Foraging the Gulf Coast

Culinary Tourism Takes Off in Northwest Florida
By Todd Keith, photography by Todd Keith, Anthony John Coletti, and Ted Tucker

“Ok, kids, here’s the drill,” begins an enthusiastic Chris Hastings. Several food lovers and writers have gathered along the banks of Camp Creek, a narrow slip of tannin-rich water feeding into the Gulf of Mexico at WaterSound, an idyllic community located along scenic Highway 30-A. Tall, majestic dunes carpeted with scrub oak, saw palmetto, and sea grasses tower on either side of the group as the day slowly warms up. Some wade knee-deep in the water with nets, carefully scanning the sandy bottom for blue tip crabs. Others set baits, hoping to lure in the delicious creatures for their sunset dinner.

Everyone has gathered for a test run of the culinary field trips that Hastings, chef and owner of the award-winning Hot and Hot Fish Club restaurant in Birmingham, Alabama, is planning for the fall of this year. Participants will tong for oysters, flounder-gig at night, help make Tupelo honey, and more. Hastings, the finalist for the 2007 “Best Chef in the South” James Beard Award, is calling the experience “Foraging the Forgotten Coast: A Culinary Journey Through Northwest Florida.”

At the moment, however, he’s focusing all his attention on netting some crabs. “Why do crabs like chicken?” asks a bemused New Yorker while gingerly baiting a line with a chicken leg on one end, the other end tied to a stick in the sand. “Same reason you do,” jokes Hastings, and the morning crab-catching session is under way in great spirits. And that just may be what culinary tourism is all about—taking those curious about fresh, quality foods distinctive to a region, and placing them in a whole new environment for a behind-the-scenes look at how a delicious item such as a blue crab gets from the water to the table. Culinary tourism is one of the hottest niche trends in the travel industry, and according to the International Culinary Tourism Association, Florida is second only to California as a destination for food-related travel. Looking at the local environment, it is difficult to imagine a better such destination than this part of Northwest Florida.

Bringing Culinary Tourism to the Panhandle
Hastings is a man with a mission that is part educational, part environmental. Eventually, he hopes to create a culinary trail stretching from Santa Rosa Beach to Apalachicola and beyond. In his role as culinary advisor to The St. Joe Company’s food and beverage outlets, such as Fish Out of Water and BaitHouse restaurants at WaterColor Inn and Resort, Hastings is seizing upon the idea of culinary tourism as a way to highlight the wonder of the region’s extraordinarily varied natural bounty. He also sees it as a way to ensure that these special resources are preserved for future generations to enjoy.

“What we’re doing is experiential, not just sitting on the beach—as nice as that can be,” Hastings explains. “People want to discover and learn, and you can encounter the real culture, people, and authenticity of the area through its food. Locals around here know where to find it, but these little places really do speak to the region and show what it has to offer. It doesn’t exist anywhere else in the world.”

And so far, Hastings has had great success in locating and connecting with the oystermen, honey makers, commercial fishermen, cheese makers, fishing guides, local chefs, and merchants who intimately know this stretch of coastline. But beyond the formal itinerary of his foraging trips—which begin in October and will be offered four times a year starting in 2008—there are plenty of opportunities along the Gulf Coast for visitors and residents to experience firsthand the offerings of this part of Florida.

An Insider’s View of the Forgotten Coast
For instance, in Apalachicola, Sandra and Dwayne Allen of Book Me A Charter offer up their years of expertise as guides for tours and fishing of all kinds, including leading Hastings’ guests out at night to gig for flounder in the shallows. “I like to show people a working bay and take them on a tour to see the oyster boats and men doing their daily job and talk about it,” begins Sandra, explaining how her company provides more than just the typical charter experience. “And we’ll show them the crabbers and the shrimp boats and explain how it all works.” As third generation Apalachicola natives, both Sandra and Dwayne certainly know this stretch of Apalachicola Bay, Apalachicola River, and the Gulf of Mexico. “We’ve all done this job all our lives, so we have an inside view on how it’s done.”

