Outer Banks Taste Of The Beach. EXPO!

Sunday night, Mr. Hawthorne and I went to the crowning glory of the Outer Banks Taste of the Beach - the Expo.

Taste of The Beach Expo

Time: 6:30pm-9:00pm

Price: $40 per person

Limited Availability

SOLD OUT!

The Taste of The Beach Expo is an evening extravaganza showcasing the impressive array of culinary delights to be found on the Outer Banks of North Carolina. Every spring, The Outer Banks Restaurant Association rolls out the red carpet to share with the world a sampling of the beach's finest fare. Don't miss this rare opportunity to experience the finest work of more than 20 local chefs competing for prize money, trophies, and bragging rights in this popular annual food fest. This years event will be held at the Hilton Garden Inn, in Kitty Hawk, NC. Organizers are expecting an early sellout, so get your tickets early.

Special Celebrity Judge - Joe Flanagan from WVEC-TV 13

Participants Include: Butcher Block, Mako Mikes, Weeping Radish, Red Sky Cafe, Awful Arthurs, Prime Only, Sam & Omies, Lucky 12 Tavern, Aqua S, The Black Pelican, Barefoot Bernie's, Kelly's, The Pearl, Good Life Gourmet, The Pit, The Life Saving Station, The Left Bank, Pamlico Jack's Pirate Hide-away, Mutual Distributing, Empire Distributing, Coke-a-Cola, Albemarle Distributing, Coastal Beverage, City Beverage, Moonrise Bay Vineyards, Wisdom Distributing.

Location: Hilton Garden Inn, 5353 N. Virginia Dare Trail, Kitty Hawk, NC 27949

Last year, the Outer Banks Taste of the Beach Expo was held at Kelly's Restaurant. I enjoyed it very much, especially since I had free tickets. I blogged about it here. When I was at Kelly's last year I had my camera and sheet of paper and pencil and puffy camera bag which I used to put the paper on so I could write on it, and I tried to photograph everything and ask the chefs questions and actually write their responses down, as in an interview. Well, minutes into the event, my system broke down. Hopelessly. I can photograph, talk and ask questions and listen and hear, and write it all down, and EAT but not all at the same time. I'm one crazy multi-tasking bitch, but that was just out of my grasp. So this year at the Expo, I resolved to do better, to be better. I walked into that room, head held high, with my Nikon Cool Pic hanging from my neck, with pad and pen held firmly in my hands, and no clumsy bag to hang on to and keep up with. It was a plan. A revised plan. But really not that well thought out. What was I not thinking? What I need is a person to accompany me. A tape recorder wouldn't do, because I would have to think about that and push buttons and stuff. And my camera can actually record comments for the pictures, but that would require my getting the instruction book out, reading up on that particular feature, and implementing it. Insert something about an old dog and new tricks here. Ideally, Xmaskatie would be the best person I know for this job. She listens well, and can anticipate what I'd be doing and would actually be quite helpful in organizing the shots and commentary, and help do all the stuff so that after just several bites into the Taste of the Beach Expo I wouldn't get all lost writing everything down. That being said, I went in to the Hilton Garden Inn in Kitty Hawk, NC. for the EXPO, all the while keeping lookout for a Paris-and-Nicole sighting. The first table I came upon was Lucky 12 Tavern's. Both Mark and BJ were there and we chatted about their success at their "It's all about Oysters!" feast on Saturday.

Lucky 12's offering was pasta with sun-dried tomato pesto with portabellini mushrooms and shrimp with a parmesan herb foccacia.

The next station I went to was the Black Pelican's.

