Cedar Key Named "Rural Community of the Year" By USDA

The U. S. Department of Agriculture has named Cedar Key Florida's Rural Community of the Year. There's no finanical prize, but the award helps local businesses and tourism.
Contributing factors to the award were recent city improvements, including the addition of a parking lot commercial fishermen and clammers that freed up parking space for recreational boaters and the renovation the the "Big Dock".

Federal officials will formally present the award on Feb. 3 and deliver a sign for the city to erect at the city limits. The ceremony begins at 1:30 outside City Hall followed by a homemade-desserts social.

AAA Offers Free Transportation New Year's Eve - Don't Drive Drunk!

AAA Auto Club South is offering transportation for party-goers who've had too much to drink on New Year’s Eve. The free service, available throughout Florida, Georgia and Tennessee, is intended as a last resort for those who haven't made designated driver arrangements. Through the weekend, AAA's network of drivers will be offering a free tow to anyone who has had too much to drink.

When people call 1-800-AAA-HELP, a driver will show up and give them — and their vehicle — a ride home.

 

Stone Crab Cake Recipe From Joe's Crab Shack

Tis the season ... stone crab season, that is!

Stone crab season officially opened this week - time to visit your favorite seafood restaurant, or whip up a tasty dish at home. This recipe from Joe's Crab Shack is easy (despite the long ingredient list), and fresh stone crab is plentiful right now at your local seafood market.

Joe’s Crab Cakes with Green Tomato Caper Remoulade

Makes six 4-oz. crab cakes

4 oz. jumbo lump crab meat
4 oz. lump crabmeat
4 oz. (½ cup) mayonnaise
½ tsp. Joe’s Mustard Sauce (see below)
½ tsp. scallions, chopped
¼ tsp. garlic, chopped
½ tsp. shallots, chopped
Dash Tabasco sauce
½ tsp. lemon juice
2 egg yolks, 1 each
1 tbsp. Panko Bread Crumbs
Pinch kosher salt
Pinch ground pepper
Pinch Old Bay seasoning
Pinch garlic powder
Pinch onion powder

Green Tomato Caper Remoulade

4 oz. mayonnaise
½ tbsp. green tomatoes, diced
¼ tsp. sugar
1 tsp. capers
1 tsp. cilantro, chopped
1 tsp. shallots, chopped
1 tsp. lemon juice
½ tsp. Cajun seasoning
1 tsp. lime juice
¼ tsp. Tabasco sauce
1 tbsp. sour cream

Mix all ingredients and refrigerate.

Mustard Sauce

1 tbsp. Colman’s dry mustard, or to taste
1 cup mayonnaise
2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp. A-1 Sauce
1/4 cup heavy cream or milk
Salt to taste

Place the mustard in a small mixing bowl. Whisk in the mayonnaise, Worcestershire sauce, A-1 Sauce, cream and a pinch of salt. Mix until well blended and creamy. Chill the sauce, covered, until serving.

Florida Stone Crab Season Opens Today

Today marks the beginning of stone crab season, good news for fisherman and retaurant patrons.

Stone crabs are Florida's only renewable seafood resource, according the the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission.

Stone crab claws are harvested and the body is returned to the water to generate new claws. Both claws of a stone crab may be harvested if they are of legal size, although this practice makes it difficult for the crab to defend itself from predators.

Stone Crab Rules
■No females with eggs
■2 3/4-inch claw
■Open season: Oct. 15 - May 15
■Bag limit: 1 gallon of claws per person or 2 gallons per vessel, whichever is less

Stone Crab Harvesting Gear
■It is unlawful to use any device on the taking of stone crabs that can puncture, crush, or injure the crab body, such as spears, grains, grabs, hooks, or similar devices
■Maximum of 5 stone crabs traps per person as described in the summary of stone crab trapping rules below

Stone Crab Trapping Rules
■5-trap maximum
■Buoy must have a legible "R" at least two inches high, permanently affixed to it. Buoys are not required if trap is fished from a dock.
■Trap shall have harvesters name and address permanently affixed to it in legible letters.
■Traps must be pulled manually. Any vessel that is rigged with a trap puller will be considered a commercial vessel and the appropriate licenses will be
required.
■Traps must be pulled only during daylight hours.
■Traps must not be placed in navigational channels of the Intracoastal waterways, or in navigational channels maintained and marked by any county, municipal, state or federal
governmental agency.
■A Florida recreational fishing license is required to harvest stone crabs under the recreational fishing regulations.
■Stone crab trap specifications are the same for recreational and commercial harvesters.

40th Annual Annual Seafood Festival Oct 17th

The Cedar Key Seafood Festival on October 17th and 18th will feature delicious seafood, a parade, live music on the Gulf and shopping in historic downtown Cedar Key. This annual event celebrates the area’s fishing heritage and is Levy County's largest event bringing more than 20,000 visitors to the island.

The parade takes place Saturday morning at 11 am and will travel down Gulf Boulevard to the City Marina. Delicious food likely to be feature are grouper sandwiches, clam fritters, funnel cakes, smoked mullet, crab cakes, corn on the cob, French fries, hamburgers, hot dogs, and deserts. Live music will be featured all weekend.