Daily Archives: March 7, 2023

St. Marks, Florida

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The St. Marks River – St. Marks Florida

It was cool and barely light outside when I took the girls for their morning walk. It was earlier than usual but I was trying to get on the road to St. Marks, Florida as early as possible. I pulled out of the driveway at 8:15 AM on Saturday morning February 5 and arrived in St. Marks at 2:30 PM. It was an easy drive and an interesting route that I have taken many times from Athens. Not sure if it’s the fastest route but it’s my favorite. Athens to Madison on 441, then Hwy 83 to Forsyth, then I-75 to Cordelle, then 300 the Georgia / Florida Parkway to Albany then 300/19 down to Capps. At the only intersection in Capps take a right on to 27, then a few miles down the road in Waukeenah make a short left, left, right jog down to Hwy 98. Then right onto Hwy 98 for a short to Hwy 59 (Lighthouse road) where you take a left to St. Marks. 

I had booked a room in the Sweet Magnolia Inn, the only place I know of to stay in St. Marks. It’s a small 6 room bed and breakfast that requires advanced reservations and does not offer Sunday check-ins – so plan your trip accordingly. More about this fabulous inn in a separate post.

Bo Lynn’s Grocery – St. Marks, Florida

St. Marks is a city in Wakulla County, Florida and is part of the Tallahassee metropolitan area. The city is located on the banks of the St. Marks river just before the river merges with the Wakulla River then flows to the Apalachee Bay and the Gulf of Mexico. If you want to see birds or wildlife this is the place to be, St. Marks is flanked on the eastside with the Flint Rock Wildlife Management Area and the St Marks National Wildlife Refuge on the westside. St. Marks is also the location of the San Marcos de Apalache Historic State Park.

Riverside Café – St. Marks Florida

There are a couple of good restaurants in St. Marks – The Riverside Café and Cooter Stew’s burger and wraps. I had good meals at both of them. A short drive down the road on Hwy 98 there is the famous Ouzts Too Seafood and Oyster Bar that always has live music on Sunday’s.

Ouzts Too – seafood and oyster bar.

Piccata Sauce

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Piccata Sauce – a great sauce for poultry or fish

My first known taste of piccata sauce was from The Table a restaurant located in Athens Ga. The menu item is a macadamia and coconut crusted fish with picatta sauce – the dish and sauce is amazing. So, I had to learn to make this sauce. My recipe is an adaptation of several recipes based on my own tastes

  • 3 tablespoons – Butter
  • 3 Cloves – of garlic (minced)
  • 1 tablespoon – E.V. Olive Oil
  • 3 tablespoons – All Purpose white flour (I make them heaping tablespoons – that way I can always thin the sauce with extra chicken stock our white wine if I need to.)
  • 1 cup + a little extra if you want a thinner sauce – Chicken stock (low sodium and at room temperature or slightly warmer)
  • 1/2 cup – white wine (room temperature)
  • 1-2 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 2-3 tablespoons of caper (a little of the juice won’t matter).

Over low heat sauté the garlic in the butter using a medium sauce pan or skillet. After sautéing for 2 or 3 minutes add the olive oil and flour – whisk the flour so it will cook evenly for 3 or 4 minutes. Flour will give off a slight nutty smell when it is cooked – at this point slowly add the chicken stock, then the white wine and lemon juice – finally add the capers and simmer and whisk for about 10 minutes. Serve immediately or save in the refrigerator in an air tight container for a week.

Piccata sauce over pan seared Alaskan Sable fish with rice vegetable medley.

Piccata sauce can be made a day or ahead and refrigerated until needed. If I’m going to make it ahead of time I sometimes, leave out a little of the wine and chicken which will make the sauce a little thicker. Then when I’m ready to use it I will deglaze the poultry or fish pan with a little white wine or chicken stock before adding the premade piccata sauce. The poultry or fish drippings add some flavor to the sauce.