Unique Homes On Location: Ocean Reef Club, Key Largo, FL
Last week, Unique Homes traveled to Los Cabos, Mexico, to tour the Del Mar Developments. This week, Unique Homes is experiencing Ocean Reef Club in Key Largo, Fla., and getting a better feel for the community’s “unique way of living.” Join me as I indulge in the good life.
After checking into the Ocean Reef Club, I stopped off to pick up golf cart No. 17—this will serve as my mode of transportation for the duration of my stay. I’m not the only guest checking into the Reef; members from far and wide have come to celebrate and take part in the Club’s 26th annual Sailfish Cup—a four-day sailfish tournament.
The captains spent their first night attending a captains’ dinner, while I found myself dining at The Clubhouse for Ocean Reef’s third Vine to Table Dinner. The evening coupled winemaker Jean-Charles Boisset of Boisset Wines with Clubhouse Chef Dominic Gorton for a gastronomic experience best described as a twist on simple pleasures. The best (and my favorite) example of the menu’s simple pleasure was Chef Dominic’s presentation of crisp pork belly with brown butter-balsamic and pickled mustard seeds topped with sunny side-up quail eggs. The mouth-watering delicacy melted in my mouth and I couldn’t help but look at one of my favorite breakfasts—bacon and eggs—in a whole new light.
Served alongside the pork dish was a glass of Jean-Claude Boisset from Gevrey Chambertin, 2005. “Ocean’s tend to separate us, but wines bring us together,” exclaimed Boisset as the full-bodied red wine was being poured into each guest’s glass. Not only did the wine bring together a room of diners, it tied the entire course together.
What a special occasion it is when the art of food and wine are presented with a history of its origin. Jean-Charles was kind enough to not only share his Pinot Noir, but charming recounts of how the wine came to be—turns out, he and his sister created the blend for their parents.
Four courses and wine pairings later, my chariot awaited me at the front door—golf cart No. 17.
I’m currently charging up my cart, but check back tomorrow to see what makes my day “unique.”
—Lauren Varga King
Assistant Editor
