- From events to museums, the Mississippi Coast celebrates its delicious seafood industry and invites everyone to come enjoy it.
The assignment was to complete an article about the Mississippi Seafood Trail. However, while researching, I spoke with Pat Fontaine, Executive Director of the Mississippi Hospitality and Restaurant Association. I learned the article would need to make a slight change.
The reason why? Earlier, the decision had been made that the Mississippi Seafood Trail, established in 2014, would no longer be promoted. However, the website is still available. You can watch the videos and learn about the “360 Miles of Mississippi’s Best Restaurants Serving Genuine Gulf Seafood” from the Gulf Coast to Memphis, from Greenville to Columbus. The Facebook page is also available.
In our conversation, Pat mentioned an annual event held on the Gulf Coast, thus the pivot.
Taste, Rattle & Roll
For eleven years, the Gulfport Chamber of Commerce has held the Taste, Rattle & Roll, an annual fundraiser for local small business grants. The Chamber, in conjunction with the Mississippi Gulf Fresh Seafood Industry, serves as the host for the Mississippi Seafood Cookoff.
In the Gazebo Gazette on April 23, 2024, Candace Ruland, Director of the Gulfport Chamber of Commerce, stated, “While guests enjoy the flavors from local Gulfport restaurants, their ticket to Taste, Rattle & Roll also lets them watch top chefs from across the state prepare their signature dish as they compete for the crown of king or queen of Mississippi Seafood.”
This event is for individuals 21 and older. Tickets can be purchased online or at the gate. Usually, there is a raffle for some lovely prizes—purchase tickets in advance or at the event. On the evening of May 2, 2024, chefs from around Mississippi who entered the competition came together to present their seafood dishes for the culinary extravaganza. Last year, Calvin Lipe, from the Island View Casino Resort in Gulfport, was crowned king. And in the entire existence of Taste, Rattle & Roll, a king has always been crowned.
But this year was different. Oxford chef Erika Lipe, owner of SoLa, which opened in 2014, was crowned the first Queen of Mississippi Seafood. She worked as a line cook in New Orleans early in her career. Her experience includes being a professional cook for the Grand Dining Room at the Jekyll Island Club Resort and along the Golden Isles of Georgia.
The next step for the winner of the Taste, Rattle & Roll is The Great American Seafood Cook-Off. The twentieth annual event was held on August 3, 2024, at the Convention Center in New Orleans, Louisiana. Chef Erica Lipe prepared “Snapper Pascagoula” and won a second-place award. Congratulations, Chef Erica, and thank you for representing Mississippi.
Keep up to date with the annual event through their Facebook page.
From the Heart of the Gulf
If you were asked to list the seafood available from the nutrient-rich waterways along the Mississippi Gulf Coast, how many could you name? What comprises the shellfish? The finfish? Go!
Sadly, I could only name a few. That is why there is a website provided by Mississippi Seafood that gives us the information we need. The seafood identification, scientific name, common name, season, peak season, and similar species are included. There are suggested cooking methods and a description regarding the flavor of each seafood mentioned.
There are brown, pink, and white shrimp, oysters, and blue crabs under the shellfish category. Then, for the finfish, there are Mississippi Gulf Black Drum, Flounder, Mullett, and Red Drum. Red, Mangrove, Lane, and Yellowtail are part of the snapper family. Another one is the Mississippi Spotted Sea Trout.
Recipes for shrimp, oyster, crab, or finfish are also provided. Click on this link to access the recipe for Seafood Gumbo.
For those days when you don’t feel like cooking, when you want to celebrate a special event, or you are craving a savory seafood cuisine, check out the restaurants in your area. As you look over the list, you will see why they created the Mississippi Seafood Trail.
A Museum and Book About the Seafood Industry
Another facet of the Gulf seafood business is the Maritime & Seafood Industry Museum in Biloxi. They invite visitors to “Explore over 300 years of history, heritage, and culture.”
In addition to touring the museum, you can sail on a schooner. Group charters are available for up to 44 people, from 2.5 hours to a full day. There is also a Walk On Sail for a minimum of 6 passengers. Please visit the website for the costs and contact information for bookings.
Are you looking for an adventure camp for your child next summer? Consider the Sea-n-Sail Adventure Camp sponsored by the Maritime Museum. This past summer, six sessions were held for ages 6 to 12. “The purpose of the camp is designed to bring about a greater awareness of our original history and maritime heritage through a variety of fun and educational activities.”
Classes include a Shrimping Experience, Crabbing/Fishing/Cast Netting, Field Trips, and Sailing, and at the end of the week, a reception with award presentations. It’s still a little early for the camp dates in 2025, but you can click here for additional information.
Upcoming Events – Heirlooms of History and Heritage Exhibit – October 4 – December 30
The exhibit will feature quilts from the “Mississippi Gulf Coast Sand Stitchers” and “Vancleave Quilting Bees.” An opening reception is planned for October 10, from 5:30 until 7:00 p.m. Christmas Open House – December 14, 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Want to read and add a history book to your shelf?
Consider purchasing a copy of The Mississippi Gulf Coast Industry, A People’s History by Deanne Love Stephens. This book is the first to document the complete history of the seafood industry along Mississippi’s Gulf Coast.
The following is a review from Kat Bergeron, an award-winning journalist for The Sun Herald: “The Mississippi Gulf Coast Seafood Industry: A People’s History adds to an overall understanding of how the Mississippi Coast came to be its twenty-first-century self. The Coast’s seafood story, in the past, has been told in bits and pieces, but with Deanne Love Stephens’ latest book, we get a broader understanding of how oysters and shrimp shaped a region that continues to lure diners and sports fishermen as well as to maintain a local fleet and farming experiments to keep seafood viable in challenging times. To appreciate the storytelling and history in this book, you don’t have to be a former shrimper like me. After all, seafood and its history is important to all of us who visit or call the Mississippi Coast home.”
Laura Lee Leathers
