The Key West City Commission has designated Key Lime Pie as the official dessert of the City of Key West.
At the March 1 meeting, the commission voted unanimously to make a stand for what has long been the island's treasures. The recipe was originated in the Florida Keys and was named the Official State Pie in 2006.
There is a move in Tallahassee to make strawberry shortcake the official state dessert. Key West entrepreneurs David Sloan and Paul Menta have been rallying support to keep Key Lime Pie as the signature sweet of the state. At the meeting, pie chef Kermit Carpenter, in appreciation of the move, presented each commissioner with a slice of the unequaled culinary delight.
"Key Lime Pie reminds people of sun, sand, tropical breezes," reads the resolution. "Designating Key Lime Pie as the official dessert of the City of Key West enhances the welfare of pie lovers in the City of Key West and affirms the cultural and historical significance of this beloved dessert."
In the photo: Front row holding the banner– Paul Menta, Kermit Carpenter, and David Sloan. Back row – Commissioners Mary Lou Hoover, Gregory Davila, Jimmy Weekley, Mayor Teri Johnston, Commissioners Clayton Lopez, Billy Wardlow, and Vice Mayor Sam Kaufman.