Key West Conch Fritters

Pronounced “conk,” the small mollusk in the large pink shell called conch has been associated with and revered in Key West, Florida, since the mid-nineteenth century. Most often used to make sapid chowders and crispy fritters, conch must be tenderized by being either pounded or finely chopped, to overcome its natural toughness, but few who’ve ever wandered down Duval Street in Key West and stopped in places like Sloppy Joe’s or Bo’s Fish Wagon for a few slightly chewy but wonderful conch fr