Event Preview: Mini-Fest at Tuckaway Shores Resort - Indialantic FL

 [FTC Standard Disclosure] We received no compensation for this post.

When I first started out on my BBQ journey, it was the early days of online communities. Instead of social media, #hashtags, and trending, groups of enthusiasts gathered on bulletin boards and forums like a clan of cavemen gathered around a fire in a cave. On the original Big Green Egg Forum, I heard tales of a private gathering of Eggheads (Big Green Egg aficionados) spending a weekend at a beachfront motel cooking great food for each other. 

Because of demand, it was a hard invite to get but I knew that one day, I would get to this legendary Mini-Fest. That finally happened in 2019 and I loved every minute of it. I thought I would preview the 2021 Mini-Fest since it was canceled in 2020 due to the pandemic.

The Mini-Fest is a weekend-long, end-of-the-Eggfest-season celebration. It is a small group, mostly of long-time Eggfest cooks, that gets together to close out the season.

Differences Between an Eggfest and the Mini-Fest.

Regular Eggfests are awesome. At these regional events, a local distributor and/or organizer hosts an event where teams of Eggheads grill up their best foods to serve to ticket-buying crowds. You can buy demo eggs and eggcessories onsite. Typically the ticket proceeds go to a local charity. They are a ton of fun for the cooks and crowds.

Mini-Fest is different on a number of fronts.

• It's all about cooking and eating. Mini-Fest is an organic event created by and for Eggheads solely for the purpose of cooking together and for each other. No raffles, no sales, and no stress. 
• No crowds. The only people you are cooking for is fellow cooks. 
• Mini-Fest lasts for the entire weekend, morning, noon, and night.
• No schedule of events. It's just a weekend of freestyle cooking. People cook what they want, when they want, and there is always something to eat.
• No teams, no competition. This is just individuals cooking for other people. There is a ton of collaboration and sharing. "You've got scallops? I've got some beef tenderloin trimmings. Want to make a surf and turf appetizer for everyone?"
• Fewer Eggs. Because there is no regional distributor with a supply of demo grills, there are only a handful of users' Big Green Eggs on hand but everyone shares and there's always a grill you can use.

Scallops searing in a cast-iron skillet on a BGE Mini-Max.

Event Coverage: 2020 Chain of Lakes Eggfest Winter Haven, FL

The Nibble Me This grilling team kicked off our year by having fun and serving mouth-watering food at the 2020 Chain of Lakes Eggfest in Winter Haven, FL, on Presidents Day weekend.  This Eggfest is hosted by Mannix Pools and Grills, and the proceeds go to Girls Inc. and the Boys and Girls Club of Polk County.

What's an Eggfest?

For the uninitiated, an "Eggfest" is a local food festival where grilling teams cook on Big Green Eggs and serve samples of food to crowds of "tasters." 

• A local Big Green Egg dealer supplies the Big Green Eggs used.
• Those Big Green Eggs are sold as demo units at a steep discount.
• The profits from the "taster" ticket sales typically go to support a local charity.
• There is usually entertainment, such as; live music, local celebrities, bounce houses, games, and live TV/radio broadcasts
• Some Eggfests have a competition aspect to them, but they are more about socializing, sharing grilling tips, and having a good time.
• You can find regional Eggfests here.

Here's a look back at our fun weekend through the eyes of my team's mobile phones. 

What a difference 24 hours and 670 miles make!  Knoxville has been rainy, snowy, and cold lately, so Alexis and I were excited to head South for a warmer climate.

Our team always books a large house for Eggfests.  It is just as cheap as hotels and gives us a kitchen to do our event prep the night before. [Photo credit:  Carson W.]

Carson surprised us and brought a beef tenderloin for our Friday night team meal, along with mashed potatoes, sauteed mushrooms, and broccoli.  We didn't have a grill, so we cooked this in an oven and seared it in the cheapest skillet ever.  The skillet was as about as thin as a soda can, so we were actually impressed with how this turned out.

Event: Scenic City Eggfest 2019

I have been on the run at BBQ contests and grilling festivals every weekend for weeks on end.  I've been traveling so much that I haven't been able to get my wrap-ups posted, so I'm playing catch up.

I travel around the country, going to various Eggfests, cooking, teaching classes, and judging.  But my home Eggfest is the Scenic City Eggfest.  It is my Eggfest for more reasons than just being close.

• Elder's Ace Hardware, East Tennessee's leading BBQ/grill dealer, is the host.
• I get the chance to hang out with the best Eggers in East Tennessee.
• Food City, the grocery chain where I shop day-to-day, is the food sponsor. '
• The proceeds benefit the Chattanooga Area Food Bank.  

