Thursday, January 8, 2015

2015 Florida Trip - Day 7 - Cedar Key

Cedar Key could be called Cedar Keys as it is composed of several islands with most development on Way Key. 


It has been inhabited for thousands of years but major settlement occurred in the mid nineteenth century when it became a major port, the cedar trees began being harvested for pencils, and mills were built by Eagle and Eberhard Faber.

At the start of the twentieth century, fishing, sponge hooking and oystering had become the major industries, but around 1909 the oyster beds were exhausted and the old-fashioned fishing village is now a tourist center.  After a statewide ban on large-scale net fishing went into effect July 1, 1995, a government retraining program helped many local fishermen begin farming clams in the muddy waters.

Today Cedar Key's clam-based aquaculture is a multi-million dollar industry growing the smaller clams that are popular for steaming and eating raw.

And even though they use larger clams from somewhere else, clam chowder from Tony’s Seafood Restaurant is renowned after winning three straight World Championship competitions in Newport, RI. - this is the restaurant and our meals of chowder and sandwiches.






The chowder was definitely the best I'd ever eaten and it is also very good from the can if you live near a Publix store.

For those of you who watched Murder She Wrote, Bev thinks Cedar Key, population about 700, reminds her of Cabot Cove and here are some shots of it beginning with the main tourist street - the buildings on the right actually sit out over the water on the back side.



This is the old main street.



These are a few shots around the island and those awaiting the next incoming flight at the airport.






This is a typical view of the waters surrounding the islands at high tide - it is mostly mud flats at low tide.



Remember our pully-ham from Christmas, well we used the last of it in scalloped potatoes for supper, using the recipe from food.com as it used ingredients we had on hand and it was delicious.



Wada you think Laurie?

Photos can be enlarged by clicking on them.

Have a great day and thanks for stopping by Almost Heaven South.

Larry

1/2/15 event date

10 comments:

  1. Warm weather, sunshine and good food sounds wonderful!

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  2. Downtown reminds me of an old boom town out west with the wooden buildings and two story balconies. Our local Publix stocks Tony's clam chowder and thanks to you we enjoy it from time to time. Even took some back to NC for our family. See you soon.
    Sam

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  3. I love Murder She Wrote and it really does look like Cabot Cove.

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  4. Larry, Nice photos and background info for Cedar Key. Laurie and I really liked this place when we came through there a couple of years ago and we'll probably check it out again this coming summer. The chowder is definitely excellent...in our opinion one of the best around. Love your pully-ham scalloped potatoes! Sprinkle on a little Tabasco and I'd be ready to go... Take Care, Big Daddy Dave

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  5. I think it looks like a quaint town. Love the look of that clam chowder & the ham and scalloped potatoes looks irresistible.

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  6. It all looks wonderful, especially the food! Ya'll are really livin' the life, cher! Cheers!

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  7. I've heard of Cedar Key from all our years living in Florida but never was there. It reminds me a little of Key West but not as crowded. Your scalloped potatoes look yummy.

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  8. Coastal areas on the Gulf are really sort of ugly at low tide, because the Gulf is so shallow. A fishing boat captain told me that it only gets about 1 foot deeper for every mile out you go, for the first 50 miles or so. But, dang! I'm not walking 4 miles out in the water to get neck-deep! That town is really picturesque, and I'm sure your meals at Tony's were fabulous. (Love that 3 story house, too.)

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  9. What a charming town!!! We had some fabulous clam chowder on our trip to California! I'd love to compare it to theirs!

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  10. All the food looks great! Been to the Keys several times never even heard of this place (smile) love that chowder will have to look for it in Publix never had that either... freezing here in Central florida 42 degrees and snowed in Jacksonville lucky for you the in the furthest part... have a blast!

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