How to Order Conch in the Florida Keys

Conch has a been staple in the islands for thousands of years and it's hard to find a restaurant without conch on the menu. By reading the following steps you will understand the different ways that conch is served.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Sense of adventure
• A hearty appetite

1. Learn that conch chowder is a rich tomato-based soup with conch, spices, potatoes, onions and celery. The chowder is traditionally served with hot sauce and cooking sherry in case you want to add a little extra zip to your soup.

2. Know that conch salad is a chilled, refreshing mix of diced conch, onions, tomatoes, peppers and fresh lime juice.

3. Understand that conch fritters might be the most common preparation for conch. The deep fried corn meal balls are served with cocktail sauce. Other preparations for conch appetizers are fried or sauteed.

4. Conch sandwiches are often served fried or sauteed with all the regular fixings of lettuce, tomato, pickle and onion.

5. Should you find yourself in Islamorada, stop by Lazy Days restaurant for some of their world famous Lazy Conch. Coated with Japanese breadcrumbs, cooked on a flat top grill and then covered with diced tomatoes, scallions, Parmesan cheese and key lime butter, Lazy Conch is delicious.

Tips & Warnings

• Conch and cracked conch are the same thing. You will see it written both ways on area menus. Cracked conch refers to the manner in which the snail is removed from the shell, by cracking off the tip of the snail's shell.
• Due to over harvesting, fresh Florida conch is no longer served. Harvesting of wild conch in Florida waters was banned in the early 1980s.