Here are some photographs of the fun, food, and friendships that we shared at the 2019 Scenic City Eggfest.

The Scenic City Eggfest is held at The Commons, which is a gorgeous open-air public event center.  It is relatively new, has clean facilities, and has room for us to grow.

The covered event area is ideal because this is a rain or shine event. 

Cortlandt Minnich was there, rocking the Pizza Porta.  Their team is always a popular booth because A) everyone loves pizza, and B) The Pizza Porta is an eye-catching accessory.

Event Recap: 2019 Sunshine State Eggfest in Vero Beach, FL

The Nibble Me This Grilling & BBQ Team had a fun-filled time at the Sunshine State Eggfest hosted by Wassi's Meat Market this past weekend in Vero Beach.

An Eggfest is a food festival that features mouth-watering grilled delights cooked on Big Green Eggs by teams of "Eggheads" (BGE enthusiasts).  This year there were 41 grilling teams, 8 restaurant teams, and 10 vendor teams participating in the event that raises money for Candlelighters of Brevard.

So much fun, food, and fellowship go on at these events that it is impossible to capture it all in a post.  But here are some pictures from the weekend to give you an idea of what goes on at these food festivals.

For Alexis and me, it starts with loading up the truck with coolers, hotboxes, grilling tools, and whatever else we can fit in the Titan XD.   Our drive for this event was 13 hours thanks to traffic so we got to the AirBnB (actually VBRO?) after dark. 

I woke up the next morning and saw that Sean was fishing at dawn. I rolled over an got another hour or two of sleep, the fish could wait.  Photo credit: Rhonda Hollis

We were on the Indian River which brings back memories of driving to Cape Canaveral to watch Apollo and Shuttle launches.   Rhonda got this fantastic picture from the balcony.

Usually, we do most of the food prep on Thursday at Rhonda's home so we have Friday to goof off and finish up any details.  This year; however, work got in the way and we ended up prepping most everything on Friday.

Candied Bacon French Toast Casserole with Mixed Berry Syrup

We served Candied Bacon French Toast Casserole with Mixed Berry Syrup at the Sunshine State Eggfest.  

This dish was Alexis' idea, and it was a huge hit.  There is a lot of sweet in this dish, with the homemade syrup and whipped topping but the candied bacon has just enough saltiness to balance out the sweet.

With 4,700 people attending, our sample sizes were a wee bit smaller.

This dish is suitable for serving at an Eggfest because about 90% of is can be made ahead of time.  That also makes it great to serve the family on a weekend morning.

Candied Bacon French Toast Casserole with Mixed Berry Syrup

Ingredients

For the Candied Bacon

Event Recap: 2018 Sunshine State Eggfest - Vero Beach Florida

Last weekend, thousands of hungry tasters descended on the 2018 Sunshine State Eggfest hosted by Wassi's Meat Market like a horde of ravenous locusts.  They were there to do 4 things:

1. Taste samples of foods cooked on Big Green Egg kamado grills by some of the best backyard chefs in the country.
2. Raise money for a good cause, Candlelighters of Brevard.
3. Take advantage of fantastic deals on Big Green Eggs, grilling supplies, and accessories.
4. Chew bubblegum.

They were all out of bubblegum.

In addition to cooking at the event, I was part of a Big Green Egg Dream Team cooking the dinner for 400+ people at the Friday night Meet and Greet.  Here are some behind the scenes pictures from this fantastic Eggfest.

We added branded aprons to our cook team's uniform this year.  We were having problems with getting these done but Alexis' friend, KS Customs in Knoxville was able to embroider them for us on short notice.

Being a successful cook team is like an iceberg.  The effort that you see on Saturday is just 10% of the work that goes into it.  The other 90% is a ton of preparation, planning, and sweat equity from cook teams, vendors, and the sponsoring Egg dealer.

Doing a successful and food safe cook at a big Eggfest like this one requires a good bit of equipment. Here are 4 Cambro hot boxes for keeping food warm, a large Igloo cooler, a Yeti 75, prep table, my grilling gear box, a griddle, tent, adjustable rigs, chairs, and cases of foil steam pans.
It's a 700+ mile trip to Vero Beach so everything has to be neatly stacked, waterproofed, and tied down.

2018 Chain of Lakes Eggfest

The inaugural Chain of Lakes Eggfest, presented by Mannix Pools and Grills, was held last weekend in Winter Haven, FL.  Teams of spectacular grilling teams gathered lakeside under the moss-laden oaks to fire up a plethora of Big Green Egg kamado grills.  

