I didn't go for it. I hope you do. Tell me how it tastes: Florida Cracker cuisine.
On Sunday, we ventured to Showcase of Citrus, a pick-your-own grove with animal tours via monster swamp buggy and a quaint store. It's on U.S. 27 between Clermont and Kissimmee, in an area that was until recently entirely rural.
Farmer John's Farm Store has a frozen orange slushie, all natural, that is somehow even better than freshly squeezed orange juice. I didn't think to take a picture.
Along with jams and fruit samples and salsas and such, Farmer John's sells Cracker-cuisine standouts: "swamp dogs," made with alligator meat and topped with chili, and the chili alone--it, too, made with gator flesh.
I wasn't hungry. A shame. Maybe next time. After all, as the sign says,
Good to know.
It is, though, terrific to have an Old Florida destination like this half an hour from home. Showcase of Citrus is campy without trying to be, filled with families posing for photos by a large fake gator and riding the swamp buggy tour to see a few exotic animals, and to toss whole oranges to a motly assortment of cows.
Travel enthusiastically, and eat hesitantly now and then,
Rona