Just a few miles down the road from Apalachicola—thirteen miles, to be precise—Buddy Ward & Sons Seafood is run by another family with deep ties to the region. Started by Buddy and Martha Pearle Ward, and now run by his son, Tommy Ward, Buddy Ward & Sons supplies restaurants all over the country with what many regard as the world’s finest oysters. In the spring of 2005, the Southern Foodways Alliance (SFA) at the University of Mississippi, a group that documents and celebrates the food cultures of the South, chose Apalachicola for its annual field trip. More than one hundred “foodies” converged on Tommy Ward’s operation—also known as 13 Mile—to enjoy festivities that included tonging tours out in the bay, as well as an oyster roast, mounds of steaming boiled shrimp, corn, and potatoes. It proved an inspired choice.

“The idea of wandering up to the dock and talking to Tommy Ward about his oysters, it’s wonderful,” offers John T. Edge, SFA director. “But it takes work to present this to the intellectually curious yet admittedly uninformed tourist. It’s not like the Napa Valley where people are conditioned to think the holy work of agriculture is going on. It takes what Chris is doing, and what we’re doing, to show why these peoples' lives matter and why it’s so interesting.”

At the moment, Hastings is doing his best to satisfy both his group’s curiosity and hunger. As part of his new tour, he busily shucks oysters next to Ward during an afternoon oyster feast and general party at Buddy Ward & Sons. After the crab feast and a stop in Panama City to see the commercial side of fishing at Greg Abrams Seafood, the culinary journey pauses here at Ward's operation to learn about oysters. Most of Ward’s family is in attendance, enjoying themselves and helping with the arrangements. It feels more like a fun family reunion than another stop on a culinary tour. And this is a testament to Hastings and Ward—they know how to create a down-home good time while educating visitors from all over the country about why Apalachicola’s delicious oysters are every bit as interesting and fulfilling as a day spent visiting with the people in this region.

Ward, however, is more low-key when asked about shucking oysters as fast as he can for a group of “foodies,” culinary tourists he met just a short time ago. “I just love doing this kind of thing—showing people what it’s all about and having a good time,” he says, passing another huge oyster on the half shell for a new friend to enjoy.

Editor’s note: Hastings’ next "Foraging the Forgotten Coast" culinary tour is October 18-21. For more details, please visit www.watercolorinn.com. Brownell Travel in Birmingham, Alabama, will handle reservations for the tour. For more information, call (800) 999-3960.

For more information about the Southern Foodways Alliance, culinary events, bibliographies, and stories, visit www.southernfoodways.com.


Northwest Florida Culinary Resources

Shallow Water Expeditions/Old Florida Outfitters
6 Watercolor South, Suite 101
Santa Rosa Beach, FL 32459
(850) 534-4349 or (850) 534-4343
www.shallowwaterexpeditions.com
This Orvis-endorsed fishing guide service specializes in fly-fishing and light tackle.

Buddy Ward & Sons
233 Water Street
Apalachicola, FL 32320
(850) 653-8522
While he runs primarily a commercial operation, Ward is happy to sell oysters to those who drop by. But be sure to call ahead of time if you want to tong for oysters in the bay with one of Ward's oystermen.

Seahorse Water Safaris
340 Marina Drive
Port St. Joe, FL 32456
(850) 227-1099
www.seahorsewatersafaris.com
This operation offers scalloping trips, sunset cruises, snorkeling, and boat rentals.

Watkins’ Tupelo Honey
(850) 653-8979
George Watkins' honey is available at the Piggly Wiggly in Apalachicola.

L.L. Lanier & Son's Tupelo Honey
P.O. Box 706
Wewahitchka, FL 32465
(850) 639-2371
www.lltupelohoney.com
Ben Lanier’s Tupelo honey can be ordered online or purchased at his Wewahitchka office.

Book Me A Charter
P.O. Box 333
Apalachicola, FL 32320
(850) 653-2622
www.bookmeacharter.com
This charter service offers tours, as well as guides for fishing and oystering. Call in advance to book a tour.

Greg Abrams Seafood
2021 East Avenue
Panama City, FL 32405
(850) 769-4658
This company is an excellent retailer of seafood fresh from the Gulf. Owner Greg Abrams also is a vocal advocate for the preservation of the Gulf of Mexico's great natural bounty.