Everglades Agricultural Area, Fla. Lettuce

Everglades Agricultural Area (EAA), Florida, grown lettuce is unique. The area, located on 470,000 acres of land close to Lake Okeechobee has some of the blackest soil you will ever see. It is made of peat muck. The earth was exposed over a century ago when the Everglades were drained to make room for farm land. 

Everglades Agricultural Area, Fla., grown romaine lettuce

More and more South Florida grocery stores are carrying lettuce grown in the EAA. The way to spot that your leafy green has been grown in this area is to look for coal-like soil at the base of the plant.

Another way to tell is by taste. It will be saltier than greens grown in other areas of the country.

Other crops grown in the EAA are green beans, carrots, potatoes, beets, sweet corn, rice, and sugar cane.

If you want to see the black soil for yourself, take a ride west on Southern Boulevard past the City of Wellington. When you get to the sugar cane fields, stop and look down to see the black gold of the EAA.

My Locally Sourced Chocolate Mousse: Fla Style.

Chocolate mousse is great. But it is even better if some of the ingredients are local and have a low carbon footprint.

Partially Florida sourced chocolate mousse

This mousse was made with Florida grown eggs, milk, and sugar. It was decorated with a Florida grown strawberry.

Osceola Bistro, Vero Beach, Fla: Local Sourcing, Updated

A gorgeous farm-to-table restaurant exists in Vero Beach, Florida. Owner Chef Christopher Bireley is passionate about sourcing local Florida ingredients. Born in Vero Beach, Bireley travelled the world and the United States, cooking as he went, before returning home to open his restaurant in October 2011.

Chef Christopher Bireley, owner of Osceola Bistro, a
farm-to-table restaurant in Vero Beach, Fla.

Some Foodies in West Palm Beach raved about Osceola Bistro and the wonderful food. So, I went to see what all the fuss was about. While there Chef Bireley came out of the kitchen to chat. He was full of smiles and warmth.

“Last year we got peaches from Premier’s farm just north of Ft.Pierce. We had peaches for a month and put them in salads, main dishes, and desserts. It was great,” Bireley said to me as I sat at a cloth covered table in the covered patio area.

There was a water feature a short distance away with colorful pots of fresh herbs ringing it. Suddenly Bireley got up and walked over to a pot of chives. He grabbed a handful and expertly cut them with a pair of scissors. “I use theses herbs and ones from Osceola Organics farm in my food,” he said.

He also grows his own olives from two potted olive trees located on the far wall of the covered patio area. “Last year that one there,” he said pointing to the tree at the back, “produced a huge crop.”

He also sources products from locals like greens from Osceola Organic Farm, and Gibbons Farms Organics, pastured poultry from Crazy Hart Ranch, and seafood from Wild Ocean Seafood Market. “I try to give my guests organic whenever I can. This past month there has been an abundance of organic tomatoes so I’ve included them in my menu.”

I ordered a glass of sweet Florida pink grapefruit juice ($2.50) squeezed that morning by Chef according to the bar tender. Then I got an Osceola Farm Greens salad ($6) with an aromatic in-house-made dressing. It was light, and full of flavor. I followed this with a heavenly delicious bowl of lightly coated deep-fried Florida rock shrimp ($9) served with a bright tarragon aioli sauce.

Osceola Bistro is located opposite the Vero Beach Post Office at 2045 13^th Avenue, FL, 32960. Phone: 772-569-1299. They are open every day except Sunday. To find out more go to www.osceolabistro.com