 |
||||||||
The Second Annual Mighty Mullet Maritime Festival is proud to sponsor the International Mullet Cook-Off on Saturday, November 10th in Woolley Park, Panacea, Florida from 9:00 until 4:00 p.m.. Featuring maritime demonstrations and exhibits, antique boats, lots of arts and crafts vendors, seafood, children's games, photography contest, crowning of Festival King and Queen, and the fabulous Mullet Cook-Off. We will also have a Marine Market for those wanting to sell new or used boats, fishing gear, motors, etc. And a really fun Fishy Fashion Show organized by Joan Matey. Other planned features include music, maritime reenactors and storytellers, maritime exhibits, classic boats, food and craft vendors, and the drawing for a $20,000 Harley-Davidson motorcycle to benefit Citizens for Humane Animal Treatment. Proceeds from the festival itself will benefit the Big Bend Maritime Center which has a Mini Museum in Panacea and is planning a permanent facility there to celebrate the region’s cultural heritage. You may not realize how many ways mullet is prepared and everyone has their favorite appetizer, first or second course. They are fried, smoked, stuffed, used for mullet dip, stew, soup and many other dishes. So bring your favorite recipe and win yourself a part of the cash prize money being distributed to those winning recipes represented in the Cook-Off.Be sure to read the Rules to learn all the details and then download your Registration form, fill it out and send it in. A Benefit to Establish the Big Bend Maritime Center. Don't Miss All The Fun! Woolley Park fronts Dickerson Bay in Panacea just two blocks east of Coastal Highway 98.
Be sure to patronize our Sponsors!We simply could not pull off this outstanding event without our Sponsors!
2007 Festival Sponsors Applied Sustainability Enterprises Florida Foresight Board of Directors Gulf State Community Bank Mike Delaney Progress Energy Seidler Enterprises Wal-Mart Supercenter (Pledged)
SASSY SHRIMPS Advantage Marine Ameris Bank Best Western Wakulla Inn & Suites Comcast Dept of Agriculture In Memory of Jeff Bickerstaff Ochlockonee Bay Realty Printing on Demand Software Solutions, Now! Tallahassee Museum The Inn at Wildwood Tim Bok Tu (Pledged) Wakulla Bank Wakulla News
COOL CLAMS Auto Trim Design Capital City Bank
BODACIOUS BULLDOZERS Shields Marina Talquin Electric
Mighty Mullet Maritime Festival Rules for the InternationalMullet CookoffA. Cooking Rules
B. Judging and Awards JUDGING: All dishes will be judged from 12:30–3:15 PM. Contest mullet must be delivered in the containers provided to the designated turn-in point located in the Cook-off Tent at the times listed below.
1 st PLACE EACH DIVISION $ 300 (Appetizer, First Course, Main Course) 2 ndPLACE EACH DIVISION $ 200 (Appetizer, First Course, Main Course) 3 rdPLACE EACH DIVISION $ 100 (Appetizer, First Course, Main Course)
1 ST PLACE BEST DECORATION $ 300 2 nd PLACE BEST DECORATION $150 C. Day of Event Getting Started
Taking Down
D. Organization
Failure to adhere to these rules will be grounds for disqualification from the Cook-off and expulsion from the festival grounds.
Last Year's
Between judging Mullet Cook-Off Entries, they will discuss methods of preparing seafood with the public and share some of their favorite recipes. Joshua Butler Team Florida Member-Winner of the 2006 Great American Seafood Cookoff Executive Chef, Governor’s Mansion While researching his Irish heritage, Chef Josh discovered that even his name, " Butler," means "trusted steward." He was first hired during the final two months of the Chiles administration, and has served three Florida Governors. Primarily self-taught, Josh has prepared thousands of meals "from private family celebrations at Thanksgiving, Christmas and the Inaugurations” to “large-scale receptions and festivals with world leaders present, like the Hispanic Heritage Month festivities with President Jose Aznar of Spain in September 2003.
