Food Traveler Magazine Summer 2013 | Page 48

TOP 10 food travel destinations FOOD FESTIVALS AND EVENTS St. Augustine, FL A s the nation’s oldest city, St. Augustine is known for food that reflects the area’s Spanish, Irish, Greek, Italian, Brazilian, Cuban, French, Minorcan and British heritage. Fresh seafood, year-round farmfresh produce, spicy dishes featuring the destination’s signature datil peppers, and Spanish tapas are just some of the vast culinary choices at restaurants in St. Augustine, Ponte Vedra and the beaches. Along with heritage, Chefs’ creations derive from St. Augustine’s rich agricultural resources and seafood pulled straight from the ocean and Intracoastal waterways. Fresh local shrimp and fish and dishes that feature the best of local seasonal crops can be found on every menu. Elegant settings and fine wines accompany the creations of some of the area’s most celebrated chefs. You’ll find information for many of St. Augustine’s fine restaurants and food events at www.FloridasHIstoricCoast.com. SEPTEMBER 7, 16TH, First Thanksgiving Dinner. Fifty-five years before the arrival of the Pilgrims in New England, Spanish colonists sat down with Native American for a Feast of Thanksgiving. Reenactors depict the first Thanksgiving dinner at the Fountain of Youth. SEPTEMBER 20 – 21, Living Close to the Earth: Slow Food and our Ancestors, a program about Northeast Florida’s indigenous people. Learn what they ate and how they lived while the executive chef from the National Museum of the American Indian’s offers cooking demonstrations. OCTOBER, Flavors of Florida’s Historic Coast. A month-long dining adventure when more than 20 area restaurants serve special prix-fixe menus that feature the destination’s culinary heritage EARLY OCTOBER, Flavors Top Chef Cook-Off. Chefs from Florida’s Historic Coast compete for the coveted Historic Coast Top Chef title. The Top Chef is selected by a panel of judges while the Top Restaurant is selected by People’s Choice ballot. OCTOBER 11 – 13, The Greek Festival. Celebrate St. Augustine’s long Greek history with dance, music and food. OCTOBER 23 – 26, Spanish Wine and Food Festival. Celebrate the oldest city’s Spanish culinary heritage with very best in Spanish foods and wines presented at variety of special events and restaurants. Chef_Poinard Unique bistros and quaint cafes populate St. Augustine’s historic district, with its breathtaking Colonial and Mediterranean-style architecture. 46 FOOD TRAVELER | SUMMER 2013 NOVEMBER 1 – 3, The 29th Annual Great St. Augustine Chowder Debate - Northeast Florida’s oldest and most popular food event. Dozens of restaurants compete for top honors as the best chowders. New England, Minorcan, conch and seafood categories