Ocean Springs' Feast of Flavors festival a treat for the senses
OCEAN SPRINGS, Mississippi -- The sights, smells and, most importantly, the tastes available at the annual Feast of Flavors festival in Ocean Springs provide an array of delights for those attending.
Hundreds turned out for Saturday's event, which featured not only the local growers who come out every Saturday for the Ocean Springs Fresh Market, but additional vendors who provide samples of foods grown or produced locally.
"It's been wonderful," said Diane Cloughton, who founded the Fresh Market in 2004. "We do these festivals to promote the Fresh Market, but also to promote the chamber of commerce and the city of Ocean Springs. Without the help of the chamber, without the help of the city, we couldn't do these things."
Among the food offerings available for patrons to sample were hot tamales, homemade BBQ sauces and rubs, pimento cheese quesadillas prepared by Chef Danie, and sauteed shitake mushrooms.
Additionally, demonstrations were held throughout the day featuring Chef Alex Perry and his wife, Kumi Omori of Vestige restaurant, Jim DelPrince, a horticulture specialist from Mississippi State University, and pumpkin carving by artist Tracy Williams.
Festival-goers seemed more than pleased.
"This is a wonderful little event," said Sandy Stinson of Biloxi. "I love the fact that all the food here is grown fresh here in the local area. The opportunity to sample some of this food is great."
That's the whole point, according to Cloughton.
"It's a neat little local festival," she said, "which is what Ocean Springs is all about. It's about community, it's about fresh food -- it's food that's good for you and food that you know where it comes from."
Gulflive.com By Warren Kulo
on September 26, 2015 at 2:47 PM, updated September 27, 2015 at 12:34 AM
Schedule:
MINI WORKSHOPS
10AM—11.00AM
Dr. Christine Coker MSU
EAT YOUR YARD!
11.AM—12.00PM
Cricket Cody: Blueberry Grower
BIGGER, BETTER, TASTIER
BLUEBERRIES
12.00PM—1.00PM
Dr. Gary Bachman MSU
SELF WATERING CONTAINERS
1.00PM—2.00PM
Peggy Wallace: Grower
EASY HERBS FOR MISSISSIPPI