Outer Banks Taste Of The Beach.

The Outer Banks Taste Of The Beach has started. Mr. Hawthorne and I went for the first time last year and had a wonderful time. It's about a 5 day event on the Outer Banks and there are numerous restaurant events to attend: tapas crawls involving several restaurants, multiple restaurant crawls, different themes chowder cook offs, and the restaurants having special events for everyone. Now what I am critical about are the fashion shows, the spa thingies, the pedi's and mani's, the aromatherapy, the facials, the massages, and other bodily things. This is TASTE OF THE BEACH. Confine it to the culinary tastes! //End rant// Last year, we went to the two, what I like to think, were the two main events last year. And we've signed up for the same two for this year. #1 Last year we went to Kelly's Restaurant, for a tasting menu. On Friday night, tomorrow, they're having this menu: A Taste of Northeastern North Carolina

Time: 6:00pm - 9:00pm

Price: $35 per person

Limited Availability

Dine on traditional landlubber delicacy and seafood seasoned by the distinct flair of northeastern North Carolina. Four courses of dining selections with distinct wine pairing. Compliment the evening with Kelly's signature homemade desserts. Enjoy an Outer Banks tradition at Kelly's Restaurant & Tavern. Savor the flavor of North Carolina Rose Bay Oysters. Have oyster stew, oyster fritters, stuffed oysters (5 selective delicacies), fried oysters (perfectly fried and seasoned with corn meal), raw & steamed oysters. Next comes dinner - Delight in pork tenderloin, served with a spinach salad topped with warm oyster vinaigrette, a medley of winter vegetables, and Kelly's famous sweet potato biscuits. For dessert you have your choice of sweet potato pie or cre'me brulee. Dinner also includes 2 glasses of beer, wine or champagne.

Location: Kelly's Restaurant & Tavern, 2316 S. Croatan Hwy., Nags Head, NC 27959

252-441-4116

I'm sooo looking forward to this. Last year, it was Mrs. & Mr. Hawthorne, Xmaskatie, Glowria, and Miss V. This year it's gonna be Mrs. & Mr. Hawthorne, Mrs. & Mr. Xmaskatie, Glowria, who may or not levitate, and Miss V. #2 Last year we went to the crowning glory of this event - the Outer Banks Expo. Here's the website. Taste of The Beach Expo

Time: 6:30pm-9:00pm

Price: $40 per person

Limited Availability

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

Purchase Tickets Here

Last year it was at Kelly's. And that link was my blog. This year it's at the Hilton. Gosh, I wonder if Paris and Nicole will be there? Whoot! Joe Flanagan is a judge! The excitement is palpable. The #3 event was at Lucky 12 Tavern on the Beach Road. And we're going to that on Saturday afternoon. That was the bestest, ever. I'm really looking forward to that too.

Outer Banks Taste Of The Beach. Lucky 12 Tavern. It's All About Oysters. Part 2.

For the past three years, our favorite Taste of the Beach venue has been It's All About Oysters at Lucky Twelve Tavern. Great food. Great fun. Great bunch of people. I was hoping the two drunk chicks who fell out of the cab when they arrived last year would be there for entertainment, but sadly, they weren't. I guess BJ was relieved, since they were all over his ass and I believe some groping on their part was involved. Poor BJ. He was a good sport about it.

When we first got there,

one of the gentlemen (Obviously a newbie.) asked should they go out that back door and stay out on the new deck Mark is having built. I called out, "Yes, everyone file out on the deck and I'll call you when the oysters are ready." Except NOT!

Teresa is tending to her Oyster Stew. Mark, the owner, is talking about oysters, but I'm stickin' to Teresa for that stew. Here's her recipe: Oyster Stew 1/4 pound butter 1 cup diced onions 3 cloves garlic (minced) 1 cup diced celery 1 tsp ground thyme 2 TB flour 1 quart oysters and juice 3 cups whole milk 1 cup half and half salt and white pepper to taste 1/2 cup chopped parsley (for garnish) In a large heavy pan, melt butter on low flame. Add first four ingredients. Saute for five minutes, stirring well. Add flour, saute for another 2 minutes. Add milk, 1/2 and 1/2, oysters with juice. Cook on medium flame for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with parsley to finish it off. My bowl was chock full of oysters. Probably 10 oysters. And the stew is excellent. Quick and easy.

