Trip Recap: Jekyll Island Shrimp & Grits Festival
In addition to selling restaurant equipment at J.E.S. I also work in the concert production industry and a couple weeks ago the gig landed me in Jekyll Island, GA for the 2010 Wild Georgia Shrimp & Grits Festival. This was not my first trip to Jekyll Island and made for the second consecutive year working at the festival. The festivities took place amongst the live oaks, which are older than our grandparents, in the beautiful historic district on the island just in front of the Jekyll Island Club Hotel and it was obvious everyone had only one thing in mind, shrimp and grits! For those readers that still aren't sure what "grits" are... grits are made from coarsely ground corn and when combined with hot water make a delicious porridge like food. Shrimp and grits however is a delicacy that has been served in the southern states for many many years and has as many variations as there are types of grits and species of shrimp but no matter how you prepare it the name remains the same.
In the last few years shrimp & grits has actually become a more common menu item; even Bobby Flay serves the southern dish in several of his restaurants including Bar Americain in New York. Flay is very proud of his shrimp and grits, so proud he even challenged a fella to "throw down" with him on his Food Network show Throwdown with Bobby Flay. However this was a battle that Flay would lose; his competitor, Joe Barnett, Jr, from Washington Georgia took the title for best shrimp and grits and sent Flay packing. Barnett was on hand at the festival and treated a large audience to one of the best low country boils (RECIPE: CLICK HERE) I've ever had, so delicious that I treated the family to it then next week while on vacation in Edisto Island, SC.
Also on hand for cooking demonstrations and for judging of both the amateur and professional shrimp and grits cooking contests were Chef Laurie Erickson and Chef Robert Tulko. Chef Laurie Erickson is a sought-after wellness cuisine consultant to spas and resorts around the country. Her cooking classes and demonstrations have changed the lives of many, with practical, simple and economical ways to prepare nourishing meals. Chef Laurie prepared a Spicy Roasted Shrimp Recipe that left me and her audience begging for more. Chef Robert Tulko is the corporate chef for Winn-Dixie Supermarkets. He is well-known throughout the Southeast and is the affable chef featured on WTLV-TV's "Good Morning Jacksonville". He has also made appearances on programs in Miami, Tampa, Atlanta, Greenville and Spartanburg. Chef Robert prepared one of the best shrimp and grit recipes I've put in my mouth to date, his Creole Shrimp & Grits Recipe was delicious and every layer of flavor complemented the next.
If you like shrimp you should definitely plan a trip to next years Wild Georgia Shrimp & Grits Festival, locals say the fresh wild Georgia shrimp are the best on the planet; so make your way down to Jekyll Island next year and check out everything it has to offer. If you can't make the festival be sure to try the recipes mentioned in this post as I'm sure they will please your taste buds just as they did mine.
JES Restaurant Equipment featured in FEDA News & Views article
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Restaurant Equipment | Manual & Thermostatic Griddles, do you know the difference?
Manual & Thermostatic Griddles, do you know the difference?
Often times our customers are confused about the difference between a manual and thermostatic griddles, so here I am to explain. The difference is quite simple actually so I'll try and explain it in a manner that most anyone can relate to...
A manual griddle operates much like the heating element on your stove top; you have Low, Medium and High settings with a few notches in between but no real control over the temperature at which that element heats to. So if you have a manual griddle you will have similar controls that will control the amount of gas that is fed to the burner or the amount of electricity that is fed to the electric element. The downside of this type of griddle is lack of control over the surface temperature as it will continue to rise no matter the setting.
With a thermostatic griddle you have much more control over the temperature of the cooking surface, like your oven you have a control that lets you set the temperature at which you would like to c0ok. For instance if you want to cook at 400°F you set the thermostat to the desired temperature and it will maintain that temperature within a few degrees. So with a thermostatic griddle you can set it an forget it, and in my opinion is the best choice for a griddle.
Star Manufacturing | Counter-top Cooking Equipment
Since 1921 Star Manufacturing has been producing durable, reliable, quality products for the foodservice and concession industries. Star has since grown into one of the world's most respected and valued manufacturers of products in six major categories:
- Counter Top Gas & Electric Commercial Cooking Appliances
- Hot Dog Cooking & Preparation Equipment
- Popcorn Machines
- Specialty Food Warmers
- Display Merchandisers
- Toasters & Waffle Bakers
Whether you are operating a fast food, leisure, concession or traditional restaurant you can rely on the performance from any of the product offerings from Star Manufacturing. Look around and you'll find equipment from Star Manufacturing in little league & big league ball parks, arenas, stadiums, restaurants and convenience stores everywhere.
Currently J.E.S. Restaurant Equipment has the entire product line from Star Manufacturing's catalog on sale at 50% off retail, and most items qualify free freight as well. If you are in the market for a new toaster, roller grill, popcorn machine, or a piece of counter top cooking equipment look no further than J.E.S. Restaurant Equipment. We have all the restaurant and bar supplies you need at wholesale prices and our friendly and knowledgeable sales staff is here to answer any questions you may have regarding any of the discount restaurant supplies we offer. Since we sell restaurant equipment & supplies wholesale you are guaranteed the best price available; from commercial ice machines to healthcare items we have what you need to keep your foodservice operation running smoothly. Online, over the phone, or in the showroom let J.E.S. Restaurant Equipment be the one stop shop for all your foodservice needs. Thanks for reading and remember...
Now Ya Cookin’
with J.E.S. Restaurant Equipment commercial restaurant equipment/residential kitchen supplies/healthcare products www.jesrestaurantequipment.com www.nowyacookin.com 1-866-200-6056Restaurant Equipment | Fleetwood Food Equipment
For over 50 years Fleetwood products have been supporting the foodservice and food retail industries. They offer a wide range of products from meat slicers to blenders, scales to food mixers; they have a product for just about every aspect of the industry and they stand behind their products 110%. While looking through their new catalog a few items caught my eye that I thought were worth mentioning.
The first is their line of vacuum packaging machines, these machines solve a common problem posed by other vacuum packaging machines on the market; how to vacuum package liquids and liquid-rich foods. A lot of the machines currently on the market are suction machines meaning the air is vacuumed out of the bag and then sealed. When this happens liquids are also vacuumed out of the bag leading to partial or even full seal failure. The Fleetwood vacuum packaging machines use a different technology to eliminate this problem. When sealing with their chamber machines the vacuum bag that will be sealed is placed inside the chamber of the machine and when the lid is closed air is sucked out of the entire chamber not just the bag itself, allowing the air pressure on both the inside and outside of the bag to remain equal and liquids stay in the bag. The bag is fully sealed and air is returned back into the chamber.
The next is their hot dog roller grills, which are available in two sizes; the first is a 5-roller model that accommodates 12 dogs and the other is a 9-roller that cooks up to 24 dogs at a time. These all stainless steel electric roller grills are equipped with a high performance motor and feature an exclusive chain gear system that prevents the chain from becoming loose. The stainless steel rollers provide a durable cooking surface and the easily removable drip pan makes for easy cleaning. These compact roller grills are ideal for convenience stores, concession stands, stadiums and any venue where fast food is served.
They have way to many products for me to discuss in one post so I’ll leave it be for now, but visit the website and check out the entire Fleetwood line of products; a great blend of quality and value.