Roux: Spiritual renewal through tourist state of mind

Lately I have been in a vacation state of mind serving as a tour guide for someone who had never seen the area. It has been absolutely fantastic. Locals know we live in the center of the universe, but experiencing it through the eyes and taste buds of a newcomer reminds me those light bulb moments in a classroom

Where to begin?

We started in Eastpoint at Captain Snook's with a dozen raw oysters and broiled blue crab claws. Then it was on to St. George Island State Park. We drove to the last parking pavilion because we wanted the maximum long, undeveloped beach experience. Others obviously had the same idea because there were a good number of folks out on the sand. We probably would have done better to pull off the road onto one of several small parking areas and take the wooden crosswalk down to the shore. The waves were just gently rolling - no big breakers. The water temperature was a little cool, and the Gulf was about as clear as it gets around here.

Later we went to the Blue Parrot for a pina colada. I drink one of those about once every five years, but it suited the mood and the ambiance. We sat under the palm frond thatched roof, watched the people and the waves, and enjoyed the breeze.

Eating oysters became a focal point. At Up the Creek we also tried conch patties topped with a mango coconut slaw flavored with key lime juice and tupelo honey. A cup of crab and lobster bisque rounded out the meal. We sat on the outside deck, chatted up the staff, and watched the boats go by.

We ate oysters at Toucan's after a necessary, real-world trip to Panama City. We sat on the upstairs covered porch and savored a shrimp and crab au gratin along with some sweet and spicy shrimp. We decided to swing into Indian Pass and enjoyed a quiet swim there until the cannonballs started showing up. We both got zapped and then starting looking around. They were everywhere. A continuous line stretched out for quite a ways. That was disappointing. I thought I remembered those guys appearing later in the summer.

Since we were there, we couldn't pass up Indian Pass Raw Bar. I had never been, and I was expecting a quiet, kind of laidback experience. My senses got a jolt the minute we walked in the door. The place was buzzin' with sunburned families savoring simple food in an authentic setting. I only recognized one person and that was T.J. Ward from 13-Mile Seafood behind the bar shucking oysters. The staff moved in a frenzied dance of maximum, efficient food production. The place looked full of happy tourists. We sat on stools to enjoy our baker's dozen, and I struck up a conversation with the lady next to me. She and her husband were from Marietta. She said they came often to stay at Cape San Blas. I enjoyed listening to her enthusiasm. It is truly wonderful when people just get it about our spot of paradise.

Speaking of the Cape, we took a drive down to the park entrance, but it wasn't really possible to see much of the water. The bay side was visible in spots, but the houses blocked any broad gulf view from the car.

We did a little cooking. One night there was broiled shrimp and a spinach salad that included dried cranberries, toasted almonds, kiwi, feta cheese and poppy seed dressing. New recipe for me. We sliced up some homegrown tomatoes and doused them with vinegar and freshly ground black pepper. Another night I made crab cakes, and we paired them with fresh cucumbers and thinly sliced onion marinated in a boiled dressing of vinegar, sugar, water and cayenne. We sprinkled fresh dill on the top.

In the down time, I have been reading “The Gastronomical Me” by M.F.K. Fisher. Her descriptions and anecdotes of deriving maximum pleasure from traveling and dining experiences inspired this reflection.

The good news is that my guest and I only touched on a bit of what is possible. There are all the restaurants we missed this time still waiting, along with the shops, the galleries, the night life, and the outdoor possibilities of going up the river or offshore.

I'm glad I'm on vacation, but it is more than time off. It's a state of mind, and we only have to adopt the wide-eyed spirit of a tourist to feel renewed and appreciative

Denise Roux is a regular columnist for the Apalachicola and Carrabelle Times. To reach her, email her at rouxwhit@mchsi.com