The creative freedom of the job, among many things, is particularly rewarding to Chef Josh: "What I do is very personal -- keeping the Governor and First Lady healthy and happy so that they can meet the demands of their jobs. It is very rewarding to me personally to do this." At one time in the Mansion history, there were two cooks who served two to three meals a days, six to seven days a week. Chef Josh is responsible for serving dinner each weeknight when the Governor and First Lady are at home, plus all special dinners and receptions. During the past year, Chef Josh served food at over 50 official functions to a total of over 5,000 invited guests. Harold S. Hillard (“Chief”) Certified Executive Chef, Member, American Culinary Federation Instructor, Capital Culinary Institute, Keiser University Formerly a Master Chief in the U.S. Coast Guard (E-9, Retired), Chief Hillard is an active member of the American Culinary Federation, a Certified Executive Chef, and a Certified Culinary Educator. He graduated from Florida International University with a B.S. in Technical Education as well as an M.S. in Supervision/Administration of Vocational Education. He holds a current Professional Education Certificate from the Florida Department of Education. He is retired from Miami Lakes Tech, where he was twice voted “School Vocational Teacher of the Year” and also was Runner-Up for “County Vocational Teacher of the Year.” Long active in the South Florida Council of the Boy Scouts, Chief Hillard has earned the distinction of Eagle Scout, plus seven adult Square Knots, and was honored with the George Meany Award. For the past eight years, he has been a Culinary Educator at the Capital Culinary Institute of Keiser University in Tallahassee. Angelo Petrandis Chef/Owner, Angelo and Son’s Seafood Restaurant, Ochlockonee Bay Angelo Petrandis began his cooking career over the water at Ochlockonee Bay in his father’s restaurant. When Angelo was six years old, he was standing on a Coca-Cola crate in order to reach the fryers, cooking Hushpuppies for the customers at George’s Cafe. That same year, his father taught him how to make pancakes from scratch, and one of the employees—a tall, kind black man known as “Doc”—taught him how to make Crab Gumbo. He still makes both.
Angelo has been in the restaurant business on his own for 38 successful years. He built his reputation on fresh local seafood, but plenty of it, and all well-seasoned. His unique style of broiling fish and shellfish, topped with lemon butter and parsley and onions, has become so universally accepted as the best way that it is now called “Greek Style” (which it is not). It was just invented by a Greek. Angelo is now busy reconstructing his restaurant over the water where the original restaurant was built by his father in 1945, using wooden pilings salvaged from the nearby World War II Camp Gordon Johnston. That original restaurant was destroyed by Hurricane Dennis in 2005. At the new location, which he hopes to open by early fall 2007, Angelo—together with his son Thomas and daughter-in-law Jennifer—will continue to serve the best in fresh local seafood. Some of his signature dishes are his homemade Deviled Crab, Angelo’s Oysters, Head-On Shrimp, and Seafood Linguine. For the past couple of years, Angelo has been semi-retired from the restaurant business, and has devoted much of his time to fishing and shrimping on his fleet of Tropical Trader boats. He designed and built the rigging on both of his shrimp boats, and he also does all of his own fiberglass work. At the beginning of every mullet season, Angelo spends several days “hanging in” his new mullet nets, to stay in compliance with the ever-changing laws governing net fishermen. He is continuing the tradition of his grandfather, Rob Raker, who 75 years ago was fishing and salting mullet for shipment to Georgia at the locally famous Raker Seineyard. Angelo also designed a vacation home in Costa Rica that includes an outdoor professional kitchen. His friends and neighbors, both there and in Panacea, are often invited over to enjoy a fresh seafood meal. It’s simply “in his blood” to extend his hospitality. He prefers to cook for a crowd—his motto is “two more won’t hurt.” His food is always beautifully presented and as delicious as it looks. Two of Angelo’s life-long loves are the water, and preparing and serving the harvest he reaps from those waters. He has caught, cleaned, and cooked tons of fish in his lifetime. It must be said that if ANYONE is qualified to judge mullet, or indeed any seafood, it is Angelo Petrandis. Tamara Suarez
Chef/Owner, Tamara’s Café Floridita and Café con Leche Internet Café A native of Venezuela, Tamara was a television producer in the capital city of Caracas and also hosted a popular TV show. There she learned to savor the skills of world-famous chefs who were among her guests, and soon began to collect and develop recipes of her own. Her approach to cooking is very personal, reflecting her warm and witty personality. She considers her cooking an art and a great source of positive power. At Café Floridita, which she founded in the historic Florida Panhandle port city of Apalachicola, after living briefly on nearby St. George Island, Tamara’s menu tells her patrons that “love and magic are in the sauce,” and she urges them to linger and relax over her dishes, which are designed to “lift spirits, soothe psyches, and even rekindle romance.” Tamara characterizes her style of cooking as a combination of traditional South American flair with adaptations to the North American taste. “It’s not true Venezuelan food,” she explains, “which