Photo Credit:  Laurie Walls

They came from all over the country to

• have a bit of a grilling throwdown,
• serve creative and tasty grilled bites to hundreds of "tasters,"
• have a blast with friends, and
• most importantly, to raise money for Girls Inc. and the Citrus Center Boys and Girls Club.

I wasn't able to attend this year because I had to have a little work done "under the hood" 3 days earlier and wasn't released by my doctor.  But Team Nibble Me This was there and kicked ass without me. 

From L to R:  Carson, Rhonda, Sean, Carrie, Marcia, Laurie, and Scott.

I may not have been there in person but I definitely was in sprirt....and Facebook.  I stalked my friends' Facebook accounts to see what was going on.  [Note:  I have tried to give credit based on the Facebook page where I found it; however, some pictures appeared on multiple pages.]

We like to get an AirBnB rental so the team can all be under the same roof.  Our team members roll in on Thursday/Friday and get right to prepping the food.  You have to be fully prepped or you will be "in the weeds" on the day of the event.  

Friday Night - Meet and Greet

Friday night is the "meet and greet," a social event that lets cook teams, sponsors, vendors, attendees, and the organizer hang out together.  The day of the Eggfest is too crazy for socializing much, if at all.

The trophies were on display at the Meet and Greet.  These bad boys are actual grilling grates custom made by East Georgia Metals.  If you have a design in mind for your grill, they can make it. Photo Credit:  Teena Schweier

2017 Pensacola Eggfest

Fourth in a series of four posts about my food week in Orange Beach AL:

1. World Food Championships 
2. Thrilla in the Grilla 
3. Grilling Demo for Pensacola Eggfest VIP party
4. Pensacola Eggfest

We were thrilled to attend the Pensacola Eggfest as VIP Judges once again this year.

This food festival for Big Green Egg grilling enthusiasts is one of my personal favorites and is one of the most well run Eggfests in the country.  Rally Pensacola, a group fighting childhood cancers, was the primary beneficiary of the charitable event this year.

It's always fun to peruse the team booths to watch them prepping their grilled culinary delights, such as, grilled wings, wood fired pizzas, and fiery small bites.  As a whole, I don't think there is an Eggfest with a better collection of cook teams than the ones who participate at the Pensacola Eggfest.  These teams can flat out cook!

Eggfest cook teams typically only have a few hours to fire up their grills before the gates open for the crowds.  So instead of pork butts, brisket, and ribs, most teams opt for quick cooking recipes that can be made in high volumes to meet demand.

The teams hit the ground running and work as a unit (or they fake it quite well) to get the food flowing before the crowds rush in.

The Big Green Eggs used in this Eggfest are provided by Escambia Electric and after they are used for just a few hours this one time, they are sold at steep discounts.  These have all been sold this year but I'm sure they can still give you the best price in town.

The Green Eggs and Bam Team are always a lot of fun and serve fantastic bites.

Scenic City Eggfest 2017 - Ooltewah TN

[FTC Disclaimer]  We are proud to be sponsored by Certified Angus Beef®.

This weekend was the inaugural Scenic City Eggfest in Ooltewah, TN hosted by Elder's Ace Hardware and the Nibble Me This BBQ Team was there to cook.  

Photo credit:  Elder's Ace Hardware

Here are a handful of pictures from the event.  I apologize for the quality and quantity in advance, I didn't have my camera (we just used our phones) and I didn't have time to get out and get shots of the other great teams like I normally do.

It's a Big Green Egg invasion!  Photo credit:  Elder's Ace Hardware

Jordan's Drunk Pickles

[FTC Standard Disclaimer]  We received no compensation for this post. We occasionally receive samples of new products from Albukirky's but we also buy plenty of their wonderful seasonings and sauces.

This is easily one of the most popular dishes that we serve at Eggfests.

• People ask us ahead of time if we are making "the pickles".  
• People come back to our booth for seconds and thirds.  
• We had to make one of those signs with clock hands that shows when the next Jordan's Drunk Pickles are going to be served.
• People actually stand and wait for the next batch to come out.

Jordan's Drunk Pickles served at an Eggfest. That's Jordan in the picture in the background.

Rhonda got the idea for this recipe at Frozen Fest - a unique Eggfest held at a lodge on a lake in Wisconsin.....in February. This is her spin on that recipe.  The reason it has taken so long to get this written up is because we are normally making it in batches of at least 500 servings and just used ratios (3 ham:3 Swiss cheese:1 salami mixed and 1 to 1.5 parts of that mix to 2 parts green chile smoked pork).  Here it is scaled down for what you might make at a tailgate or at home.

