Some like it Hot

Some like it H t !

Valentine’s Day is just around the corner. Romance is in the air! This is a special time to create new memories with your love. Flowers are pretty, chocolates are sweet but let’s get a little spicy!

A Date with the Famous Datil Pepper

St Augustine is the home to the fabulous and flavorful “Datil Pepper”. Although there are many stories as to the origin of this special pepper, St Augustine has embraced its uniqueness. This pepper offers the sweet fruity taste of a sweet pepper yet the engaging heat of a habanero. Each year St Augustine throws the Datil Pepper Festival and hosts a cook off. Our spicy quest begins with your special someone and a mouthwatering bowl of the award winning “Spicy Datil Fish Chowder”. Savor the ocean views at The Reef Restaurant, located at 4100 Coastal Hwy. This mouth-watering soup has a creamy red base with potatoes, carrots, and loaded with local seafood. With each spoonful the datil pepper works its magic bringing more and more tasty heat to your palate. The Reef Restaurant offers many dishes highlighting the datil pepper. I guarantee you will keep coming back for more.

If you love tuna, head downtown to The Floridian Restaurant, located at 72 Spanish Street. Enjoy their outdoor patio seating while devouring their “Datil Tuna Poke Bowl”. It is served with perfectly rare Datil-dusted Tuna, full of delectable flavors is finished off with miso aioli, ginger chermoula, shaved radishes, curried cashews for a wonderful crunch and a touch of microgreens. These dishes will promise to spice up your life, a perfect match!

Too Hot to Handle?

We have so many beautiful beaches to enjoy here in the St Augustine area. Why not order some take out and enjoy a romantic picnic on the beach. Head off the beaten path and stop by Taco My Blessing, a hidden gem of a food truck located behind BOG Brewery at 218 W King Street. This local favorite offers perfectly zesty and authentic tacos to eat onsite in the open air or takeout to do a picnic. Indulge in the sizzling deliciousness of the “Compechano Taco”. A fresh corn tortilla filled with a spice worthy mix of steak and chorizo, topped with chopped onions, fresh cilantro, homemade

crema cooled off with some crispy radishes. Their fiery salsa includes three different dried chili peppers, and extra spicy serrano pepper. If you like heat, the delicious, authentically Mexican salsa promises to knock your socks off! This yummy taco is perfectly paired with a hand-crafted beer from the BOG brewery next store. Casa Reina Taqueria & Tequila, a new hot spot right on the bayfront at 1 Anderson Circle, offers one of the best views downtown on their rooftop terrace. When you bite into the “Jalapeños Rellenos” you’ll agree this dish has it all, crunch, juiciness and red-hot flavors! Nothing better than a crispy fried jalapeño filled with chihuahua queso, intense chorizo, crema, cotija and fresh cilantro. To keep the spice train going be sure to check out Casa Reina’s signature drink, the passionately spicy “Diablo Rosa.” Sweet & Spicy

February can be a bit chilly, why not treat your special someone to a cup of luscious hot chocolate. If you find yourself downtown near Flagler College, stop into Claude’s Chocolates, 6 Granada St. They offer a high quality “homemade spicy hot chocolate mix”. This scrumptiously spicy blend has a hint of ancho and chipotle peppers giving it the perfect balance of sweet and spicy. A perfect end or beginning to a romantic day in the Ancient City. Love is in the Air

Valentine’s Day is a special time to be present and enjoy time with your love. A time to refreshingly spice things up. We live in a community full of firey food adventures, too many to mention in this one article. Whether you love a lot of spice and heat or just prefer a pinch, enjoy exploring the many spicy options available to you and yours here in the “Hot and Spicy” St Augustine! n

XO, Darlene Christianson