It’s easy to find good reasons to spend January in the Florida Keys. For one thing, the weather in much of North America is dreary and freezing, while the Keys generally boast 70-something temperatures and near-constant sunshine. But these days, it’s not just warm-weather fans that flock to the island chain in January — it’s foodies too.
January’s “moveable feast” begins with the popular Uncorked: the Key Largo and Islamorada Food and Wine Festival. (Photo courtesy of Uncorked)
In January 2018, for example, food and wine enthusiasts can sample the island chain’s culinary delights at five fantastic cuisine celebrations.
Each one spotlights local chefs’ creativity, indigenous ingredients like unparalleled fresh fish and seafood, and premium wines.
The “menu” of flavorful offerings begins with Uncorked: the Key Largo and Islamorada Food and Wine Festival set for Jan. 4-14. The food, wine and spirits extravaganza boasts scores of tantalizing events at venues from mile marker 107.9 to 80 in the Upper Keys.
Planned highlights include complimentary wine, beer and spirits tastings; a new “Bayside Street Party” with local artists, food, beer and libations; the back-by-popular-demand “Dine Around Town” multicourse dining experience; a grape stomping contest; Key Largo Fisheries’ “Lobsterfest”; and Jan. 13’s Grand Tasting at the Keys History & Discovery Center beside the Atlantic Ocean at Islander Resort.
In Key West, the 13th annual Florida Keys Seafood Festival will be presented Jan. 13-14 in Bayview Park by the Florida Keys Commercial Fishermen’s Association. The family-friendly feast stars the fresh local seafood that has “anchored” Keys cuisine for nearly two centuries.
The Outstanding in the Field dinner is to feature plentiful local seafood and other delights served in an open-air Lower Keys setting. (Photo courtesy of Outstanding in the Field)
Attendees can chow down on fresh grilled Florida spiny lobster, “pick and peel” Key West pink shrimp, stone crab claws, fried local fish, smoked fish dip with crackers, lobster bisque and more — all caught, cooked and served by local commercial fishermen and their families. Other attractions include traditional regional favorites like conch chowder, conch fritters, sweet flan and Key lime pie.
A unique “table-to-sea” feast will be staged Jan. 23 by Outstanding in the Field, a renowned national organization that celebrates regional cuisines via open-air “pop-up” dinners, to benefit people affected by Hurricane Irma. The gourmet experience features an “endless table” with seats for around 200 people — outdoors on the Lower Keys’ Stock Island, in a setting that showcases the Keys’ colorful seafaring heritage.
The event is hosted in collaboration with Stock Island’s popular Lost Kitchen Supper Club, Hogfish Bar & Grill and Roostica. Keys chefs Martin Liz and Layla Barr will create the culinary offerings, with their menu designed around fresh-caught local seafood. Guests can anticipate passed appetizers and libations, followed by a fabulous family-style four-course meal paired with wine.
Fans of fine food and vintages can indulge their appetites for both at the 2018 Key West Food and Wine Festival. Scheduled Jan. 24-28, it bears the lighthearted slogan “Flip Flops Required” in salute to its subtropical island setting.
The annual festival is to feature gourmet galas and tastings, cuisine seminars and only–in–Key West experiences. Some of the most notable events are escorted Neighborhood Strolls through the Bahama Village and Mallory Square areas, both with stops at local spots for samples of cuisine and wines; Old Town “Uncorked” Unhinged, a wine-focused stroll in Key West’s Old Town; and the beachfront Sunset Grand Tasting featuring casual yet elegant “light bites” at The Reach Resort.
Heaping plates of seafood, caught and prepared by local fishermen and their families, take center stage at the Florida Keys Seafood Festival.
And adult attendees can don circus-themed costumes and enjoy the Jan. 26 Cirque du Champagne at The Perry Hotel. The sexy and sophisticated soiree features aerialists, stilt walkers, jugglers and other entertainers — plus luscious hors d’oeuvres and champagne opened with a saber in a technique called sabrage.
January ends with a Key West tradition for food fanciers: the Master Chefs Classic. The lavish cuisine competition takes place Jan. 28 on the harborside pier at the Margaritaville Key West Resort & Marina.
The gala event typically draws chefs from leading Florida Keys restaurants, who vie for first-, second- and third-place honors awarded by judges in the appetizer, entree and dessert categories. While awards and prizes await the winning chefs, the real winners are the attending foodies who sample and savor the dishes presented for judges’ consideration.
Looking for more “tasty” reasons to spend January (or any other time period) in the Florida Keys? Click here for a full calendar of events — and then make reservations!
