Shore & Table: Florida Keys

Recipes, Stories, and Gatherings from America’s Southernmost Coast

Introduction

• Why the Florida Keys are unlike anywhere else in the United States

• Island time and waterfront living

• Commercial fishing, charter boats, and backyard fish fries

• Cuban, Bahamian, Caribbean, and Old Florida influences

• The rhythm of life from Key Largo to Key West

Chapter 1: Sunrise on the Water

The foods that start a day in the Keys.

• Cuban Café con Leche

• Cuban Toast

• Breakfast Sandwiches

• Key Lime Yogurt Parfaits

• Tropical Fruit Bowls

• Mango Smoothies

• Avocado Toast with Gulf Shrimp

• Conch Fritters with Breakfast Dipping Sauce

Story:
Watching charter boats leave before daylight.

Chapter 2: Dockside Appetizers

The kinds of dishes that show up before dinner.

• Smoked Fish Dip

• Key West Pink Shrimp Cocktail

• Conch Fritters

• Coconut Shrimp

• Fish Dip Crostini

• Blackened Fish Bites

• Mango Salsa

• Key Lime Ceviche

Story:
Coolers, fish cleaning tables, and gathering after a day on the water.

Chapter 3: The Catch of the Day

The heart of the book.

• Blackened Mahi Mahi

• Grilled Yellowtail Snapper

• Fish Sandwiches

• Pan-Seared Grouper

• Whole Roasted Snapper

• Grilled Swordfish

• Fish Tacos

• Fried Fish Sandwiches

• Seafood Boil

Story:
The connection between fishing and dinner.

Chapter 4: Island Influences

The cultures that shaped Keys cooking.

Cuban

• Cuban Sandwiches

• Picadillo

• Black Beans and Rice

• Mojo Pork

Caribbean

• Jerk Chicken

• Coconut Rice

• Plantains

• Pineapple Salsa

Bahamian

• Peas and Rice

• Citrus Seafood Salads

• Tropical Fruit Dishes

Story:
How boats, trade, and migration shaped the islands.

Chapter 5: Backyard Fish Fries & Coastal Gatherings

The entertaining chapter.

• Fish Fry Menu

• Shrimp Boil Menu

• Lobster Feast Menu

• Sunset Appetizer Spread

• Dock Party Recipes

Recipes:

• Hush Puppies

• Coleslaw

• Macaroni Salad

• Key Lime Slaw

• Watermelon Salad

• Corn Salad

Chapter 6: Tropical Gardens

A chapter that makes the book feel uniquely Keys.

• Mango Salsa

• Avocado Salad

• Papaya Slaw

• Pineapple Pico

• Grilled Fruit

• Coconut Rice

• Citrus Salads

Story:
The fruits growing in backyards throughout the islands.

Chapter 7: Key West Favorites

The dishes visitors actively search for.

• Conch Chowder

• Cuban Sandwich

• Key West Shrimp

• Smoked Fish Dip

• Lobster Rolls

• Stone Crab Mustard Sauce

• Grilled Lobster Tails

Story:
Old restaurants, fishing docks, and local traditions.

Chapter 8: Key Lime Everything

The signature dessert chapter.

• Traditional Key Lime Pie

• Frozen Key Lime Pie

• Key Lime Bars

• Key Lime Cheesecake

• Key Lime Cookies

• Key Lime Pound Cake

• Key Lime Tartlets

Story:
Why Key lime became synonymous with the islands.

Chapter 9: Sunset Menus

Complete entertaining menus.

Dockside Fish Fry

Lobster Night

Tropical Brunch

Sunset Cocktail Party

Key West Weekend Gathering

Shore & Table: Tarpon Springs & the Greek Isles

Introduction

• The story of Tarpon Springs

• Sponge divers and immigration

• Why Greek food took root on Florida’s Gulf Coast

• The connection between the Aegean and the Gulf of Mexico

• Entertaining the Greek way

Chapter 1: A Morning in Tarpon Springs

Recipes found in bakeries, coffee shops, and family kitchens.

• Greek Coffee

• Frappé

• Koulouri

• Tiropita

• Spanakopita

• Greek Yogurt with Honey and Walnuts

• Bougatsa

• Sesame Bread Rings

Story:
Walking Dodecanese Boulevard at sunrise.

Chapter 2: The Sponge Docks Table

The foods visitors associate with Tarpon Springs.

• Greek Salad

• Tzatziki

• Hummus

• Dolmades

• Saganaki

• Taramasalata

• Octopus Salad

• Grilled Octopus

• Fried Calamari

• Shrimp Saganaki

Story:
Dockside meals after a day on the water.

Chapter 3: Islands of the Aegean

A recipe journey through the islands most connected to Tarpon Springs immigrants.

