This week goes to the democrats at 5,280 feet above sea level, and a crowd of 70,000 people think so too! That’s the biggest mosh pit I have ever seen!  I’m all fired up! That’s probably because I burned the hell out of my hand! Obama is burning up too.  He’s on fire for the recovery of this Country.  Which brings me to my cooking tip on Obama’s Mama’s key lime pie.  First, let it be known that I am watching Obama and I am a Mama hence the name of the pie.

Make sure that all of your ingredients are fresh.  Especially the graham crackers for the crust and the key lime juice.  Follow the recipe on the bottle of the Nellie & Joe’s key lime juice but add a small package of cream cheese.  It cuts the sugar and the tartness and gives it a cheesecake like consistency.  Serve with real whipped cream not the Cindy McCain plastic stuff.

I had the best salad today at Azur Restaurant.  It was arugula with a warmed incredible goat cheese that melts like a Camembert, tossed in a rosemary infused honey vinaigrette.  You can view Azur’s menu in it’s entirety on this web site, www.keywestfinest.com.

I’m tired, my hand hurts, and I don’t have anything to wear for the Republican convention.  I can’t wait to tell you about McCains meatloaf! But wait, it will just be the same old recipe we’ve had for the last 8 years.  Never mind.

First of all, are Bill Clinton and “Uncle Teddy” Kennedy sharing the same nose? Seriously. I must say that Bill looks very restaline, I mean rested! Bill Botox? Bill bulbous? I’m sorry Bill.  Although, you were very well behaved tonight.  I liked how you let the Hillary supporters know that they MUST vote for Obama if they truly want what’s best for this country.  We do not need another 4 years of watching the Country getting flushed down the toilet and shame on you if you throw your vote away!

Which brings me to my Cuban Clinton chicken recipe.  Last night I recommended the #31 from El Siboney Cuban restaurant here in Key West.  Well if your not lucky enough to be here yet to taste it in person, here is my own improvised recipe for you to try-

Marinate chicken breast on the bone in olive oil & key lime juice(Nellie & Joe’s), sprinkle with lots of garlic powder, paprika, season salt, and 2 crushed garlic cloves for 2 hours.  Bake on 450 for 12 minutes turning down to 360 for another 30 minutes.  Slice sweet yellow onion thin, toss in oil, key lime juice, garlic powder & sea salt.  Sprinkle over chicken and bake another 15 minutes.  Serve with yellow rice, black beans, and plantains.  This dish, Clinton chicken is ALWAYS a hit, because even if your guests can’t stand it they will act like they like it and they’ll be very supportive of you!

Tune in tomorrow for Obama’s Mama’s key lime pie!!!

Somebody suggested that I write something a little bit controversial to keep things spicy on the KWF blog.  I’ll see if I can come through on that.

The DNC is on in Denver! That’s Democratic National Convention to all you folks who don’t follow politics.  And if you are one of those folks, well, I suppose that ignorance surely must be bliss! Just go on with your cookie cutter lives, with your head in the sand, looking out over the ocean and admiring the sun setting on the beautiful horizon of this amazing flat earth!

Wake up people! The Earth has not been flat for thousands of years now! FYI, denile is not a river in Egypt and the economy stinks! Which brings me to the subject of travel, leisure, and hanging out in Key West!

Yes folks, even though the country is in the worst shape since the great depression, you can still come to Key West and enjoy yourself without dipping into your 401k.

Just last night I ate freshly picked plantains off of a Key West tree! Make sure they are nice and ripe, slice them up and fry them in some peanut oil.  They are delicious and a local favorite! If you are watching your dollars but want to savor the local fare I suggest you go to my favorite Cuban restaurant, El Siboney.  Get the #1(roast pork with yellow rice, black beans & plantains) or the #31(half of a grilled garlic chicken).  Top it off with a cafe con leche and a homemade flan all for under $25.

If you are staying more than 3 days, an efficiency with a kitchenette is a must! You can find one that serves a continental breakfast, has a mini fridge to re-heat your leftovers that you couldn’t finish (especially if you ate El Siboney, the plates are huge).  Check out Courtney’s Place on this web site under B&B’s.  They have a great selection of cute studios, rooms & cottages at an unbeatable price.  Be sure to mention the code “Key West’s Finest” to get the best rate!

