CajunKing's Gumbo Misadventure President's Day Weekend 2009

I started this trip with the feeling I should have went to Memphis instead of going to Florida for my Gumbo competition.
 
The weather was windy on my travels south, and driving through the stretch of KY from Elizabethtown to Bowling Green.  The sheer devastation was evident along the interstate.  KY had suffered a MAJOR ice storm, just a few days prior.
 
The destruction along I-65 reminded me of hurricane or tornado damage I have seen in different places.  Lots of mature trees lost thier tops and branches.
 
I had plans to meet a good friend from high school at Rotiers, we hadn't seen each other since my graduation day in 1989.  Unfortunately as I approached Nashville he called and was dealing with a disciplinary situation at school (He is a teacher) and could not get away for lunch.
 
Rotier's Restaurant
2413 Elliston Place
Nashville, TN
615-327-9892
http://www.rotiers.com/
 
So instead of stopping in Nashville, I headed south and started thinking about AL BBQ.
 
I had heard about a place in Fultondale, AL named Porky's Pride Smokehouse.  I had been wanting to try this place the last couple of times when travelling through the Northern Alabama area.
 
I bypassed my usual place to eat here, so I was a hoping it was going to be good.  I got there and the place was fairly filled up with locals. (a good sign) The place reminded me of a 50's / 60's style diner, and was CLEAN as an operating room in a hospital.
 
As I too my camera out for the first pictures, uh oh a problem.  I left my camera in the car overnight and the COLD temps zapped my battery, unfortunately no pictures.
 
So today's lunch consisted of: Combo of Pulled pork, Ribs and Sausage

The pulled pork was Up near the top of my best of, moist and tender with just the right amount of burnt ends.

The ribs just enough give to them to be perfect, not totally fall off the bone done, but with that just right amount tug to get the meat off the bone.

The sausage I would place their sausage right up there against ANY sausage from Austin, TX area.

The sauce is tomato based, with a good mix of smokiness and vinegar, a great balance of sweet and tang.
 
The sides were a little lack luster, but the BBQ made up for that fact. The vinegar slaw I was told was really good, but I DO NOT do slaw.

Harry & Shirley Kelley run a great operation there, the inside of the place was immaculate, you could eat off the floor clean.

This goes on my list of must eats while travelling through AL.
 
Back to the road and only six more hours to go to Florida.
 
I spent the first couple of days in Mexico Beach just soaking in the weather and meeting up with good friends. 
 
Thursday I was ready to go shopping for my Gumbo ingredients, so I called my Granny and asked if she wanted to go shopping and lunch.
 
We stopped at a little place in Lynn Haven, FL (just north of Panama City) called the Fishnet Restaurant.
 

The Hwy 77 sign in front of the place
 
Parking can be tight during the height of lunch hour rush, but we lucked out and a space by the door opened up.
 
The place was packed when we got there, but a table had just opened up.  Lots of locals and snowbirds.
 

Locals and snowbirds enjoying the place
 
On the walls when you walk in you notice the daily special boards.
 

Thursday specials
What to order...
 

Seafood Gumbo, full of mini shrimp, scallops and crab meat
 
After looking over the menu, we had decided.
For Me it was
 

Fried Shrimp Special with fries and Cheese Grits
 
For granny it was
 

Fried Tilapia Dinner, with zuc & tomatoes, lima beans and fried okra
 
The table vinegar was stuffed with peppers and was excellent on the tilapia
 

Vinegar and peppers, yummmm
 
Fishnet Restaurant
1307 Ohio Ave (Hwy 77)
Lynn Haven, FL
850-265-4371
 
 
Friday was Gumbo making day, this year my cooking team could not make the journey with me, and my dad had to work.  So I prepared my gumbo, and forgot to take pictures.
 
By mid afternoon I had my gumbo simmering and getting all brown and yummy.  This year's gumbo was rich and smokey.  I made smoked turkey and andouille gumbo, the turkey broke down and got nice and stringy, the andouille held together and added its spiciness to the overall yumminess.
 
Friday was a perfect spring day in Florida, low 70's, bright sun very few clouds. That was an omen of what was to come. 
 
I watched the weather channel Thursday and they said only a 30% chance of rain for Saturday.  Friday I watched the weather channel and the percentage of rain had increased to 50%.
 
I awoke early Saturday morning to an AWESOME thunderstorm. (I love storms)  It rained, I got up at 8:00am to get ready for the competition. 
 
Guess what.... Still Raining!
 
We got everything loaded to head out to the park where the competition is held and the rain stopped.
 
Setting things up I was excited that the rain had stopped, boy was I wrong.  A few minutes latera thunderstorm blew up over the gulf and just drowned the whole area.
 

This is my good friends set up, they got under one of the main tents
 

This is me, OUT IN THE OPEN, NO TENT!
 
Finally, Dad tracked down the promoter and she found a EZ up shelter, still on the outside of the main tent, but at least under cover.
 
I could use my "Gumbo Shack" it was taller than the EZup.  So my area was not how I had wanted to decorate it.  I got my gumbo back up to temp and waited for the judging to begin, and waited, and waited. 
 
The event is open to the public at 10:30am, why so early? Who knows.  We are not supposed to sell gumbo until the judges samples are totally collected.
 
