Must Do Fort Myers Visitor Guide Summer/Fall 2017

Fresh
Florida Seafood
Florida’s commercial fishermen are continually
harvesting seafood from coastal waters and
providing their fresh catch to local seafood
restaurants. You may not be familiar with some of
the choices on the menu. This should eliminate
some of the guesswork next time you’re dining out.
Alligator – Firm texture similar to pork. Tail meat
is white and mild-flavored. The dark meat of ribs,
nuggets, and wings are stronger tasting. Fried
“gator bites” are popular menu item comparable
to chicken tenders or nuggets. Can easily be
substituted for chicken, pork, and veal in most
recipes.
Amberjack – Nice off-white flaky fish, with a
similar mild flavor to swordfish. Delicious when
broiled or grilled.
oven roasted, baked, grilled, or fried.
Pompano – Firm, thick and rich fish but
mild and sweet in flavor with high oil
content. Scrumptious broiled, sautéed
or baked in parchment.
Sheepshead – White, firm, flavorful fish
similar to grouper or drum. Delicious
pan-fried, sautéed, broiled, or grilled.
Snapper – Red and yellowtail are most
commonly offered in restaurants and
markets. Mild, slightly sweet tasting
fish with a lean, firm texture. Tasty when
fried, grilled, sautéed, poached, baked,
or broiled.
Stone Crab Claws – Sweet flavor with
firm, flaky texture often compared to
lobster. Typically served cold with drawn
butter and lemon, or cocktail sauces,
mayonnaises or vinaigrettes. Available
from October 15 to May 15 only.
Blue Crab – Delicate moist and flaky. Hard-shell
served steamed. Picked meat is fantastic in a salad,
crab cake, dip, or spread. Soft-shell crabs can be
eaten shell and all.
DEBI PITTMAN WILKEY SHUTTERSTOCK
40 SUMMER | FALL 2017 MustDo.com
Clams – Firm texture, rich meat with sweet to
slightly salty flavor. Best oven roasted or grilled.
Cobia – Firm, smooth-bodied, richly flavored
fish with large flake and texture similar to coho
salmon. Great grilled, poached, sautéed, baked,
or blackened.
Golden Tilefish – White, firm mild and succulent
flavored fish compared to lobster or crab. Terrific
sautéed, blackened, or in soups.
Grouper – Thick, white, lean fish with a mild, subtle
sweet flavor and firm texture and taste similar to
halibut. Tasty fried, baked, sautéed, or grilled.
Hogfish – White, firm fish with a sweet, nutty flavor
similar to red snapper. Delicious baked or fried.
King Mackerel – Lean, robust, full-flavored fish
with darkish meat similar to bluefish. Delicious
smoked or wood-grilled.
Oysters – Tender to firm texture, flavor varies
from salty to bland. Enjoy raw, steamed, boiled,
MARY CAROL FITZGERALD