Sugar Rush: Key Lime Pie at Aunt Catfish's on the River, Port Orange, Florida

[Photographs: Meghan Roguschka]

Key lime pie is one of those foods I mistakenly swore off as a kid. I had an incident with an ill-prepared, soupy version of the dessert back in the 90s, and for a long time I thought things were permanently over between us. Lucky for me, I recently found myself in Florida, the proverbial land of citrus, and the Key Lime Pie ($5) at Aunt Catfish's on the River redeemed the dessert for me.

The filling, a classic blend of key lime juice and sweetened condensed milk, struck a perfect balance between citrusy tartness and delicate, milky sweetness. The serving temperature was a perfect antidote to my prior rejection of the pie: pleasantly cool, substantive, and with the mouth-feel of slightly frozen custard.

Served in a thick, homemade graham cracker crust, topped with freshly whipped cream and a cherry, this key lime pie is a perfect excuse to spend an afternoon at Aunt Catfish's, which happens to be an equally excellent destination for seafood fare and waterside views.