP River as it empties into the Gulf. Plus I figured there would be good photo opportunities there.
Anyway you travel, it takes a while to get there and it is worth it. A charming village by the sea.
From Pensacola you head back east either along the coast on Route 98 which takes you thru a gazillion traffic lights in Destin, Panama City and Port St. Joe. Another way east, which I took, is to go I-10 and get off at Marianna. Don't visit the Boys Correctional Institution. Instead, go south on Route 71. It will take you to Port St. Joe and then a little jog left gets you to APP. If you are coming up from south Florida, like from the Tampa area it is best to take the Tollway up to Brooksville, get off and head a short distance west on Route 98. Then turn north on good ol' US 19 up to Perry than follow Route 98 on an eventful journey thru pine forests, little towns like Carabelle and you will get to APP. Took me 90 minutes going the way I went. Should have gone right back up Route 71 after leaving--but NO!, I wanted to take the scenic route back to Tampa, via Perry. A half hour down the road I got pulled over by an unmarked Statey(highway patrol}. He clocked me 71 mph in a 55mph zone. Yikes! Knock on wood, I haven't had a speeding ticket in ten years which amounts to 275,00 miles driven. Not that I didn't deserve one once in a while, just they never caught me, I was too slick.
Well this guy had me good, checked my driving record out--and issued me a warning citation--no money fine. In my book this guy was a Prince in the pine woods. Well, as I left him, still going to Perry on 98 (not mph) I got about 30 miles from it and guess what? A local Sheriff followed me all the way there. Put it on cruise control at 55 mph and sauntered on. It is slightly un-nerving when the Law follows you like that. The good thing was, I was high on the sugared ice tea and not worried about getting a DUI. He turned left, finally, and I went on to Perry and then home to a grateful wife.
OK, by now you are wondering, "Where the Hell is the Tequila Report?" Its coming "pardner", its coming. Up in the panhandle we do things nice and slow, not fast like you city-slickers in Naples and Ft. Lauderdale, hell, put Ft. Myers and Tampa in there too.
If you look on a map of Florida you will see where APP sticks out into the Gulf, it is right at the bend in Florida leading to the Panhandle. It takes a while to get there. Eat more oysters, slam some shrimp and quaff some beers and stay there for the night. They got several rustic, but good, inns there.
Which now leads me to the Tequila Report. See how I made ya read all that other stuff before I got here. Well, by now, you are either a fan of my reports, and want to know all, or I just lost you somewhere between Panama City and Perry.
It is a delicious trip, stay with me.
HOW I WAS HUNGRY FOR LUNCH AND FOUND BOSSES' OYSTER HOUSE/BAR
I walked around took pics and started looking for the best place to eat oysters--which led me to Bosses'. I am an old cracker and I love my shellfish, hell, I love anything out of the sea, and will eat them all, that includes Mermaids.
Bosses' sits right on the water. There is inside and outside dining. The place is nicely painted, it is no dump. Who wants to sit inside when you can be outside and duck ravens and pelicans who are looking for free lunch.(They do the catgut stringed effect which keeps the critters away so you can enjoy your food.)
Well, Bosses' has about a million ways to eat oysters, from the traditional, raw on shell, steamed, Rockerfeller et al. But I spyed several inviting newbies I had never tasted before. So I ordered two of them. Darn, a good tequila would have gone great with them, but I had to settle for iced tea. No more booze in the afternoons or liquid lunches. I get two glasses of booze a day--usually a good red wine, and that's it. Gotta do it if I want to stay around for a while and write Tequila Reports.
Well, what did I order? You would never guess in a million years.
I ordered "Oysters Japanoise" (that is no misspelling} and Oysters Tacos.
The Japanoise was very yummy and visually appealing.
They brought you this big iced silver tray with six oysters laid out on it,raw. But it is what they put on it that makes it unique.
On top was some fresh cut scallions, a dollop of wasabi, and two yes two, nicely rounded piles of fish eggs. We call them caviar, the Japanese call them Tabbiko. One Tabbiko was red with the hint of smokey , slightly salty flavors. The yellow Tabbiko was salty and clean to the taste. These two mounds were piled high on the oysters. I took my time and enjoyed every bite. There was nary a fish egg left on that plate when I finished. I heard three pelicans cry in despair. Sorry boys, find someone who is sloppy with their food, but you get none from me.
Next course--the Oyster Tacos.
They put four, lightly steamed oysters in each taco shell, mounded on lettuce, tomato and a little onion. I threw a little Louisiana Hot Sauce on them and ate with great relish.
OK, even if you don't like what I had, there were many other choices. Fresh fish cooked any number of ways. Fresh Shrimp. They had it all.
Around APP there were at least twelve other places I could have gone to--they all looked good. APP is charming village with great architecture and a sense of time. You can feel the time that has been spent in this town.
BTW, that weekend, when I did Pensacola, they had their annual seafood festival. Over 75,000 people came to little ol' Apalachicola. That should tell you a lot.
Well, it has been a while since I did a Tequila Report, hope you enjoyed the journey. Good eating and good drinking--Nels.
