I heard about Taste of Florida the first week my wife and I arrived in central Florida. After the usual upheaval of moving, we decided to make a visit to Taste of Florida one of our first day trips. It was a surprise to find such a good cafe located in Lang Sun Country Groves, a gift fruit operation and gift shop at 5900 Hwy 17 & 92 between Haines City and Lake Alfred. Signs directed us to the dining room which shares space with the gift shop. I found the short wait for our food rather lonely because my wife disappeared as soon as we placed our order to get a better look at some handbags. The lure of shopping temporarily lost its appeal once our food arrived. We first visited on a chilly January day. I chose a cup of their Cracker Cowboy Chili and a Grapefruit slaw dog. From the first bite, I could tell that this was no chili from a can. It was a little mild for my taste but the staff was happy to supply some pepper sauce to add an extra kick. Even without the heat, the chili has a rich under taste that is hard to identify. I asked for a hint but they aren’t telling. I can’t say that I blame them for keeping the recipe a secret. The Grapefruit Slaw Dog was better than I expected. I can’t say that the slaw tasted a lot like grapefruit but it does have different flavor that is a perfect accompaniment to the hotdog so maybe that is supplied by the grapefruit. My wife chose their "Pick Two" special. She had half a Chicken Salad Sandwich and Baked Potato Soup. I don’t know how the soup was because she wouldn’t stop raving about the Chicken Salad long enough to mention it The portions were generous but I wasn’t about to leave without trying their fresh Strawberry Shortcake. My wife said she couldn’t hold another bite so I ordered the Strawberries over the fresh hot biscuit for myself. It arrived - a huge mound of fresh berries topped with a young mountain of whipped cream. I hadn’t taken my first bite before my wife had found a spoon and was nibbling away on the far side. Some things are just too good to share. I managed to rescue my shortcake by promising to buy her one "to go". Our second visit was on a warm Saturday in February. A line was stretching from the order counter, out the door and almost to the parking lot. We were discussing whether to stay, when the couple in line ahead of us said, " It won’t take long. They are good at moving the line along." We enjoyed talking to them while we waited. They were visiting his parents who retired to the Haines City area from Michigan. They told us that their Grandparents used to come to Lang’s to buy fruit when it was just a little open air market. Mary Lang, who started the business with her husband Joe in 1951, still comes to the shop every morning. Her Granddaughter, Debbie is managing the café and gift shop now. A server greeted us in line with menus so we could take our time selecting our lunch. We decided on salads because we wanted to save plenty of room for dessert. I ordered the Spring Salad while my wife who still hadn’t forgotten about the Chicken Salad selected the Chicken Salad Plate. We chose a table under the Arbor outside and I got Charlie (our Boston Bull) out of the car. Our salads arrived by the time we were settled. Our server brought Charlie a dish of cool water and a doggy treat. Now I am going to have two members of the family badgering me to come back. Not that I will need that much encouragement. Our salads were excellent. A pleasant combination of ingredients perfectly complimented by the choice of dressing. For dessert, I decided to try the Grapefruit Pie while my wife wanted her very own Strawberry Shortcake. It was with much trepidation that I bit into the Grapefruit Pie. I can’t say that Grapefruit has ever been my favorite fruit. This has got to be the taste surprise of my life. You will just have to trust me, Grapefruit Pie is delicious. A perfect mix of sweet and tart. No wonder it has won two recipe competitions. "Sweetie" had her fork going again but I defended my dessert and we bought a whole pie to take home and surprise out friends.Taste of Florida is open Monday thru Saturday from 10:30am to 4:00pm. You can call 863-956-1351 to make reservations for large groups or for take out. You won’t be disappointed. The food is good, the prices are reasonable and the service is prompt. Everyone from staff to customers seems to be having a good time. Hope to see you there enjoying a true Taste of Florida.

Tom Mills

Oh yes, don’t forget to take home a jug of their fresh squeezed juice. It is worth the drive even without the lure of the food.