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Imagine this scene: a cool early fall evening in Alabama, an icy glass of bourbon in one hand and a bocce ball in the other. A light breeze blows off the lake to your right and carries the smell of food- being cooked by some of Alabama’s best chefs who are just feet away. You toss your winning shot and wander over to a table and take a seat as the sun begins to set. The best part? The cost of you meal is going directly to benefit the shrimpers and fishermen of Bayou La Batre.

I’m so excited to be participating in this event, making the first course of venison pate and farm fresh pickles. It’s going to be an incredible event for such a great cause. The oil has stopped flowing into the Gulf but the damaging effects of this disaster are far from being plugged up. Don’t forget about what happened this summer and come out to support this worthy cause. Think of it as a down payment on the shrimp you’ll be buying next summer!

Press Release:

In the tradition of celebrating the culinary history of the South and conservation of the land, Garden & Gun presents Harvest Feast, a “Southern supper” that pays homage to the rich culinary tradition of Alabama. Harvest Feast will take place Sunday, October 3, at a privately owned Lake Tadpole in Trussville, about fifteen minutes outside of Birmingham, AL. All proceeds from the event will directly benefit the fishermen of Bayou La Batre in Mobile County, the seafood capital of Alabama and a community severely affected by the Gulf oil spill.

Festivities begin at 5 p.m. with cocktails, a seafood raw bar, live music, and lawn games. Following cocktails, a familystyle dinner highlighting local and seasonal fare from chefs throughout the state will take place on the property dam overlooking Lake Tadpole.

Featured chefs include:

  • (organizers) Chris and Idie Hastings of Hot and Hot Fish Club in Birmingham
  • Rob McDaniel of SpringHouse in Lake Martin
  • Chris Harrigan of Stones Throw Bar & Grill in Mt. Laurel
  • Drew Robinson of Jim ‘N Nicks in Birmingham
  • Jon Sanchez of Ham and High in Montgomery
  • James Boyce of Cotton Row in Huntsville
  • Chris Zapalowski of Homewood Gourmet in Homewood
  • James Briscione, southern expatriate and chef instructor at the Institute of Culinary Education in New York.

Notable Harvest Feast guests at the event will include:

  • Bayou La Batre Mayor Stan Wright
  • Southern Foodways Alliance representative Ashley Hall
  • Garden & Gun editors David DiBenedetto and Jenny Everett
  • Noted fashion designer Natalie Chanin of Alabama Chanin, who has designed custom Harvest Feast aprons to be sold at the event to benefit the fishermen of Bayou La Batre.

In addition, the Southern Foodways Alliance has produced a short documentary film on the fishermen of Bayou La Batre to be shown at the event. Harvest Feast sponsors include Land Rover and the Southern Foodways Alliance.

Harvest Feast is an exclusive Garden & Gun Club member event. Harvest Feast tickets are $150.00 per person. Ticket information, transportation, inclement weather plans, and other pertinent event details can be found on the event web site at http://www.gardenandgun.com/harvestfeast