Kalymnos

(The island most associated with sponge diving)

• Grilled Fish with Lemon and Olive Oil

• Stuffed Tomatoes

• Chickpea Soup

• Salt-Cured Seafood

Symi

(Another sponge-diving island)

• Fried Small Fish

• Seafood Stew

• Simple Village Salads

Rhodes

• Pitaroudia (chickpea fritters)

• Lamb with Herbs

• Roasted Vegetables

Patmos

• Honey Cakes

• Olive Oil Cookies

Each section includes:

• Island history

• Photos

• Connections to Tarpon Springs families

Chapter 4: From the Gulf to the Aegean

Where Florida seafood meets Greek cooking.

This is where your brand becomes unique.

• Grouper Souvlaki

• Greek Blackened Shrimp

• Lemon Garlic Scallops

• Red Snapper Plaki

• Grilled Gulf Oysters

• Greek Crab Cakes

• Greek Seafood Pasta

• Mediterranean Fish Stew

Story:
What happens when Florida catches meet Greek traditions.

Chapter 5: Sunday Family Gatherings

The foods that show up at church festivals and family celebrations.

• Pastitsio

• Moussaka

• Greek Lemon Chicken

• Roast Lamb

• Green Beans in Tomato Sauce

• Fasolada

• Revithia

• Greek Rice Pilaf

Story:
Church festivals and community tables.

Chapter 6: Coastal Meze

Small plates for entertaining.

• Whipped Feta

• Tirokafteri

• Marinated Olives

• Gigantes

• Feta Fries

• Grilled Halloumi

• White Bean Dip

• Roasted Pepper Dip

This chapter aligns perfectly with your entertaining focus.

Chapter 7: Sweets from the Bakery Case

• Baklava

• Galaktoboureko

• Kourabiedes

• Melomakarona

• Rizogalo

• Loukoumades

• Orange Olive Oil Cake

Story:
The pastry cases of Tarpon Springs bakeries.

Chapter 8: A Feast by the Water

A complete Shore & Table menu section.

Menus for:

• Dockside Lunch

• Greek Easter

• Summer Seafood Feast

• Sunset Meze Party

• Holiday Gathering

Working Copy

Shore & Table: Louisiana & Texas Gulf Coast

Introduction

• The Gulf Beyond Florida

• Cajun and Creole Influences

• Shrimp Boats and Working Waterfronts

• Seafood Boils and Family Gatherings

• Oyster Houses and Gulf Traditions

• From Galveston to Grand Isle

Chapter 1: Gulf Shrimp

• BBQ Shrimp

• Blackened Shrimp

• Shrimp Creole

• Cajun Shrimp Pasta

• Shrimp Étouffée

• Shrimp Po’ Boy

• Shrimp and Corn Maque Choux

• Shrimp Boil

Chapter 2: Blackened Fish & Gulf Favorites

• Blackened Redfish

• Blackened Grouper Nuggets

• Blackened Snapper with Cheese Grits

• Redfish on the Half Shell

• Blackened Mahi

• Fish Po’ Boy

• Seafood-Stuffed Flounder

Chapter 3: Crab, Crawfish & Stuffed Seafood

• Crab-Stuffed Shrimp

• Crab-Stuffed Fish

• Blue Crab Au Gratin

• Crawfish Étouffée

• Crawfish Cornbread

• Crawfish Dip

• Crab-Stuffed Mushrooms

• Crab Imperial

Chapter 4: Oysters & Gulf Shellfish

• Chargrilled Oysters

• Oysters Rockefeller

• Oyster Po’ Boys

• Fried Oysters

• Oyster Dressing

• Grilled Gulf Oysters

Chapter 5: Rice, Roux & Creole Classics

• Seafood Gumbo

• Shrimp and Sausage Gumbo

• Crawfish Étouffée

• Seafood Jambalaya

• Red Beans and Rice

• Dirty Rice

• Shrimp and Grits

• Seafood Rice Dressing

Chapter 6: Seafood Boils & Gatherings

• Louisiana Seafood Boil

• Crawfish Boil

• Shrimp Boil

• Crab Boil

• Boil Dipping Sauce

• Cajun Garlic Butter Sauce

Chapter 7: Gulf Coast Sides

• Maque Choux

• Hush Puppies

• Cajun Potato Salad

• Corn Casserole

• Fried Okra

• Collard Greens

• Cajun Green Beans

Gather Around the Table

• Backyard Crawfish Boil

• Gulf Coast Shrimp Boil

• Oyster Roast

• Mardi Gras Seafood Table

• Christmas Eve Gulf Feast

• Sunday Cajun Supper

Notes from the Gulf

Galveston

Port Aransas

Lake Charles

Lafayette

Houma

Grand Isle

New Orleans

Oyster Houses

Seafood Markets

Cajun & Creole Traditions

Recent Notes from the Coast

June 16, 2026

Spent the afternoon in Dunedin walking the beach and talking through names for the new project.