is very elaborate. My recipes are quick and light. Now, when I get into desserts, that’s a different story…I love to go crazy!” Especially popular with diners at Café Floridita, which is now run by Tamara’s son-in-law and daughter, is the Wednesday evening menu of tapas, the light, varied individual dishes that display a distinct Spanish influence. Among her other signature dishes are Pecan-Crusted Grouper, Shrimp and Scallops al Ajillo (definitely with garlic!), Crab-Stuffed Grouper, Cuban Black Bean Soup, and Caribbean Banana Split. Incapable of staying away from the kitchen for long, Tamara then opened her very popular Café con Leche in Apalachicola to focus especially on breakfasts and light lunches. Her baking is fantastic, and Café con Leche is the only place in hundreds, perhaps thousands, of miles to enjoy Tamara’s arepas, a classic Venezuelan “everyman’s food,” which are basically fresh-baked cornmeal biscuits with a wide choice of fillings. Café con Leche not only offers Internet access but has developed into a popular community center where all kinds of exciting civic initiatives are discussed by local activists over multiple cups of fresh-brewed, organically-grown, Venezuelan coffee. Justin Timineri Team Florida Member-Winner of the 2006 Great American Seafood Cookoff Executive Chef, Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services Justin Timineri has been cooking for as long as he can remember. Raised by a family of cooks, Justin loved being in the kitchen helping whenever he could. As he grew older, Justin realized cooking was more than just an interest or hobby -- it was something he wanted to do for the rest of his life. As soon as he was old enough to work, he started as a dishwasher at a local restaurant in Tallahassee, Florida, to get his foot in the door of the industry. From that point on, Justin continued to enjoy his passion and discover new opportunities in the restaurant and hospitality industry. Over the years he has held a variety of jobs. He worked as a Sous Chef at Albert’s Provence in Tallahassee. From there he traveled around the country for four years as the Event Chef for NASCAR, PGA, and the Kentucky Derby. Then the opportunity arose for him to become Executive Chef at Mozaik, a trendy upscale restaurant in Tallahassee. All his experiences have led him to his current position with the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. In his role as Executive Chef for the Department’s Division of Marketing and Development, Justin’s responsibilities include promoting all of Florida’s agricultural products, creating new recipes, attending trade events, performing cooking demonstrations, and educating children on the value of health and nutrition in food. Justin’s philosophy on food is a simple one: “Cooking should always be fun, simple, and flavorful.” He always keeps nutrition in mind and enjoys cooking with fresh foods that are harvested locally and regionally. With a range of talents from casual to fine dining, modern American to classic European, Justin can create a meal for anyone. 2006 Great American Seafood Cookoff Winners Justin Timineri and Joshua Butler Justin Timineri, Executive Chef for the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, prepared the winning entree during the 2006 competition with assistance from Joshua Butler, Executive Chef to Governor Jeb Bush. Florida Agriculture Commissioner Charles H. Bronson said winning this prestigious national competition is a reflection of the freshness and quality of Florida ingredients, as well as the creativity of the department’s Executive Chef. “Delicious fresh Florida seafood is a superb start to any dish,” Bronson said. “Add in our chef’s innovative culinary approach, and you’ve got a winning combination. We’re extremely pleased that the judges selected Florida’s entry over such tough competition from around the country.” All the participating chefs were given two hours from preparation to the presentation of the final dish. Chef Timineri's “Crispy Pan-Seared Florida Snapper with Passion Fruit Cream and Florida Citrus Salad with Florida Gulf Shrimp and Spicy Green Mango Jam” was chosen by a panel of six judges as the best new domestic seafood dish that reflected the chef’s home state. The panel of judges included two James Beard Award-winning chefs, Susan Spicer of Bayona Restaurant in New Orleans, and Shawn McClain of Spring Restaurant in Chicago. Rounding out the panel were: Donna Florio, Senior Food Writer, Southern Living Magazine; Julia Rutland, Senior Editor, Coastal Living Magazine; Bill Hogarth, Director, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration; and John Connelly, President, National Fisheries Institute. Chef Timineri was sponsored by the Gulf and South Atlantic Fisheries Foundation and the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services through its Bureau of Seafood and Aquaculture Marketing. “Winning this cookoff is extremely exciting,” said Chef Timineri. “It was a team effort and I could not have done it without Josh.” As Executive Chef, Timineri develops new ways to prepare meals using Florida ingredients. As part of the “Fresh from Florida” marketing campaign, he also conducts cooking demonstrations and other promotions to help increase consumer awareness of the variety and wholesomeness of Florida agricultural products. In addition to Florida, the following states were represented at the 2006 Great American Seafood Cookoff: Alabama, Alaska, California, Colorado, Delaware, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Texas, and Washington. The event, held