When the weather turns gloomy, there's nothing like a cozy coffee shop to brighten your day!Here are some of the delightful options for coffee in the Destin and Fort Walton Beach, Florida area: Maas Coffee - A charming spot in Fort Walton Beach with a variety of coffee drinks, teas, and pastries. Their friendly staff and cozy atmosphere make it a great place to relax.
Bad Ass Coffee - Located in Miramar Beach, this coffee shop offers Hawaiian coffee blends and a super laid back vibe. Enjoy a cup of joe while you wait for the rain to stop or grab a cup on the way to the beach. Cafe Liquid - A local favorite of Destin. Cafe Liquid serves specialty coffee, smoothies and light bites. Their outdoor seating area is perfect for people watching, even on rainy days! The Donut Hole - The crowd favorite! A must see on your Destin, Florida vacation for breakfast. They are known for their delicious donuts and key lime pies, but they also have a coffee bar. Grab a hot cup of coffee or indulge in a sweet treat. With multiple locations, you can be sure to stop in and enjoy the vibe. Parlor Doughnuts - They offer a specialty coffee that pairs deliciously with their unique layered doughnuts. With gluten-friendly and keto-friendly options you can be sure to please just about everyone in your party. Definitely a favorite of our kids! Sunset Coffee Company - A hidden gem in Fort Walton Beach. This coffee shop offers a cozy ambiance, friendly service and a variety of options to choose from! Starbucks Reserve - If you're a fan of Starbucks, the Reserve in Destin is worth a visit on your Florida vacay! It's a larger, more upscale version of the regular Starbucks. Well worth a stop, especially on a rainy morning. Don't forget to pair your coffee with a good book, good friends and conversation or indulge in sweet treat on your vacation. Grab a cup of coffee on your way to a fishing charter with us and let us know which one is your favorite! If you have another favorite or another suggestion that's not listed here, feel free to share in the comments. Bonus Coffee Shops Nearby - Debs Coffee - A cozy drive thru located in Shalimar and Navarre. With friendly service and endless options you can be sure to find a tasty treat or delicious coffee for everyone in your group. Alaskan Bean Company - Known for the best coffee around, they offer white espresso and a delightful white chocolate mocha with coconut that is to die for! Located in Navarre, FL
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 Spanish Mackerel - Scomberomorus maculatus
Order: Perciformes Family: Scombridae Genus: Scomberomorous Species: maculatus Common names Horse mackerel, spotted mackerel, spotted cybium, Spaniard Average Size Average Spanish Mackerel measure around 15’ in length and weigh about 1.5lbs. Size Limit The FWC Regulations for Gulf and State Waters Minimum size limit for Spanish Mackerel is 12’ in length at the fork. They are open year-round. The Florida State Record is 12lbs and held by John Colligan in 1984 in Ft Pierce Florida. Habitat: These fish are common throughout Florida waters: inshore, offshore and nearshore and frequently found over grass beds and reefs. Adults inhabit offshore in coastal waters out towards the continental shelf’s edge. They can sometimes be found over rocky bottoms and artificial reefs, along beaches and in shallow estuaries, bays and sounds. Juvenile Spanish mackerel can primarily be found nearshore in coastal and beachfront waters; though some have been found in estuaries. Behavior: Spanish mackerel are a schooling fish that migrate north in the spring and south in the winter. They spawn offshore from the spring through the summer. These fish are predatory, surface feeding fish. They are known to eat small schooling fishes such as menhadens, anchovies, herring, shad, small jacks, pompano and sometimes squid or shrimp. Spanish mackerel are aggressive feeders that strike a variety of natural and artificial baits. We fish a variety of ways for them including casting artificial lures and trolling live or artificial baits. Spanish are often found busting or jumping at the surface of the water, watching for birds working the water often means mackerel are working below the surface to drive the bait up to the top of the water surface to feed. They are among the top 3 fish for young kids to catch by themselves on our trips. About Spanish Mackerel are epipelagic. The Epipelagic Zone is also known as “The Sunlight Zone”. This is the uppermost layer of the ocean or gulf, ranging from 33-115 feet Most of the fish humans consume are found in the epipelagic zone. Spanish Mackerel frequent barrier islands and passes associated with these islands. Larvae occur mostly offshore, while juvenile mackerels are found offshore and nearshore along the surf at the beach. The population of Spanish mackerel in the Gulf of Mexico are known to migrate westwards in the early spring to waters off Texas. They can be found migrating along the coast of Mexico heading south between the months of August – November and heading north towards Florida in March and April. Spanish mackerel are silver along the surface of the body with iridescent blue-green with a few rows of large dark elliptical yellowish spots along the sides of its body. The longer the fish, the more spots it tends to have. They have large jaws and teeth that are triangular and arranged in a single series. Spanish mackerel have separate male and female sexes that use external fertilization. Spawning is said to take place between April and October depending on the location of the fish at the time. Along the inner continental shelf of Texas, spawning occurs May – September. In the waters off of Florida’s east coast they spawn July – September. In the northern portion of the gulf off the Florida panhandle, spawning is said to take place August – September. Eggs are buoyant, transparent, and round in shape. Hatching typically occurs within 25 hours at 79°F. Both males and females mature by 2 years of age. At this time males are usually around 8 inches in length while females are around 11 inches. Spawning is said to occur at night over the inner and mid-continental shelf. Spanish mackerel are commonly preyed upon by sharks, tuna, mahi-mahi, and bottlenose dolphins. Spanish mackerel make good table fare, with a naturally oily meat they are commonly fried or grilled and are always a treat when wrapped up in a flour tortilla as a fish taco! Sources : https://myfwc.com/fishing/saltwater/recreational/spanish-mackerel/ https://www.dnr.sc.gov/marine/species/spanishmackerel.html https://www.floridamuseum.ufl.edu/search/?q=spanish+mackerel This flaky fresh Spanish Mackerel is battered in a most flavorful beer breading and fried to a crisp golden brown served on top of hot crispy potato chips! Serve with tartar sauce and ketchup for a quick easy meal everyone will love!
