Each year chefs from the area and around the state come to Jekyll Island to compete in the professional cooking competition for shrimp and grits. This is all part of the Georgia Wild Shrimp Festival. On September 21st, Doc Bill and his partner Jerome (Georgia Coastal Gourmet Farms) were in position to compete for the coveted honor of being tops in shrimp and grits!

The count down started at 10:57am – “Three minutes to go” was announced and chefs from restaurants around the St. Simons, Jekyll and Brunswick areas started filling the air with the smell of grits, bacon, cheese and shrimp. Ready to prepare a unique dish Doc Bill and Jerome were right there, part of the mix ready to show they can bring true meaning to the saying, “from the farm to the table”

With an East meets West recipe created especially for the competition, they prepared coconut green curry grits cakes and green curry shrimp, with tamarind sauce drizzled on top. This represented the East. To represent the West, a Mexican style sauce with red and green peppers and a special Mexican herb named Pipicha, served over Thomasville Tomme cheese grits, for a tasty explosion with each bite. Many of the ingredients were harvested that morning from their Georgia Grown farm.

They harvested: lemon grass, Thai basil, galangal, turmeric, Kaffir limes and leaves, and green papayas for their East-meets-West version of shrimp and grits.

Their dish was both creative and tasty. It was colorfully plated and presented with hues of red, yellow, green and gold popping from the plate. Using corn husk to highlight the West version and a Kaffir Lime leaf to represent the East, a purple Dendrobium orchid brought an exotic flair to the plate and created a dish seeking high points for presentation.

When the winners were called, the team (Annita & Sharay) shouted from the sidelines while Doc Bill and Jerome ran onto the stage to receive their prize – 2nd place in the shrimp and grits professional competition. No one could have been more proud than the two farmers from a specialty farm in Shellman Bluff – who have always loved working in the dirt, planting and harvesting healthy food. Now, here they are, showing dedication, commitment and belief in their mission to bring fresh produce and creative recipes for good eats straight “from the farm to the table”.

For more information about Georgia Coastal Gourmet Farms: www.georgiacoastalgourmetfarms.com

678-936-8198 – Doc Bill

912-222-7775 – Jerome