I thought this a lovely presentation. It's the braised pork shank over sweet potatoes with an ancho raspberry reduction with baby green sprouts. No one could tell me what type of green sprouts, though. RH: "What type sprouts, please?" BP: "Green." RH: "Yes, I know they're green, but what type? BP: "Baby green." Now, right here is where my plan broke down. I was on the SECOND station, and the second food - the scallops on couscous with blood orange reduction with chive white truffle oil. I know I ate this. Where is the picture?????? Dang it all. From here on out, I can barely write stuff down. I'm wandering aimlessly, because I can't get to the tables in order, because there are too many people here. This is when it became a problem for me. And this is where I could've used Xmaskatie, to go boldly before me, and clear a path, a wide swath if you will, for yours truly, all the while diligently writing down all my scathing, fascinating, and totally on-point comments, heralding my arrival at the food stations, by harking out, "Step aside, please. Internationally known Outer Banks Food Blogger and Photographer, Rosie Hawthorne, is coming through to photograph the food. Please, step aside. You there, make way. Thank you very much." Then I would stride through the parted crowd, nodding cordially at the awe-struck onlookers, photograph the food, sample the food, and dictate to Xmaskatie my perceptions. As I said, my system totally broke down. I think the next display is from The Pearl Restaurant.

Almond pineapple treats.

This croque-en-bouche was also from The Pearl. And I'm thinking I might just have to make one of these sometime. They were killing with the desserts, but I didn't have any of them. I'm just not a dessert person. But, had I been one, I'd have been on this table like stink on ... Oh yeah. Food Blog.

Now, is this some some kind of fish with couscous with blue cheese and spinach cream sauce? And who's the vendor?

Ok, Rosie. What is this? I'm thinking it's the Weeping Radish's stone ground grits cake with andouille sausage and key lime curry sauce with capers. But I may be wrong.

They also had a beer cheddar cheese soup which Mr. Hawthorne really liked.

OK. A fried something. With a pinkish sauce. With sliced green onions. I have no idea. At this point I had to stop writing stuff down. I couldn't do it anymore. I need an assistant. On to the next station.

I think this was the Left Bank's offering. I asked and they said it was a Maine lobster and duck salad thingie.

Best I could say for this is, "Meh." No discernible lobster to me. Next, I took a needed break. Mr. Hawthorne was nowhere to be found. He could have been of some help at this event. You'd think. Went to the little hallway behind the main event. And guess who came in? Well, if you guessed Joe Flanagan, local TV personality from WVEC-13 in Norfolk, Va., you would be correct. Joe Flanagan used to do segments on the local news, called Joe's Jobs, (Maybe he still does. I haven't caught them in a while) where he'd take over some body else's job. Oh wait, I just clicked on the Joe's Jobs link and the segments are for the Morning Show, airing between 5 and 7 am. That's why I haven't seen it. I guess Joe paved the way for the likes of Mike Rowe and Dirty Jobs. Now, Mike Rowe is a pretty funny guy. I was watching him being interviewed one time and he was talking about one of his jobs where he had to corral wild geese, and take a vaginal sample with a swab stick for Fish and Wildlife. "You know what? That goose still calls me." Ah ... but I digress. Back to the expo.

There's Mr. Flanagan on the right with the blue shirt and grey jacket. He looks better in his picture than he does in person. Joe's entourage, the guy next to him, who appears to be holding a near-empty glass of wine, got in front of me and did a kind of chicken dance in front of my camera, when I didn't have it on video. It only lasted a second or two, and golly, you just don't anticipate or plan on that sort of thing happening so you really can't react immediately to catch that picture, so I missed it. My bad. Rosie kicks self. It was like on The Gilmore Girls one time. Rory was going off to a teen-age party. GASP. And Lorelei told her not to dance naked on any tables with a lampshade on her head. And Rory tells her mother, "Well, I wasn't planning on that." And Lorelai sagely replies, "Well, no dear, those things never are." OK, where was I? At the EXPO?

Ribs. Got 'em. They were good. Truffle Corn Mousse? Didn't see it. Veal reduction. Now, if you've been playing along all this time, you'd know that I've made veal stock. That's the equivalent of being a kitchen whore. I'm not a culinary virgin any more. I have made veal stock. And I'm all over the veal reduction. And I noticed there are a lot of reductions reducing tonight.

Time for a break and a regroup. Where is Mr. Hawthorne? Enjoyed the jazz band for a bit. Then made a quick trick to the restroom and when I came out ...