At one point, we were watching the shore, and the name Shore & Table suddenly felt right.

Other names that were on the list:

• Tide to Table

• Sea, Salt, & Table

• Shell & Spoon

Came home and purchased url, then secured all socials. Shared a post on IG story.

June 17, 2026

Lunch at Frenchy’s. Still thinking about fish dip, grouper sandwiches, and where Cedar Key will fit into the collection.

June 18, 2026

Started building out this Substack publication and going back through old family photos for future posts. Will collect them here.

Paying attention to photos of signs, oyster shells, fish houses, and shrimp boats for future book cover ideas. Playing around with colors.

Primary

• Weathered Navy — #233A56

• Oyster Shell — #F3EFE7

• Sea Glass — #A8BBB2

Secondary

• Warm Sand — #D9CCB8

• Driftwood — #B6ACA0

Accent

• Sea Oats Gold — #C7A15A

Background: #F3EFE7 (Oyster Shell)

Title: #233A56 (Weathered Navy)

Border: #D9CCB8 (Warm Sand)

Accent lines/logo: #C7A15A (Sea Oats Gold)

Secondary text: #6E6A64

Shore & Table Coastal Collection.

Shared updates on socials and added a tab to PFC website. Edited our welcome sequence.

McKenna’s first mock-up on the iPad:

More concepts we’re exploring

June 19, 2026

One thing I’ve realized while building this collection is that the website and the future cookbook don’t need to be organized the same way.

For now, the website works best as a recipe index. Readers looking for shrimp, fish, crab, oysters, or scallops can find recipes quickly without having to think about regions, restaurants, or stories.

The cookbook is different.

Instead of organizing recipes by ingredient, I’m starting to think about how people actually experience Florida Gulf Coast food. Fish camps, seafood markets, waterfront restaurants, beach gatherings, seafood dips, oyster bars, and family seafood dinners feel more representative of the coast than separating everything into shrimp, fish, and crab categories.

I’m also trying to avoid overlap between future collections. Some recipes currently in Florida Gulf Coast may eventually move elsewhere. Littleneck Clams, Clam Chowder, Fried Clams, and Lobster Bisque feel more connected to a future New England collection. She-Crab Soup feels like a better fit for a future Lowcountry collection.

For now, the website will remain organized by ingredient, while the cookbook continues to take shape around places, traditions, restaurants, and the way coastal food is actually enjoyed.

Working Outline

Shore & Table: Florida Gulf Coast

Seafood Markets, Fish Camps, and Waterfront Recipes from Florida’s Gulf Coast

Introduction

Welcome to Florida’s Gulf Coast

Fish Camps, Seafood Markets & Waterfront Restaurants

The Gulf Seafood Guide

Buying Fresh Seafood

Florida Scallop Season

Apalachicola Oysters

Cedar Key Clams

Stone Crab Traditions

Essential Pantry Ingredients

Entertaining the Gulf Coast Way

How Shore & Table Began

Featured Towns

Tarpon Springs

Cortez

Anna Maria Island

Boca Grande

Cedar Key

Pine Island

Sanibel

Chapter 1: Seafood Market Favorites

Smoked Fish Dip (Variety of Fish) or Smoked Mullet Spread

✅ Old Bay Shrimp Salad

✅ Creamy Cucumber Shrimp Salad

✅ Creamy Shrimp Macaroni Salad

✅ Crab Salad Sandwich

Pickled Gulf Shrimp

✅ Gulf Shrimp Cocktail

Chapter 2: Fish House Starters

✅ Peel-and-Eat Shrimp

✅ Baked Stone Crab Dip

✅ Fried Grouper Cheeks

✅ Crispy Crab Bites

Fried Apalachicola Oysters

Fried Popcorn Shrimp

Chapter 3: Fish Camps & Coastal Lunches

Blackened Grouper Tacos

Fried Shrimp Tacos

Fried Grouper Sandwich

Grilled Mahi Sandwich

✅ Butterfly Fried Shrimp

Peel-and-Eat Shrimp

Gulf Coast Shrimp Boil

Grilled Citrus Shrimp Skewers

Chapter 4: Crab & Coastal Traditions

Florida Blue Crab Boil

Garlic Blue Crabs

✅ Baked Crab Cakes with Blue Crab

Stone Crab Claws with Mustard Sauce

Blue Crab-Stuffed Shrimp

Blue Crab-Stuffed Gulf Fish

Tampa Deviled Crabs

Featured Town: Tarpon Springs

The Sponge Docks

Greek Influence on Gulf Seafood

Seafood Markets & Restaurants

Inspired by Tarpon Springs

Shrimp Saganaki

Village Greek Salad

Lemon Potatoes

Tzatziki

Chapter 5: Scallop Season & Shellfish

Bay Scallop Ceviche

✅ Bay Scallop Pasta

Garlic Butter Bay Scallops

Fried Bay Scallops

✅ Baked Sea Scallops with Panko

Cedar Key Clams in Garlic Butter

Cedar Key Clam Linguine

Cedar Key Clam Chowder

Chapter 6: Waterfront Dinners

Bacon-Wrapped Scallops

Oysters Rockefeller

Grouper Piccata

Blackened Red Snapper with Grits

Fresh Catches with Lemon Butter or panko topping
(Hogfish, Tripletail, Pompano, or Gulf Mahi)

