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19th
Annual CHOWDER COOKOFF!
Sunday, Sept. 30, 2007
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A
beautiful day (and lots of clams for the chowders) was
nature's donation to this delicious day in Beach Haven (Long
Beach Island) New Jersey!
VIP
ticket holders ($45) each received a baseball shirt with the
logo at left on the rear of the shirt, a 6-holed cup holder
for the chowder samples, and the coveted "early entry"
for chowder tasting!
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The early birds get the chowder without the crowds!
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There was barely
anyone around at 10 a.m. - only the 400+ that had purchased
the VIP tickets - but...
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...once
the gates opened to general admission at 11a.m., it got busy!
This is the "red" tent, where 7 restaurants offered
samples of their Manhattan Clam Chowder.
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The crowd swarms in and around the white (New England) chowder
tent. My personal favorite of the white chowders was by Stefano's
California Grill and Pizza.
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Bistro
Bistro 14 served what I thought was the best red chowder.
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Everyone
got a red chip and a white chip, and after tasting all the
chowders in each category, voted for their favorite.
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And
the winners......for red chowder, Bistro 14, Bay Village
in Beach Haven! Here their chef poses for photos. Panzone's,
also of Beach Haven, was the white chowder winner. Rookie
of the Year was awarded to Sweet Jenny's of Barnegat!
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"Bud
trucks" were placed throughout the grounds; a commemorative
mug with beer was available for $7 and refills were $4. A
nice suprise was the "Jack's
Pumpkin Spice Ale" on tap - delish!
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Hawkins Road got the crowd on their feet, especially when they
sang Springsteen's "Rosalita"!
Earlier
in the day, Bill Hastings and Cathy-Jay Hopkins exchanged vows
on this stage, in front of thousands. What a reception they
had!
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This
young man got lucky at the WJRZ - 100.1 booth - he picked
the key that opened the Treasure Chest, and won a tee shirt!
WJRZ staffers Richie and Tom congratulate the little fellow!
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Members of The Crescent
Shrine were out in force, creating balloon figures and
applying wash-off tattoos for the kids. This great organization
works diligently to raise funds for the 22 Shriners'
Pediatric Hospitals located throughout North America.
These hospitals provide specialized care for orthopaedic conditions,
burns, spinal cord injuries and cleft lip and palate. All
services are provided at no charge, thanks to the
Shriners' hard work.
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Another
worthwhile organization with a huge presence (appropriately)
was "Reclam
the Bay", which is dedicated to Barnegat Bay
shellfish restoration. For a $10 donation, you received a
clam-shaped chowder chowder cup holder, with some interesting
facts printed on it, such as "The Barnegat Bay holds
60 billion gallons of water" (who measured it, I wonder?).
An
interesting project for all ages is their "Clam Trail
'07". If you enjoy exploring the coastal areas of Ocean
County, check it out on their website! Earm points and win
recognition and prizes! Remember, all you Chowder Heads -
you need lots of clams for all that chowder!
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Beach
Haven is located on Long Beach Island in Ocean County NJ. "LBI"
is a barrier island between the Atlantic Ocean and the Barnegat
and Little Egg Harbor Bays. The above photo shows the a schooner
where the "Lucy Evelyn", a beloved schooner that burned
in 1972, once proudly stood. The Atlantic Ocean is in the background.
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Schooner's Wharf, on Bay and Ninth, as taken from the Chowder
Cookoff. Bay Village is to the right. Both spots feature many
specialty shops as well as assorted restaurants and cafes.
Great shopping!
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