FLAGLER COUNTY, Fla. (April 15, 2023) – There was no need to hop a plane to sample international cuisine if you were a guest at the Ladies of Flagler County’s second annual picnic set up event on Saturday evening at Old Salt Park in the Hammock.

Starting early, teams representing 14 countries around the world whipped up their best dishes to represent the nation of their choice and display their best picnic setting skills to create a full experience for the judges.

©FlaglerNewsWeekly

And the judges were no pushovers.

Inviting Flagler County Sheriff Rick Staly and wife Debbie along with FCSO Commander Mike Lutz and wife Caryn to judge each entry, teams took the time to wow them with introductions to authentic food, table settings and customs from the countries.

“So far we’ve done not quite half and I don’t know how we’re going to select them because they’re all very good,” said Sheriff Staly. “We have all these different categories like most romantic, best presentation, you name it, they’ve thought of it. It’s a fun time and I’ll restart my diet tomorrow.”

Team Italy serves competition judge Flagler County Sheriff Rick Staly. ©FlaglerNewsWeekly

Leading an agency known for their strong community outreach efforts, Staly was right at home getting to know each of teams as the judges slowly made their way through the entries.

“It’s awesome that all the women come together from all different backgrounds and everybody cooks a dish from where they’re from,” said Debbie Staly. “The food’s amazing.”

Cheerleading the event on social media for the LOFC, co-organizer Donna Davis was overwhelmed by the effort and creativity displayed, eclipsing the inaugural picnic in 2022.

“Everybody joined in, picked their countries and everybody made dishes that they liked. I think it’s awesome. Everybody did an amazing job. Everybody put forward so much effort and did a great job,” beamed Davis. “The whole purpose of this is to create camaraderie.”

Team Greece. ©FlaglerNewsWeekly

Finding Inspiration

Among the categories for judges to choose from were ones specifically tailored for the picnic, ranging from ‘most romantic’ and ‘most sophisticated’ to ‘most authentic’ and ‘like you are there’.

Representing Team Israel, Sam Hayes and Carla Adams. ©FlaglerNewsWeekly

Representing Team Israel, Sam Hayes and Carla Adams said their group created traditional Israeli dishes such as falafel, Israeli wine and hummus, and Israeli salad, even using a recipe ingredient favored by Israeli kitchens centuries ago.

“It was so much fun. This was the vision of Pat Haws and Wendy Stout. They recruited all of us and it’s just been amazing,” said Hayes.

“I actually made the Faro salad. I took an ancient grain that’s obviously been around thousands of years and instead of using our typical quinoa that we go into the store for, I had to order it, I had to soak it. I just felt pulled into the whole lifestyle of the ancient Israelis,” said Adams.

Team Thailand. ©FlaglerNewsWeekly

Adding a whimsical vibe to their picnic experience, Sandy Nicolette and Sandi Galloway, decorated their display with décor from Thailand in addition to serving Chicken Satay with Thai Peanut Sauce, Thai Peanut Salad Cups and Thai fruit skewers.

Ellen Bendana relied on her personal knowledge of Honduran food and culture to create a simple repast but wholly authentic, featuring Yucca con Chicharron and Baleadas, while providing historical information for those interested in learning more about life in Honduras.

Team Honduras. ©FlaglerNewsWeekly

“I’ve been married to my husband Mario Bendana for 40 years and he’s from Honduras. When we were first married, we lived there for a couple of years,” said Ellen, sharing a recipe.

“They make their own flour tortillas, they grind their own beans, because the four food groups in Honduras are corn, beans, plantains and eggs. So, you see, the people who are really very poor, they’ve gotten really creative. The Baleadas is a refried black bean, with some authentic crème from Honduras, you can buy it Amigos Supermarket, they import it, and the actual cheese and it’s on a flour tortilla.”

Team Mexico. ©FlaglerNewsWeekly

Transporting guests to the Old Country, Team Italy served up their dishes just like mama would have, as Italian music played in the background, and Team Ireland took it a step further, adding humor to their picnic with Drunken Leprechaun Balls, Guinness shots, Irish potatoes, and Shamrock pastries.

“I loved the theme and think this is so amazing. I’m so excited I want to go eat at everybody’s place,” said Team Ireland. “I just think it’s phenomenal we had so many countries.”

Team LOFC. ©FlaglerNewsWeekly

LOFC 2nd Annual Picnic Competition and Setup Winners:

Best Entrée: Team Italy

Best Side Dish: Team Mexico

Best Dessert: Team Polynesia

Best Salad: Team Greece

Most Creative Picnic: Team Thailand

Most Colorful Setup: Team Mexico

Wow! Fantasy Setup: Team Polynesia

Most Reflective of the LOFC: Team LOFC

Most Authentic: Team USA

Most Romantic: Team France

Most Sophisticated: Team Thailand

Like I Was There: Team Ireland

Team Ireland. ©FlaglerNewsWeekly

 

Team Cuba. ©FlaglerNewsWeekly