HARRRR!!!!!! MATEY!!!!!!!! There was Blackbeard AKA Ben Cherry, of Plymouth, NC. Click on the link for the 2 1/2 minute commercial.

'e's go' 'is wench wi' 'm. I looked around and thankfully Mr. Hawthorne is within reach, so I hand him my camera and holler, "TAKE A PICHER OF ME AND BLACKBEARD HHHAAAARRRRRR MATEEEEEYYYYY!!!!!!!!!" And Blackbeard says to me, "Let's all move over there to the wall and take the picture." And I'm all like, "What.Ev.Ah.Dude." Then I say something about "I got a sword too," since Blackbeard and Wench both have swords and Bitch is brandishing hers. Kinda in my face. So, I'm just tellin' her Rosie's armed too and don't mess with me because you scare me and I'm a force to be reckoned with. Wench turns to me and says, "Sooo, whar's ye syoooooorrrd?" Rosie looks he' 'n th' ayeee an' ses, "Me tongues' me syooorrd, ye Wench. An' a shahp woon a' 'at!"

Egads. 'e go' 'em 'nother Wench!

Now, what's this? A light just came on over my head. Earlier, I wrote this: Now, right here is where my plan broke down. I was on the SECOND station, and the second food - the scallops on couscous with blood orange reduction with chive white truffle oil. I know I ate this. Where is the picture?????? Dang it all. Well, I think I found it.

I don't know who this is, station-wise, or what this was Maybe bacon wrapped scallops on the left? The right? Got no idea,

No clue. some kinda paste/sauce on bottom some glazed dead animal meat on top Now, none of this is meant to disparage these restaurateurs. It is offered to discourage me from ever trying to go somewhere and photograph, eat, and ask questions, and hear what the chefs say amid the din, and write it all down. It was impossible for me.

The crowd is getting thicker.

Toothpicks in something. Shrimp? Anybody want to help me here, just jump in.

Oysters on the shell.

Back to the band.

The crowd is really thick now and it's getting loud and I'm not liking it. I can't get to the tables. I can't photograph. I can't ask questions. The chefs are busy. I can't write anything down since I haven't heard anything to write down.

Sushi on the left. And something really good on the right. It was on the table on the right on the way out. So, the thing on the right. Have no idea. But it was good. Sweet. Almond? Can't remember. Some kind of dessert thing and I forget all the tastes and didn't bother to write it down but I should have. Like I said, my system broke down.

Oh for Heaven's Sake. Would you look at that. It's freaking Queen Elizabeth, AKA Barbara Hird. Hmmm. She looks happy there, right as she entered the room, expecting accolades from her adoring public.

Well, shoot, this crazy bitch just grabbed the freakin' QUEEN OF ENGLAND, and pulled her into the hallway, and had her husband take pictures of her and Queenie. And suddenly, Liz doesn't look as happy as she looked when she first came in. Her smile looks rather forced. Well, if she was mad, I guess she could just take off somebody's head.

This was good. Spinach salad with feta, strawberries, cranberries almonds, with poppy seed dressing. From the Butcher's Daughter. I couldn't find any info on the Butcher's Daughter but I see they have business cards for the Butcher Block so I'll link to that.

Same place. I didn't eat this, but I know it's good. It's cheeses, grapes, some kind of processed meat - salami? pepperoni?

Scallops? I think so.

It was good. Mako Mike's. All in all, the Taste of the Beach '09 left a good taste in my mouth. Kelly's Restaurant on Friday night didn't fail to deliver. Lucky 12 Tavern for the oyster fest on Saturday was also wonderful fun and good times and excellent oysters.. The EXPO was stressed for me. Started out OK, but as it progressed, the elbow-to-elbow crowd all jockeying for positions in front of alluring foods just stressed me out. I will say here as a disclaimer: I AM EASILY STRESSED OUT. That said, I enjoyed this event and I'm looking forward to next year's. And I am planning ways of honing my interviewing/photographing/note-taking/etc. techniques/methods/systems/skills/non-skills/ non-systems/non-methods/non-techniques. I have a whole year to think about this. Short of Xmaskatie helping me, I've my work cut out for me.