at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center in New Orleans, was sponsored by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Fisheries, the Louisiana Seafood and Promotion and Marketing Board, Louisiana Restaurant Association, Budweiser, Tabasco, Shell, Southwest Cargo, Wild American Shrimp, TexaShrimp, Alaska Fisheries Development Foundation, Inc., Gulf & South Atlantic Fisheries Foundation, Inc., Seafood Business, National Marine Fisheries Institute, Maryland Seafood, and Loubat Food Service Equipment. Previous winners are Chef Randy Evans of Brennan’s of Houston, who captured top honors in 2005 with his “Wild-Caught Texas Shrimp with Biscuits and Gravy,” and Chef John Besh of Louisiana in 2004 with his “Pan-Roasted Louisiana Blackfish with Corn, Crab, and Caviar.” Register for the Second Annual International Mullet Cook-OffSpace is limited and will be assigned on a first-come, first-served basis. Please complete this Registration Form and submit it with your recipe(s) and entry fee check ($25 per dish) made payable to Florida Foresight. REGISTRATION CLOSES November 2nd, 2007 2007 PHOTO CONTEST Awards for “Best of Show” and 1st, 2nd, 3rd Place Per Category Photos Must be Taken Along Coastal areas of Florida’s Big Bend, from Cedar Key to Apalachicola Entries Must be Framed 8” x 10” Prints - Color or Black & White – P hotographic print quality Winning and Honorable Mention Entries Displayed at Festival Entries Must Be Received By November 5, 2007 Click to download Photography Entry Form |
The Inn at Wildwood A Nature Based Lodge near Tallahassee, Florida in Beautiful Wakulla County 800. 878.1546 |
|
Panacea Motel Highway 98 Panacea, FL 32346 850.984.5421 |
|
Holiday Park & Campground 14 Coastal Highway Panacea, FL. 32346 850.984.5757 |
Sea Breeze RV Park H. C. 62, Box 11 Carrabelle, FL 32322 1.800.747.3926 |
Vendor Information
This one-day outdoor event in Woolley Park on the waterfront of Panacea, Florida is Saturday, November 10th, the heart of the Christmas shopping season.
The Festival is a benefit for the Big Bend Maritime Center, a living museum representing the heritage of the Big Bend that we are creating in the Panacea area. Woolley Park is the location for other public events such as the Blue Crab Festival and is designed to accommodate vendors with excellent spots for booths, many with handy access to electricity and water.
During the day there will be live music, story-telling by members of our fishing community, games for children and adults, a White Boot race and Mullet-Jumping Contest, antique boats and the highlight of the day, the International Mullet Cook-Off with over cash prize money for the best mullet dishes. In addition, we will be crowning our first Mighty Mullet King or Queen. We will also have the finals of the Mighty Mullet Karaoke Contest.
Although this is our first year, we have a team of veteran organizers from the Blue Crab and Worm Gruntin’ Festivals. We also have professionals working on our publicity campaign and expect to attract a large crowd of folks who are interested in our maritime heritage and looking for that special, one-of-a kind, Christmas gift. Your booth must be here as well!
Entry Requirements : As space is limited and because we want the festival to have a distinctive character, we reserve the right to turn down vendors with certain types of products such as those you would expect to find at a flea market or those that we feel might be offensive to members of our community. We prefer original arts and crafts but we will accept food products and certain special manufactured products. We are especially interested in products with a maritime theme.
Food Vendors Note : We will limit the number of food and concession vendors to avoid having too many of the same type. If you are a food or concession vendor, we encourage you to submit your application as early as possible. You must specify the one to three products most essential for your success and must only sell those items. Also, please include the size of your rig in your application. We will provide a little extra space when needed.
Schedule : The hours for booths are 9:00 AM until 4:00 PM and you must remain in the Park throughout these hours as it is not possible to have vehicles entering or leaving during the Festival. We will assign the booth locations on Friday morning so you can set up your booth from 1 PM until 7 PM that afternoon or wait until Saturday morning from 6:30 AM until 8:00 AM. All cars must be outside festival grounds by 8:30 AM.
Fees: The fee for each 12’ by 12’ booth space is $25 for arts and crafts, $50 for concessions or any booth with electric and/or water hookup, and $100 for food. Education and Public Service booths not raising money are free. Booth fees are used to pay for advertisement. If you can sign up early it will help us plan and pay for the ads as we go along and we will give you first consideration for your booth location.
If you would like to join us, please complete the enclosed registration form and mail with your check as described on the form.
Download PDF Vendor Invitation
Download PDF Booth Agreement Form
For information call 850/962-7845 or
email billlowrie@embarqmail.com
Press Room
2007 Mighty Mullet Maritime Festival Program
2007 Mighty Mullet Maritime Festival Photography Contest
More to come . . .
Here are Press Releases from 2006 event in PDF format. Click the title to begin the download.
Mighty Mullet Maritime Festival Flyer and Poster
Mighty Mullet Maritime Festival Area Release - October 2006
Karaoke Contest Final to be held at Mighty Mullet Festival
Mighty Mullet Regional Cook-Off Announced