Prep Time: 15 minutes Cook Time: 20 minutes Total Time: 35 minutes Servings: 4-6 Ingredients: Oil for frying 2 large eggs 1/3 cup of all purpose flour ½ tsp salt ½ tsp baking powder ½ cup beer salt and pepper 1.5 - 2lbs fish, cut into strips 4-6 potatoes, cut into fry shapes Directions: 1.Heat oil in a medium sized pot over medium high heat. 2.Whisk together flour, eggs, baking powder and salt in one medium sized bowl until smooth. 3.Next slowly add in the beer and continue whisking until batter is combined. 4.Salt and pepper the fish and then dip each piece into the batter, coating it evenly. 5.Fry fish in oil until golden brown. 6.Fry potatoes until golden brown. 7.Salt and Pepper to taste and then serve.  Fresh Fish Tacos with Fried Okra, and Spanish Rice These fish tacos are a perfect for a weeknight dinner with the family or with large groups and get togethers! This fish is cooked to perfection and topped with a yummy apple slaw and sriracha sauce. These are fresh, easy and delicious! We served ours with some crispy jalapeno popper bites, a side of mexican rice and a side of pinto beans (not pictured). The recipes we used to make this meal are below! We used sheepshead for our fish tacos, but another great fish to try this way is a spanish mackerel. Enjoy! Mom's Beer Batter RecipeIngredients: 1 cup all purpose flour 1 ½ tsp baking powder 7 tbsp milk ½ tbsp olive oil 1 tbsp water 8 tbsp fizzy beer A pinch of salt Add Tony’s Creole Seasoning to taste Directions: Mix all ingredients together. Rinse the fish fillets with cool water and pat the fish dry. Season both sides with salt and pepper. Coat the fish in the beer batter mixture. To fry place in heated oil turning over frequently until they turn a deep golden brown and are cooked through, about 4-5 min depending on the size of fillets or cut pieces of fish you have. Transfer to a paper towel lined baking sheet. This beer batter recipe makes enough batter to cover 2-3 lbs of fish. This will feed about 4-6 people depending on serving sizes. Crispy Jalapeno Popper BitesIngredients: Cheese Mixture 8 oz cream cheese, softened 2 cups shredded pepper jack cheese ¼ cup chopped bacon or bacon bits 2 tbsp sriracha sauce Breading Mixture ½ cup all purpoe flour 1 cup bread crumbs 1 tsp garlic powder ½ tsp cayenne pepper ¼ tsp black pepper ¼ tsp salt Other 4 jalapenos, seeded and sliced into circles 2 eggs, beaten ½ cup milk Oil for frying Directions: 1. Cut the top off of each jalapeno and de-seed, then cut into thick bite-sized rings. 2. Mix together the cream cheese, shredded pepper jack cheese, bacon bits, and sriracha. Scoop out some of the mixture and press into the jalapeno rounds. Place each one onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. Then freeze for 30 minutes. 3. Mix the eggs with the milk to make an egg wash in one bowl. Combine the flour, bread crumbs, garlic powder, cayenne pepper, black pepper and salt in another bowl. 4. Heat oil in a deep fryer to 350°F 5. Dip the jalapeno poppers into the egg wash and then into the breading mixture. 6. Fry several bites at one time for about 2-3 minutes or until golden brown. Drain on a paper towel lined plate. 7. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge or freezer for 2-3 days. Reheat in oven at 375°F for 5-8 minutes or in an air fryer at 350°F for 5 minutes. Prepare ahead of time without frying. Store in the refrigerator for a few minutes or overnight. Remove when ready to fry. Can be stored in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw in fridge before frying. These jalapeno popper bites are fantastic for appetizers or as a side with many dishes! Coleslaw Recipe with Apples & Jalapeno'sIngredients: Dressing ½ cup mayo ½ cup sour cream or plain greek yogurt 1 tsp vinegar, white or cider 1 tsp granulated white sugar 1 tbsp fresh lime juice Coleslaw Mix 1 lb coleslaw mix ½ red onion, diced 1 jalapeno, diced 2 granny smith apples, julienned 1 red apple, julienned Salt and pepper to taste Directions: 1. Cut the onion, jalapeno and apples 2.Mix the first 5 ingredients together with some salt and pepper in a small bowl. Whisk together until smooth. Give it a taste and adjust the ingredients if needed (add more sugar, vinegar, lime etc to taste). 3.Add the coleslaw mix, apples, onions, and jalapenos (optional) to a large bowl. Pour the dressing on top and toss until coated. Season with more salt & pepper as needed. 4.Prep ahead of time and chill in the fridge until ready to serve or serve immediately. We like to use this to top our carnitas and fish tacos! Yum! This recipe makes enough for 6-8 people. Dressed Up Pinto Beans |
