Food is the star at the Alabama Festival of Flavor (Oct 19)

As a native Alabamian I take special pride in the upcoming Alabama Festival of Flavor, since it will showcase the food, wine, beer, arts and crafts of my home state. Last year’s inaugural event got off to a very good start and the changes planned for this year’s event are exciting.

The 2^nd annual Alabama Festival of Flavor will take over the streets of historic downtown Foley on October 19, 2013 from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Vendors will display and sell products made in Alabama, such as local honey, handmade soaps, crafts and works of art. A free Kids Fun Zone will entertain the younger crowd.

Entry to the festival is free and there will be numerous free seminars conducted by professional chefs on a variety of food preparation subjects, such as how to prepare fresh fish or grow a garden. Regional jazz performers will fill the air with festive music.

One of the events I’m most interested in seeing is the Amateur Heirloom Recipe Cook-off. Home cooks will compete in three categories 1) appetizers 2) entrees 3) desserts using their family recipes handed down from generation to generation. Each cook must incorporate one key ingredient in their dish that will be provided to the contestant, which should be an interesting twist to “grandma’s recipe.” Tickets will be sold to sample these tasty treats and vote on the People’s Choice award. I am fascinated by this concept and look forward to tasting the creations.

Two other ticketed sections of the festival center around wine, beer and food. The Alabama Beer and Wine tasting tent will serve Alabama-based beer, wine and various dishes and the cuisine for the VIP tent will be premier international wines and food.

Enjoy back-to-back fall festivals in October at the National Shrimp Festival (Oct 10-13) and Alabama Festival of Flavor (Oct. 19). Plan to spend two weeks so that you can attend both events and provide promo code 13FOL to get the second week free (some restrictions apply).

Join us to find out what’s cooking on the coast.

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