Jordan's Drunk Pickles

makes 18 appetizer servings

Ingredients

• 9 jumbo Kosher dill pickles 
• strained pickle juice in a spray bottle
• 1.5 ounce thick sliced Boar's Head Tavern Ham, chopped
• 1.5 ounce sliced Boar's Head Mild Swiss cheese, chopped
• 1 ounce Boar's Head Genoa Salami, chopped
• 1/2 cup Albukirky's Green Chile Smoked Pork, chopped
• mustard

Equipment needed

• muffin pan
• coring tool

Cilantro Lime Wings with Habanero Butter

[FTC Standard Disclaimer] I received no compensation for this post and paid full price for any brand names mentioned.

This is one of the dishes that we served at the 2017 Sunshine State Eggfest and at  the campground for our Egging friends at the 2016 Eggtoberfest.  You can substitute our NMT All Purpose Chicken Rub but I like the Chicken Scratch just a bit better in this recipe.

Cilantro Lime Wings with Habanero Butter

Ingredients

• 4 lb package chicken wings (about 14-15 whole wings)
• 1 recipe Cilantro Lime Marinade 
• Thunderbird Chicken Scratch seasoning 
• 1 stick unsalted butter
• 1-2 ounces habanero sauce
• 1/4 teaspoon granulated garlic
• kosher salt to taste
• 1 lime, cut into wedges

2017 Sunshine State Eggfest presented by Wassi's Meat Market

[FTC Standard Disclosure] We received no compensation for this post; however, Smithfield and Certified Angus Beef are both sponsors of Nibble Me This.

We attended and cooked at the 2017 Sunshine State Eggfest this weekend and it was another rockin' food festival.  

This Eggfest was presented by Wassi's Meat Market and it benefits Candlelighters of Brevard. Wassi's is a top notch butcher shop and Big Green Egg dealer located in Melbourne, FL and I have to admit, I get jealous when I see those central Florida Eggers getting to shop there every weekend!  

The event was held at the Radisson Resort at the Port again this year. The weather was absolutely gorgeous as 30 or 40 (my guesstimate, I didn't count) culinary teams cooked up some amazing food on Big Green Eggs and served samples to the thousands in attendance.  We handed out about 1,500 samples this year.  Here's a look back.  

Loaded up and ready to roll.  Things I take to every Eggfest are my knife bag, my gear box, EZ-ups (with tie downs in case of winds), folding prep tables, disposable cutting boards, a bin full of seasonings, and plenty of coolers and 2 Cambro's. 

It's 716 miles from our house to the event.  I like to take the scenic route through the Great Smoky Mountains.  It's 19 miles longer than the I-75/I-10 route through Atlanta but way faster and more enjoyable.

We stop in Jacksonville first, to see family and for a day of prepping at my sister's house (aka "Nibble Me Sis").

First part of prep day is getting supplies. We hit Costco, Restaurant Depot, Gordon Food Services, Publix, and I'm sure I'm forgetting a stop or two.

Upcoming Event: North Florida Eggfest 2017

Eggfests are a blast.

Eggfests are regional food festivals where all of the food is cooked on Big Green Egg brand of ceramic kamado grills.  These aren't BBQ contests where you never get to taste the food.  These are true food festivals where you get to eat what the teams are making. 

A brand new Eggfest to put on your calendars for 2017 is the North Florida Eggfest at the Pinch-A-Penny in St. Johns, FL located in the Shops at Johns Creek.

The 2017 event is actually more of a mini-fest as they are trying to keep it small (about 15 teams) and then the 2018 event will be a full fledged event.  But you don't want to miss getting in on the ground floor of a new Eggfest, they are a lot of fun.

My sister and I are planning at cooking this Eggfest and it's looking like a bunch of our Egging friends are coming as well.  I'm thinking this one might really take off.

Here are just a few reasons to attend an Eggfest in your area, like the North Florida Eggfest:

1. To eat some of the most creative and delicious grilled dishes around.  Eggfests are open to the general public and buying a "taster" ticket lets you sample all of the food that the cook teams are serving.
2. Raise money for local charities.  Most Eggfests give profits from the ticket sales to a local charity.  Whether you are cooking food or eating it, you are helping out.
3. Buy a Big Green Egg at a discount.  The Eggs used at these events are sold "used once" for discounted prices.
4. Learn more about BBQ and grilling.  Some Eggfests have cooking classes tied in to the event. But at all Eggfests, you can learn a ton of things just by talking to the various cook teams and how they prepared their dishes for the day.
5. Find out about what grilling accessories are available and try them out.  Great vendors like Flame Boss, Smokeware, Innovations by Chance, and Kick Ash Basket frequently attend Eggfests.
6. Get inspired for creating new recipes on your own grill back at home.

Go ahead and put the North Florida Eggfest on your calendar for Saturday, March 11 from 10am to 3pm.