Key West ... key lime everything!
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The resemblance between Key West and New Orleans doesn't stop with residential architecture. Key West certainly has its' bawdy side which is largely focused on the bars and clubs along Duval Street. Entertainment is available in large doses for gay, lesbian, straight, bisexual and uncertain. Booze flows as freely as sexual attitudes on Duval Street so it is easy to stroll the main drag and find a place that fits your interests to let off some steam or just grab a good table at one of the many outdoor restaurants and watch the street traffic. At the same time, there is little or no “in-your-face” display of these freedoms on the street and only the most intolerant heterosexuals are likely to be uncomfortable. The gay men’s revue at La Te Da has been a favorite for many years.
Duval Street ends to the west at Mallory Square, a large open space that serves as the daily host to the traditional sunset celebration. Thousands of visitors gather daily at sundown to enjoy the antics of street performers, munch on a conche fritter and hope to witness the famous “green flash” as the sun hits the sea. I admit to having been distracted by the dubious performance of a “trained” dog just as the “green flash” might have been possible. The raw talent level of many of the card-table mystics and performers, including their pets, is dubious at best however they are all good humored and entertaining. One lanky acrobat who barely fit into his superman outfit made use of a municipal trash receptacle to perform high jumps. He was doing so from a raised platform that would have allowed a 5 year old to clear the can’s height but when he pulled the onlookers closer by saying he “wanted it to look like he had a good crowd on hand” the laughter exposed the real purpose of his act. The jugglers shown were good and nobody needed any burn treatment after the show.
So what about Key Lime? The Key Lime is a small lime that was initially grown in the Florida Keys, having been brought to the New World from Malaysia, likely by the Spanish. It has a slightly different flavor and aroma than the normal Persian Limes that typically finish off one’s gin and tonic and found immortality in a pie that needed no ice, no fresh milk or refrigeration (none of which was available in Key West before the 1930’s). Needless to say anything is obtainable with a “Key Lime” theme in the Key West gift shops. Key Lime toothpaste, Key Lime soaps and shampoo, Key Lime cigars ... well maybe not yet, but soon!
It is the Key Lime Pie that started all of this and the inventor is said to have been known as “Aunt Sally” who worked as the cook for William Curry in his Key West mansion. This is the version adhered to by Edith Amsterdam, owner of The Curry Mansion Inn and agreed upon by many others. But such legends are elusive and it may be interesting to note that Edith also owns a well known summer home on the St. Lawrence River where the origins of Thousand Island Dressing are equally as important and often disputed. Regardless of the Key Lime Pie inventor's identity, we were most curious to know if the local versions of this well known desert would shine and who might make the most tasty. For what it’s worth, Key Lime Pie was ordered for desert almost every place we went and Louie’s Backyard restaurant on Waddell Street gets our nod as being the best of those sampled.
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