Going Russian Close to Punta Gorda

We had guests from New York visiting this week who were interested in visiting Warm Mineral Springs in North Port.   Even though the weather was unseasonably cool for the Punta Gorda area, they insisted so we ventured up to North Port and check out the Springs.  It turned out to be an interesting place with a mineral spring lake, lockers to change, cafe and gift shop.  Our friends enjoyed bathing in the lake and claimed to feel very good after the experience.  The waters from the spring are purported to help with a variety of conditions.   

Anyway while they were at the Spring, we took a ride around the North Port area and spotted an International Food store, and decided to venture there both because my one friend is an immigrant from the former Soviet Union with a passion for cooking Russian dishes and because I myself love to explore international foods and their possibilities.

The store is a delight with a  knowledgeable owner originally from Moscow, who ran a similar business in New York.  Regular deliveries from New York include sumptuous whole grain German rye and Russian-type breads, a broad variety of smoke fishes,  meats, and cheeses.   We also managed to find some spices and radishes that my friend needed for a dish she wanted to make for us.  The herring we bought there was the best I have had since moving to Florida, and the rye bread was delectable just like I remember it from the German bakeries in Philadelphia.