A Flavorful Fundraiser

A total of six hundred and fifty lucky ticket holders got to sample such delicacies as cocoa and red wine braised beef, pimento cheese sliders, chimichurri over sliced short rib, and homemade gelato at the 2022 Taste of Wrightsville Beach held Nov. 5 under a massive tent in the parking lot of Bluewater Grill. For the first time it sold out two days in advance.

“We have never sold out two days ahead, this is a first,” says co-chair Lisa Weeks, who helped conceive the event 10 years ago to celebrate cuisine at the beach in the off-season and raise money for Weekend Meals on Wheels, a faith-based organization providing meals to seniors over the weekends.

Held annually, Taste is the program’s only fundraiser.

“This year was the biggest year yet,” says Weeks.

A record number of vendors showcased their tastiest dishes and sweetest treats in small plates for hundreds.

“Everyone has upped their game,” says personal chef and culinary consultant Lori Eaton, a Taste judge since 2018. “This year we had people playing with pickled vegetables and making gelee. One of the dishes had pomegranate seeds on top that gave it a fresh look.”

EAST Oceanfront Dining of the Blockade Runner Beach Resort took home three first-place awards. Its braised beef with black bean puree, avocado mouse and a plantain chip garnish was the judges’ choice for Overall Dish and Best Savory Dish. Executive chef Jessica Cabo and sous chef Shaun Fenix worked on the creation together.

“We did our own twist on a classic braised beef Mexican/Cuban dish called ropa vieja, which means old clothes, but made it more high-end with the red wine and the deep, dark cocoa that gives it that complexity and some ají dulce, jalapeño, shallots and garlic. We named it ropa fina, which means fine clothes,” says Cabo.

A complementing horchata cupcake with spice buttercream frosting by EAST’s pastry chef Heather Crosby won top honors for Best Sweet Dish and a second place for Judges’ Overall Dish.

Simple comfort foods also won. Fish House earned third place Judge’s Overall for its Southern-style fish stew.

“We were pleasantly surprised to have a fish stew, a peasant dish, stand out,” says Eaton. “It was just really tasty, it hit a lot of the flavor profiles, and the fish was perfect. It actually sparked this long conversation among the judges about fish stew.”

Oozing with cinnamon and comfort was the monkey bread by Beach Bagels that won second place for Best Sweet Dish. Pimento cheese sliders topped with pico de gallo by Poe’s Tavern took home second in the Best Savory Dish category.

“Mine was crispy on the outside and had juices dripping out of it, it was awesome,” says Eaton. “We were struggling to deliberate on the winners. This was one of the hardest years for us judges.”

The judging panel included Eaton, chef Christi Ferretti of Pine Valley Market, NC Food & Beverage podcasters Max Trujillo and Matthew Weiss, and food writer Jason Frye.

The judges awarded King Neptune’s sliced beef short rib with chimichurri and parmesan third place for Best Savory Dish.

“All of that freshness and the parmesan gave it a salty, unexpected kick,” says Eaton. “People who like food like something a little different to experience.”

People’s Choice awards went to Port Land Grille for balsamic-espresso glazed beef short ribs, Bluewater Grill for redneck Rockefeller-style roasted oysters, and Gelarto for homemade gelato. Nothing Bundt Cakes’ pumpkin cake won third place for Best Sweet Dish.

“I probably ate an entire Bundt cake myself,” says Sharon Laney, a longtime volunteer with Weekend Meals on Wheels who has attended every Taste. “I just really enjoy the atmosphere; you walk around and get to see 600 of your favorite people all in one place. It’s like a homecoming.”

Money raised at Taste covers the food for the year for meals delivered to seniors on the weekends when the federally funded Meals on Wheels is not operating.

“Sometimes you might be the only person they see that day,” says Laney. “They want you to come in and visit. A lot of times, it’s more about the company than the food.”

JUDGES OVERALL DISH

1^st place » EAST Oceanfront Dining: Cocoa and red wine braised beef with black bean puree and plantain chips

2^nd place » EAST Oceanfront Dining: Horchata cupcake with spice buttercream frosting

3^rd place » Fish House: Southern Style Fish Stew

BEST SAVORY DISH

1^st place » EAST Oceanfront Dining: Cocoa and red wine braised beef with black bean puree and plantain chips

2^nd place » Poe’s Tavern: Pimento cheese sliders with jalapeño jack cheese and pico de gallo sliders

3^rd place » King Neptune: Sliced beef short rib with chimichurri and parmesan

BEST SWEET DISH

1^st  place » EAST Oceanfront Dining: Horchata cupcake with spice buttercream frosting  

2^nd place » Beach Bagels: Monkey bread

3^rd place » Nothing Bundt Cake: Pumpkin spice Bundt cakes with signature butter cream cheese frosting

PEOPLE’S CHOICE DISH

1^st place » Port Land Grille: Balsamic-espresso glazed beef short ribs over Yukon Gold^TM mashed potatoes with pickled shallots, pomegranate, beef tallow breadcrumbs and micro greens

2^nd place » Bluewater Grill: Redneck Rockefeller-style roasted oysters topped with pimento cheese and bacon crumble

3^rd place » Gelarto: Gelato

PEOPLE’S CHOICE BEER

1^st place  » Waterman’s Brewing Company

2^nd place » Wilmington Brewing Company

3^rd place » Catawba Brewing

PEOPLE’S CHOICE WINE

1^st place » Noni Bacca

2^nd place » Windham Distributing

3^rd place » Prestige Beverage Company