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BON APPETIT
Kickin’ It Floridian Style By Kelly Lamano Read more at StyleToMe.com
> Be a true Floridian and take a short afternoon drive out to the city of Dunedin for the 4th Annual Dunedin Orange Festival. The festival includes plenty of music, food and fun activities for all ages. The small coastal city of Dunedin is the home of the Toronto Blue Jays’ spring training sessions, and is known for its orange groves and citrus packing. Artist Steven Spathelf and resident Marsha Goins were inspired one day in downtown Dunedin and decided to paint oranges around the downtown area as a public art display at five in the morning on April 13 of 2009 to see how the community would react. Thank goodness that Steven and Marsha received a remarkably positive and excited response! On July 3, 2010, the First Annual Dunedin Orange Festival took place with the help of the Historical Museum and the Dunedin Chamber of Commerce.
The food selection ranges from fresh seafood dishes, deli sandwiches to Mexican fajitas and barbeque. The food vendors compete in the first half of the festival in the “Mojo Cook Off.” Attendees of the festival are the judges who determine the winner of the cook off. They may purchase a taste ticket for $10 each and vote on the most tasty selection. Last year’s champion, Sea Sea Riders, is known for serving what is considered to be the tastiest seafood on the Gulf Coast. It’s no surprise the restaurant won the crowd over with entrees such as the Mahi Key West and the Sea Sea Saute. The Mahi Key West is coated in lime tequila cilantro butter that will melt in anyone’s mouth with mango habanero chili salsa. The Sea Sea Saute contains Gulf shrimp topped with fresh herb-lemon butter. The shrimp is bathed in white wine Kalamata olives, olive oil, feta and sun-dried tomatoes, all served on top of linguini for the perfect combination. DELICIOUS DISHES
Since then, the annual festival has thrived on its local food vendors, live music, parade, silent auction and an Orange Queen Pageant. MOJO COOK OFF
Photo by Carlos Hernandez
STYLETOME.COM
Just like any festival, the food at the Orange Festival is one of the most important aspects to keep people coming back for more.
Other competitors include Broadway Deli, Café Honeymoon, Casa Tina Mexican, Living Room, Kelly’s, Dunedin Brewery, Flanagan’s Irish Pub, Dunedin Smokehouse and Pinehurst Pub. Homemade sauce is the pride of many of these vendors. Broadway Deli offers a fresh