On Florida’s north panhandle, or better known as the “forgotten coast", exists a quaint dining café known as That Place Off 98 located in historic Apalachicola…dare you say that three times without snickering about the fact you might have said something else. Besides the fun-to-say name, this place serves up the best Key Lime Pie that side of the Gulf coast. Naturally, it tastes like they used fresh key limes. I would expect nothing less in the Sunshine state. Beautifully embodied into the sweet and grainy graham cracker crust, was all the goodness of the perfect combination of tart and sweet custard where itzy bitzy flecks of small green zest might be detected here and there if you had microscopic vision. This treat made the fervent, scorching heat dissipate for some moments at a time. After lunch, we strolled down to Apalachicola Chocolate Company, where beautifully adorned truffles laid in all its glory behind some old glassed domes. On one end of this new found heaven, was the Italian gelato. After sampling the lemon flavor, I opted for a full size. The owner left to get more cups down the street. He’d only been perfecting his homemade gelato for the past three years and on this day, obviously the perfection ceased: He ran out of cups! Owner and chocolate master maker, George Stritikus, both charming and an avid story teller, proceeded to tell me about the commencement of this wonderful journey. I listened in awe as I’d take a bite of my lemon gelato and in between sample a few truffles as he insisted and had to prove he uses only fine chocolate. And undeniably so, I agreed…no catch-penny chocolate here! The Hazelnut Aporn and the Grand Mariner truffles were nothing less than high class. My peripheral vision caught sight of the Pecan Bourban and the Kahlua Cacao but my thirsty palate yearned for another bite of the refreshing gelato. He continued his story about hiring a group of samplers in an effort to perfect his chocolate recipes. Should they mention the chocolate was perfect, he'd seek out new samplers! Where was I ten years ago? I'd of made the perfect sampler, "Eewww, George, this is awful, please start all over and bring me another!" George was a kind man, not only because he allowed me to have my fill of samples but because his love for chocolate reflected everything he put into his recipes. He gave me his recipe for gelato: water, milk, and fresh fruit. Seemed much too simple to believe, even for me. There are a few missing ingredients that cannot be imitated nor duplicated. I insist he makes it with a lot of passion and a pinch of love. Even in the "forgotten coast", there are a splendid number of things that will always be remembered!
