Florida’s Best Winter Recipe Is A Bowl Of Comfort Food

The transition into a winter season on the East Coast can be jarring. From warmer clothes to earlier sundowns, you often seek comfort in the winter months. Taste of Home recognized this at the end of last year, publishing the best winter recipe in each state, and in Florida, it is undoubtedly a comfort food.

Scrolling through the winter dish of choice in all 50 states, the one common theme is that each item selected is a warm food. In fact, many of them are unique twists on stove-top favorites or classics that are baked in a pan. Regardless if you are in the warmer climate or up north in the frigid cold, the winter season is synonymous with the holiday season. That means more home cooking.

In addition, the Super Bowl is always in the winter, as is New Year's Eve. These are two of the most anticipated get-together days of the year. It is hard not to find a table full of hot food on either occasion.

Considering where you are in the country and what your local cuisine seems to favor, it is interesting to see how the recipes of choice differ depending on which region you live in. For Florida, the best winter recipe is one that perhaps is best served in your own kitchen.

This dish just screams home cooking. This is a gather around the table with friends or family meal that features a secret recipe that Grandma came up with long ago. Taste of Home gives away one of the tricks, saying, "Italian salad dressing mix is like a secret weapon for adding flavor to this creamy chicken dish." In addition, you get the creamy base by adding a package of cream cheese and a can of cream of chicken soup to make the sauce. Taste of Home also suggests adding rice or pasta to the mix to complete the meal.

Do you want fries with that? Tasting Table recently published a list of restaurants with the best French Fries in the country and two New Florida establishments were named.

"From high-end steakhouses and neighborhood brasseries' to fast food restaurants and even grocery store freezer aisles, fried spuds can be found in just about every type of restaurant or shop across the country," Tasting Table explains. Their feature is specific to non-fast food restaurants.

French Fries are always a fan-favorite whether a side dish, an appetizer, or just a snack. They come in all shapes and sizes. Shoe strings crispy versions, thick-cut steak fries, seasoned curly fries, waffle fries, and even tater tots (are those considered fries, though?).

In a 2019 story published by the Daily Meal, they discussed unique facts on French Fries in America. Two of the most fascinating have to do with McDonald's. "Approximately 7 percent of the potatoes grown in the U.S. meet the same fate: they become McDonald's french fries," they said. They later stated that this fast food chain sells one-third of the French Fries consumed in the United States.

French Fries are like music. They are a common bond, and they are subjective. What one person prefers may be completely different from another. Better yet, both choices are correct.

For example, Best Things Florida released their list of best French Fries in the Sunshine State. It is completely different from Tasting Table's. However, Tasting Table went and explored all corners of the country to crown their French Fry kings.

The two restaurants in Florida that were recognized for having some of the best French Fries in the country serve two very different styles. One of them is part of a restaurant that has expanded to other markets. The other is served in a restaurant where fries compliment BBQ.

Located on 2727 Indian Creek Dr. in Miami Beach, Broken Shaker has fries that are so good, they even get their own line item on the menu. These are Shawarma Fries, served with Harissa ketchup. You can order them on their own or have the fries paired with any of their burgers or sandwiches. Although Broken Shaker does also have restaurants in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, and Madrid, their menus show a some different takes on their hand-cut fries in certain markets. For example, Los Angeles has Carne Asada fries. New York and Miami both have the Shawarma recipe.

"In terms of meaty all-American food pairings, french fries go just as well with barbecue as they do with burgers," Tasting Table exclaims. The Polite Pig is located in Disney Springs. They describe their menu by saying, "Our menu is inspired by the best seasonal food that Florida has to offer, bringing new twists to local flavors and BBQ." They serve waffle fries with a polite rub. They can be selected as a side to any dish or in a giant platter to accompany your catering order. In addition, sweet potato tots are on the menu as well.