Well, there’s another storm brewing in the Atlantic, Gustav.  More will be revealed……………..

If you are coming to Key West on the Express Ferry from Fort Meyers here are some tips.  Stay overnight one or two nights. there is a lot to do and see here.  There are some very good  bed and breakfasts within walking distance to the Ferry Terminal.  Westwinds Inn and Nassau House are very close, nice, clean, tropical and affordable www.keywestfinest.com.  When you call ahead for your reservations request an early check-in.

The boat leaves at 5:00pm to return to Fort Meyers.  You can usually go at 1:00 to drop off your luggage and get a boarding pass.  That puts you way ahead of the crowd at 5:00.  Bring your swimsuit and have lunch next door at Dante’s and take a dip in their pool while you wait for your ship to sail! Also, take a to-go box with you and have yourself a nice little dinner.  You’ll be glad you thought of it!

If you need more lunch and dinner suggestions as well as places to stay go to www.keywestfinest.com

The Key West real estate market is following the national trend.  Luxury homes have been selling as have the lower priced short sale homes.  The mid-price homes have been taking longer to sell.

As for the rental market, the prices are ranging from $1,000-1,300 for a studio/one bedroom, $1,800-$2,500 for two bedroom houses and the 3 bedrooms and larger are approx. $3,200-$5,000 a month. www.keysnews.com

The vacation rental pool is full of nice properties.  The prices vary according to season and events.  www.keywestvacationrentals.com

The lowest hotel rates are available now til mid October.  Travel insurance is suggested at this time of year. www.keywestfinest.com

Tropical Storm Fay was a dress rehearsal for us!  We got our water, food, and fuel, cut down coconuts, and brought in the outdoor furniture.  We personally don’t board up for a category 1 hurricane, much less a tropical storm.  We did not experience any wind damage or flooding in Key West.  The tourists were allowed back as of noon today and it was mostly sunny with some scattered showers.  Wednesday will be business as usual and the first day of school.  I have some friends that did the classic, go down to White Street Pier and jump off into the water! That was how they helped a Katrina survivor overcome her hurricane anxiety.  Nothing says surrender like dancing in the middle of a tropical storm out on the pier! All is well in Key West! Come on down, the waters’ fine!

Happy Birthday to my Dad! We are taking him out to dinner tonight at Kelly’s Caribbean Bar & Grille.  They have a really great new menu and you can view on this web site in the restaurant section.  One thing I love about Kelly’s is the outdoor dining area.  It’s nicely lit, has huge gorgeous trees and a very tropical feel.  Although I’m trying to focus on dinner with my family tonight, I can’t help feeling that there is something else lurking out there……….

Oh, that would probably be Tropical Storm or possibly Hurricane Fay!!! Snap! What about the first week of school that starts Monday? The storm is forecast to (possibly) hit Key West Tuesday afternoon.  It looks like it will probably be a category 1 in which case we personally choose to not evacuate.  If you are planning on coming to Key West this week I would probably wait until the weekend! Remember, you can only get your hotel deposit refunded if we are in an “official” Hurricane Warning.

Then there is always the other important dilemma…what to eat! Hurricane shopping is such a pain! Water, water, water and you have to plan everything around power outages! Pb&j is so hurricane Georges! I’m thinking about a no-mayo pasta salad, all of my freezer meet on the grill and maybe I’ll bake a cake! Me,my Husband, Daughter, Father & Dog will bunker down and watch the weather channel and eat all day long! It’s like a really long Superbowl party! Hurricaines are not all fun & games, safety comes first.  If you can have great family time together stay safe and be grateful for what you have then you have made the best of it!

 It is a tropical 90 degrees outside and the secada are singing! We are just coming out of Lobsterfest weekend and mini-lobster season.  I’m still getting the lobster out of my teeth! Down here in the Keys, you can dive for your own lobster, spear your own fish, and drink from a freshly fallen coconut! If you aren’t that adventurous, there are plenty of restaurants serving up the local fare.  One of my favorites is Cafe Sole.  They are one of the only places you can go to get the locals favorite, Hogfish.  Hogfish is a very mild, white, flaky, delicate fish that is only caught by spearing.  Cafe Sole serves it with a gentle roasted red pepper burre blanc sauce.  It is to die for! Check out their entire menu on www.keywestfinest.com.