At 10:55 I started selling gumbo, and still waited for the judges.  This event is not the best planned event I have ever competed at, but it usually is the most fun.
 
The thunderstorm had finally passed, but left it's HEAVY rain and wind.  The rain was coming in from every direction.
 

Rain does not make a good event
 

Yep, still raining
 
This was the 11th year for this event and it had never rained on it, so..... 
 
The judges finally showed up at 11:05 with an open foil pan and 3 little sample cups for judging.  The samples they had collected were water logged. 
 
I had prepared 7 gallons of gumbo, and after 3 hours I still had about 2 gallons left, usually I have sold out by then, but where they set me up, you had to walk out in the cold rain to get to my booth.
 
I got 8th overall (both divisions) and 5th in my division.
I did win "Team that travelled the furthest" again.
 
Saturday was a quiet day at home watching the Daytona 500, and then dinner at Killer Seafood.
 
WJ
There is a picture of the Killer Key Lime Pie and your mention of it being in your top of 2008.
 
Monday's drive home I stopped at my favorite BBQ in AL,
Big Bob Gibson's
 

After reading the sign I wanted to cringe
 
Big Bob Gibson's is always a safe stop for a really good meal in Northern AL. For lunch I chose
 

The Lil Bob Sampler with Pulled Pork, Smoked Turkey and Sliced Brisket and 2 orders of their potato salad
 

On the table your choice:  BBG Award winning red & white sauce and NC style sauce
 
The pulled pork was smokey and moist, wish there had been more burnt ends, but still a great choice.
 
The smoked turkey is AWESOME, I wish I knew thier secret, it was moist, tender and smokey.
 
The brisket was a tad overdone for me, instead of body it wa more of mush. Hey two out of three, I will take that.
 
The potato salad is the best I have ever eaten, they use the little red new potatos, and it is creamy and delicious with bits of egg and onion.
 
BB
I was thinking of you when I ordered dessert.  I asked for the chocolate pie and the lemon cream pie.  The waitress looked at me funny and said "You wont two pieces of pie honey?" my response "Yes Ma'am" and here they are.
 

Big Bob Gibson's Chocolate Pie
 

Big Bob Gibson's Lemon Cream Pie
 
Now this is some serious pie, handmade crusts that were nice and short. (flaky)  The chocolate is no boxed pudding filling, it is a home made chocolate filling. (little lumps included)
 
But the suprise of the meal was the lemon cream pie, usually they have a yellow jell like filling, but this was much better.  The filling reminded me of Key Lime, it was almost bitter/sweet, ad it was dense.
 
I asked my waitress and she told me they had switched about 2 months ago. 
 
Big Bob Gibson's
South East Decatur Location
1715 HWY 31
Decatur, AL
256-350-6969
http://www.bigbobgibson.com/
 
I made it home without incident, tired and really wishing I had went to Memphis instead.  There is always next year in Charleston.

Lived in P'cola 16 years. One thing you can count on is Rain in Late Winters and Early Spring.  Dispite all that, Great Report.  I'll put Porkey's Pride on my must do list.

Lived in P'cola 16 years. One thing you can count on is Rain in Late Winters and Early Spring.  Dispite all that, Great Report.  I'll put Porkey's Pride on my must do list.

Except for the rain everything looks fantastic!

I love that you called your granny to go shopping.  What a sweetie you are.  :)

Thanks for taking us with you.  Wish I could taste your gumbo.

CajunKing -

While you were missed in Memphis, it seems you had a fine time.  Congratulations on surviving the rain, wind and lack of cover and on the 8th place finish. 

The only thing more embarassing than watching someone order two pieces of pie is when buffetbuster does it right at your table!

BTW - I noticed your date is a lot taller than you...perhaps heels on the beach?

That Chocolate pie sure looked tasty. Good Report

Very nice Don. Looks like a good trip in spite of the rain.

Nice report...some great looking food...and I'll take that rain over the foot of snow I woke up to this morning!

That was a great report, Cajun King!  It made me want to take a drive down into the deep South.

CK-
Excellent stuff as always.  The obvious question is, did granny really eat all of that food?  Her portion was enormous.  If she did, way to go granny!

Of course, we wish you were with us in Memphis, but no way you could have known about the rain.  Hopefully, we will see you in Charleston next year.
 
BTW, the chocolate pie looks awesome!

CK, kudos for making the best of a bad situation.  Good to see that you didn't let the weather ruin the other parts of your trip.

A bowl of gumbo would be a good choice for the single-digit temperature here this morning!

Brad

I know, I think I would have been picking off your plate and Granny's plate in equal measure; they both looked good.  Sorry about the rain dude--come to Charleston next year!

BB

Granny ate all her veggies, both hush puppies, but only one tilapia filet.

Oh darn I had to help her with that 

What was realy funny, she kept saying "I'm not really hungry" but she kept packing it away and still had room for a small DQ cone

CK,
 Nice report.  Wish I had known the gumbo cookoff was that weekend, was looking for something to do and a couple of hours up and down 98 for a bowl or three of gumbo would have filled the bill (and the gizzard). 

Maybe next year.  Glad to hear Killer Seafood is still knocking 'em dead.

crew