Marinated Grilled Swordfish

✅ Shrimp Scampi Bake

Gulf Shrimp Linguine

✅ Pan-Seared Scallops with Panko

Chapter 7: Fish Camp Sides

Southern Hush Puppies

Creamy Coleslaw

Garlic Butter Baby Red Potatoes

Cheese Grits

Fried Green Tomatoes

Skillet Corn

Marinated Tomato Salad

Fish Camp Tartar Sauce

Chapter 8: Sweet Gulf Coast Finishes

Florida Orange Cake

Hummingbird Cake

Coconut Cream Pie

Florida Strawberry Cobbler

Gather Around the Table

Stone Crab Gathering

Christmas Eve Seafood Table

Gulf Coast Fish Fry

Apalachicola Oyster Night

Summer Seafood Gathering

Beach House Seafood Lunch

Places & Inspiration

Coastal Towns

• Tarpon Springs, Cedar Key, Apalachicola, Panama City Beach, Clearwater, St. Petersburg

Seafood Markets

• Tarpon Springs fish markets

• Apalachicola oyster houses

• Cedar Key seafood markets

Gulf Seafood Docks

• Tarpon Springs Sponge Docks

• Apalachicola waterfront

• Cedar Key working waterfront

• Sponge docks seafood boats

• Gulf shrimping communities

Oyster Houses

• Apalachicola oyster traditions

• Cedar Key oyster culture

• Gulf Coast raw bars

• Waterfront oyster restaurants

Restaurant Inspirations

• Frenchy’s

• Rusty Bellies

• H’ours Creole Smokehouse

• Local fish camps and oyster bars

Collection Themes

The collection continues to grow around:

• Gulf seafood classics

• Fish camp favorites

• Seafood appetizers and dips

• Coastal entertaining

• Family seafood meals

• Waterfront restaurant inspiration

Looking Ahead

Future sections may include:

• Fish Dips & Spreads

• Oyster Favorites

• Seafood Boards & Platters

• Coastal Holiday Entertaining

• Seafood Shack Favorites

Current recipes published in our Gulf Coast Collection: 16

Total number of recipes planned or in development: 30

Last updated: June 2026

Located just a few miles from the Louisiana border, the area has always shared influences from both Texas and Louisiana seafood traditions. If you’ve ever been there, you probably already know what everyone ordered.

The barbecue crabs.

My family made the trip several times a year, and somewhere between the paper-covered tables, the piles of crab shells, and the seasoning-covered fingers, it became one of those places we talked about long after the meal was over.

📸 STORY PHOTO HERE
(Sartin’s sign, Sabine Pass waterfront, old family photo, or Texas coast photo)

This week’s recipe is a copycat version of Sartin’s famous deep-fried barbecue blue crabs, seasoned generously and fried until crisp.

👉 Season the crabs heavily. The seasoning is what made this dish memorable.

👉 Serve with plenty of napkins. This is the kind of meal that gets messy in the best way.

You can find the full recipe with step-by-step guidance and pro tips on Powell Family Cooking:

Get the BBQ Crabs recipe 👉

Looking for more?

Visit the Table of Contents to browse crab recipes, Louisiana influences, seafood favorites, and regional collections.

See you soon,

Jami 💛

The shore is where the inspiration begins.

The table is where it comes together.

It usually arrived in a metal pail lined with paper, hot from the steamer and seasoned just enough to make you reach for another. We'd sit around the table peeling shrimp, talking, and making a meal out of something simple.

That's still the version we come back to today.

[Watch the Video Button]

This week's recipe is a classic Gulf Coast peel-and-eat shrimp recipe made with shell-on shrimp, lemon, and seafood seasoning.

👉 Leave the shells on while cooking. They help protect the shrimp from overcooking and add extra flavor.

👉 Serve with cold beer, sweet tea, coleslaw, corn on the cob, or a simple green salad.

[Get the Recipe Button]

https://www.powellfamilycooking.com/peel-and-eat-shrimp/

Looking for more? Visit the Table of Contents to browse seafood recipes, entertaining ideas, and coastal favorites.