Tastecation: Florida Eggs Benedict & Alabama Peach Ice Cream

Tastecation=new posts about extraordinary dining experiences

Lying in the sun and doing nothing are essential to a girls' beach weekend, but dining out makes it all the more glorious. Travel buddy Laura and I were pretty impressed by mojitos and calamari (and excellent people watching) at Hemingway's in Pensacola Beach and by Greek food from Aegian Breeze just over the bridge in Gulf Breeze, Florida, but we saved the best for last on Sunday over yet another bridge in Pensacola (the city).

Meet Atlas Oyster Bar's Emerald Coast Eggs Benedict. There are many a restaurants that serve excellent poached eggs and hollandaise, but placing these delicacies over crab cakes (and good, meaty, not bready, crab cakes at that), fried green tomatoes, and sauteed fresh spinach-- now that Southern, costal flavor combo made my taste buds more than a little excited. The only thing that could make it more perfect? Eating it on a deck overlooking a bay while soaking in sun and watching ducks. Oh, and a side of cheese grits.

Just when my stomach became slightly unfull after venturing north on I-65, we just had to make a pit stop in Clanton, Alabama, home of the most amazing peaches I've ever tasted. The peaches weren't quite ripe yet, but we were able to eat the next best thing — peach ice cream. Laura had visited all the ice cream venues at the peachy Clanton exit and declared Peach Park's the best. I took her word for it. The creamy ice cream was clearly flavored by fruit, not fake stuff, and showcased small chunks of peaches.
An excellent culinary end to a weekend retreat!