There's cute little GingerSnaps, the official Taste of the Beach photographer, stalking me. And she'll be at the EXPO, the Grande Finale of Taste of the Beach, tonight, where I'm sure she'll be dogging me. I tried to explain to her about my being in the Witness Protection Program, but she's having none of that. Oh, Ian-With-A-Long-I, have you considered investing in these?

This is BJ, oyster griller extraordinaire.

I'm always impressed with the cleanliness and organization of Mark's super busy kitchen. Check out his spices.

Mark has some of the cleanest pots and pans I've ever seen. And I found out how he does it. With these little babies. I haven't seen these in stores, although I haven't looked. Mark was kind enough to give me two packages. Mr. Hawthorne used one on our oyster frying pot when we got home and it WORKS! (And my pot was NASTY.) Thanks, Mark.

Everything is so neat and clean and organized.

Here's Mark getting ready to fry oysters.

Naturally, I'm right next to the fryer.

I have to jockey for the optimum position, elbowing people aside. Don't get between Rosie and her oysters. I might have to hurt you. I am a professional. Do not mess with me.

Perfectly fried oysters. I've had the fried oysters at Lucky 12 before and they're always wonderful, but these that we ate in the kitchen were even better, if possible. And Mr. Hawthorne voiced the same sentiment.

Remoulade sauce, cocktail sauce, and my lemons. Mark makes the best Remoulade Sauce. Period. Here's his recipe: Spicy Remoulade 1 cup celery, chopped 1 cup yellow onion, chopped 1 cup white vinegar 1 oz. capers 1/2 TB fresh minced garlic 4 cups mayo 4 TB coarse ground mustard 1/2 TB Kosher salt 1/2 TB fresh black pepper 1 tsp cayenne pepper 1/4 tsp cumin 1/4 tsp coriander Process first 5 ingredients until smooth. Transfer to large bowl. Combine all ingredients and whisk until well incorporated.

Everybody's having fun eating and drinking.

Fried oysters kept on coming. And of course, I'm right there.

When we came in, we were asked to put on name tags, with where we were from and where we live now. Now I don't like name tags. It's like putting a label on my boob that says "boob" and I didn't want people staring at my boobular area. I wanted to put it on my forehead, but it wouldn't stick, so I settled for my shoulder. Here's Giovanni's tag. Wow. I've been to Plymouth and that's got to be some kinda culture shock. So, Xmaskatie, have you ever run into Giovanni?

I don't know about you, but I thought this chick looked like Vicky of Housewives of Orange County before she had the work done. (And believe me when I say the before look was better than the after look.)

BJ coming out of the walk-in fridge

with a pan of oysters to grill.

You know how much I love pyrotechnic displays. BJ didn't fail to provide. I was really looking forward to the grilled oysters and I had bragged about them to Ian-With-A-Long-I and Jeanette. I mentioned something to BJ about the Parmesan/Paprika/Sugar grilled oysters and ... GASP ... he said they were planning a different grilled oyster.

Here's the process: Place oysters on grill. Pour melted garlic butter over top. When the liquid starts bubbling sprinkle grated Parmesan cheese over top. Remove from grill. Sprinkle fresh chopped parsley over. Consume. Moan orgasmically. Parmesan and parsley.

BJ adds the Parmesan.

Excellent little oyster.

Mark frying and BJ grilling.

Mr. Hawthorne confers with Giovanni.

Lookey! Lookey! BJ grilled a bunch of the Parmesan/Paprika/Sugar oysters JUST for me!

Drunk bitch with MY oysters. Sorry, but I had to take her out. You don't want to mess with Rosie when oysters are involved.

This is my all time favorite grilled oyster.

More grilled oysters.

BJ's Magic Hands.

More raw oysters. And more cab.

I think I got my oyster fix. Thanks, Mark and BJ, for wonderful food and a great time.