Waterfront Market

Thursday is waterfront market day in Key West from 2 till 7pm. I took my, lunch at 2pm yesterday and drove rapidly to my destination. It takes longer than you'd think to drive across town, buy dinner, stop for some picture taking and get back to work, put the loot in the fridge and then sit down and say brightly: "Key West 911, where is your emergency?"

I managed it with suave indifference to the hurdles along the way. When I got back to my desk a caller asked me if he was anywhere near the  free overnight shelter, and then he told me he was on Duval Street. So I told him he was almost five miles from KOTS, the Keys Overnight Temporary Shelter, now run by someone called Cornerstone. Five miles he asked with some surprise. Is that North or South?

Yes well, that's why they call it the southernmost city. As you can see above the Truman Waterfront really is on the edge of the known world. To go five miles in that direction you'd need to walk on water. I, however only had to get as far as the Indian food booth. 

Samosas for starters, lamb vindaloo and chicken biryani to share and a few delicious mixtures to add in. Key West has been deficient in Indian food for a long time and a well masked market offering take away vindaloo is a very good thing for the city at the edge of the world. I drove, gloating, back in the direction of my desk.

It was an overcast day, as everyday seems fated to be as we await the arrival of this late season tropical depression. On the way out of the parking lot I stopped on the Angela Street extension and stuck the Fiat in a space on the side of the narrow street. 

I've photographed the old electrical station before but there was new and bright artwork on the wall so like a magpie I hopped out to have a look. I did not hop fast enough apparently because my slow movements to assemble my camera with the door open prompted a nice winter visitor to parp their horn imperiously at me. I did my best to look suitably serf-like as I got out of the way and regretted the Key West protocol of giving an old man a chance to get out of the way.  

I rather like the bright abstract nature of the art. It will be splendid when the brick building is restored and turned into some kind of public space but for now as the bricks teeter from lack of support and care the art highlights the possibilities.

This one looked a bit sparse. I suppose it is Very Modern:

Then I saw the barricades and no doubt causing astonishment among the few passers by I stuck my camera through the fence and did the deed.

Then it started to to rain. So I went back to work. Now it's starting to rain on the days when I work as well the days I don't. I'll need an ark if this goes on. 

Key West Artisan Market

Yesterday was a perfect day to be out  and about shopping. It must have been a good day to be out because the place was pretty crowded.

We went to the market with the idea that it was a farmer's market but it isn't. I think that one goes on in Bayview Park. Still if you want soap or crystal infused oils (I kid you not) this is the place for you.

I love the rusty old roof tat survives from the days when this was Cates Automotive selling cars. 

I quite liked the painted glasses but we are bulging with crystal ware at home so I had to restrain myself.

Yes, I have no idea why he was drumming on the roof of his van and he was too elevated and too noisy to ask. So I didn't.

 There was also more conventional music. It was aimed at us old farts with sixties classics.

I love November in Key West with low humidity lots of sunshine and these clear blue skies.  

Sure I like the drama of summer thunderstorms and huge anvil clouds and downpours, but this is nice too.  

I kind of didn't look too closely at stuff but my wife  did some shopping while Rusty and I stood there. 

One thing I did find (on my way to the loo)  was a local coffee roaster for sale in the restaurant store.

 Oh and by the way best come on two wheels or be prepared to walk a  few blocks:

Honey, pickles and charms. Not much in the way of parsnips and cucumbers but that's okay. The Farmer's Market should be firing up soon in Big Pine on Saturdays. May be it already has. 

Season's End

My wife saw the writing on the wall last week and when she went to the Farmer's Market on Big PIne Key near our home it was shrunk down in preparation for the end of the winter season. So we came to Key West, had breakfast at Azur and very pleasant it was too.

 Poached eggs on potato hash with ham...

 ...and walked over to the last farmer's market of the winter.

Rusty was at home though when I saw other dogs I got my usual dose of K9 envy:

 This is a farmer's market by the sea...with a  dog bowl in this warm climate. 

 And my wife loves this man's pickles. I remember the roof over the parking lot protected cars for sale at the Cates Auto dealership. A long time ago.

 The Coastguard was having fun with a remote controlled boat puzzling the kids:

We repaired to the new brewpub behind the restaurant store. The Cuzzy Bubba was a light refreshing lager-like ale that we shared and thoroughly enjoyed.

It's a part time operation that sells through the Restaurant Store. I want to go back and try some of their other products as they aren't all hard core bitter IPA derivatives. Check out: Bone Island Brewing.

I was interested to see the Cole's Peace sign on the bread rack, another local business that was folded into the Restaurant Store. Cole's Peace was around forever it seemed like, since 1997 actually according to the archives, and I remember when the closure was announced and I wondered what would happen to the remarkable recipes. I used to eat mango bread straight from the brown paper bag like cake, when I was on my way to my boat captain job and I needed/wanted breakfast to go. And here it is, still here, the name of the business celebrating the baker's son who must be ...in college by now?

Farmer's Market, Big Pine Key

It happens every Saturday and this weekend was cool, in the 60s  but sunny and lovely.

St Peter's Catholic Church in Big Pine is at the north end of the village where the Key Deer land bridge starts.

 The walk through started with breakfast of Thai kebabs and spring rolls, washed down with con leche purchased on the way at Five Brothers on Ramrod Key. As breakfasts go it was a bit odd but quite pleasant. I could have used more spices on the food, which is odd as I am not in the hotter-the-better camp.

 My wife tried to whisk me past the rum cake display but I managed to get a sample of orange and liqueur flavored cake and it was every bit as good as you might imagine. I have a fondness for sponge cakes which I attribute to my upbringing. Or something.

I was not alone in thinking the temperature could have been turned up a bit...

We've seen the Pickle Baron before in Key West at Farmer's Markets there. He was embarrassed by his weird pickle shirt. I quite liked it. Not as much as his pickles though. 

This next guy is a saint. Well he may be but he is really a good cook. He used to run the kitchen at Finnegan's Wake and was set to do the same at he idiotic Backspace Fiasco which has since left town (good riddance). However they left behind a very disillusioned Wayne who now wants to work for himself and rapidly sold out here. Not before we got some excellent chowder and two chicken pot pies. I wish we could have another decent Irish pub once again in Key West. Oh well, this will have to do for now.

 Music was on tap and very refreshing it was too. Uplifeted an already bright day.

This guy advertises bringing "joy to the kitchen" and his pasta sauces do that. They have no paste or added sugar and as a result they are tart fresh light and utterly delicious. He had some garlic cream paste I tasted and I bullied my wife into buying a jar as I had left my money in the car. She yielded. 

 This dude was selling ham and cheese and my wife had him cut a few slices of Serrano ham which wasn't bad but not as salty and tangy in my (biased) opinion as prosciutto...

We took some Italian sheep's cheese and some tart cheddar as well because I love cheese in any shape or form. They had a wide selection too. Lovely.

 My wife heard him doing his sums in Italian so naturally she busted me and we chatted for a bit. His family emigrated to Brazil from Trento in Northern Italy.  I like his stuff.

Dogs are allowed by the way but Cheynne, never one for crowds was at home sunning herself. None of this stuff for her.

And there was this dude selling bread, good for the table, good for the freezer. Not that I get to eat much bread of course. Before industrial foods were invented they called this stuff the staff of life. 

 It really was quite pleasant at Big Pine. Check it out:

I had a good morning shopping. That's a first.