Cheese Grits
SERVES 6 This Southern classic is adapted from a recipe from Bradley’s Country Store.
road trip
Savoring Farm-to-Table Fare in Tallahassee
Fall is a grand time to visit a college town and explore local foods.
Home to Florida State University, Florida A&M and the state’s capitol, Tallahassee may be an eight-hour drive from South Florida, but it’s a worthwhile journey for the novelty of hilly roads and cooler weather. The town does fill up on football weekends, so plan accordingly.
Start your weekend with a visit to the farmers market. Downtown at Ponce de Leon Park, you’ll find local produce, Tupelo honey, fig jam and vintage clothes and crafts. Also on Saturdays, the year-round Tallahassee Farmers Market is located at the Cornerstone Church on Kerry Forest Parkway. Most of the vendors sell locally grown and regionally sourced products. Here you’ll find Oyster Mom Deborah Keller. She’s a leader in revitalizing the local Apalachicola oyster industry by sustainably farming in Oyster Bay, and her succulent oysters are superb.
For more local treats, head to Orchard Pond, a family-owned organic farm that supplies local restaurants. They’ve expanded to include their own delicious granola and pesto, plus beef jerky from their own cows. In the spring, visit their u-pick for sunflowers and strawberries, or sit outside the shop and enjoy the serenity of the Red Hills farm air.
Photo 1: Oysters from Oyster Mom Photo: Kate Milford
Photo 2: Bradley's Country Store Photo: VISIT TALLAHASSEE
Farm-fresh Bounty
Stop by Backwoods Crossing, Jesse and Tyler Rice's farm-to-table experience. Gardener Zoe gives a great tour of the 3½-acre farm surrounding the restaurant, introducing the colorful hens that supply more than 18,000 eggs each year. I was lucky to savor the last of their spring asparagus along with deviled eggs and collard greens. Another country jaunt will take you to Bradley's Country Store, nestled under huge oak trees. For more than a century, the Bradley family has sold their country-smoked sausage in this historic building. They also mill their own cornmeal and grits. Every November on the Saturday before Thanksgiving, they host a Family Fun Day, featuring live music, clogging, arts and crafts, and cane grinding and syrup making.
In downtown Tallahassee, politicians and college students exist side by side. The town has a completely different feeling when the legislature is in session: suits are plentiful, and posted flyers suggest work apparel – women should not wear short skirts or bare their shoulders, men should not wear shoes with no socks. Contrast that with the Railroad Square Art District a few blocks away, made up of locally owned art studios, vintage shops, cute cafes, a pinball arcade and vivid murals. Lots of bared shoulders and bare ankles here, especially at the First Friday Festivals every month. FSU students flock to The Other Side Vintage for old concert T-shirts, FSU hoodies and cool dorm room décor. Half a mile away is Tallahassee's first craft production brewery, Proof Brewing Co., founded 11 years ago by Bryan and Angela Burroughs. If you're lucky, Bryan will give you a tour of their brewery, with its unique reverse osmosis water system supplying pristine water required for a superior brew.
Midtown, centered around Thomasville Rd. and Meridian, is Tallahassee's trendy neighborhood. Midtown Reader is one of a few independent bookstores in the city. Owner and former political advisor Sally Bradshaw delights in showcasing banned books, stocking a diverse selection of authors. Best of all, she’s opened a cafe upstairs specializing in pie. Kool Beanz Cafe is a longtime local favorite – try the cornmeal fried oysters, Black Radish Bar and Restaurant has a terrific array of vegetable-centric small plates. At Jeri's Midtown Cafe, ladies lunch – casually, of course.
Beyond the Capitol Complex downtown is the serene Cascades Park, 24 acres of lawns, fountains, walking and jogging paths. The Edison, originally a 1921 power plant, has been redesigned into a stunning bar and restaurant. The nearby AC Marriott Hotel overlooks the park and the downtown area. The universities are a great source of entertainment, like FSU’s world music department. Who suspected there’s a great Balinese gamelan orchestra in North Florida? Check out their concerts online. Don't forget their Flying High Circus School to catch a family weekend circus performance. And maybe you'll catch the FAMU Marching 100, ending an eclectic and entertaining visit to Tallahassee.
Plan Your Trip to Tallahassee
Backwoods Crossing
Bradley’s Country Store
Railroad Square Art District
Red Hills Small Farm Alliance
Visit Tallahassee
Communities Near You
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