What happens when South African cuisine and wine meet creative Southern chefs? An amalgamation of flavors and fun that’s sure to please the palate! That happens on Thursday evening, May 30 when Scenic 98 Coastal hosts its first Summer Splash Wine Dinner series at Crown Hall, Bay Gourmet Catering and Events space in Mobile. 

With the first of four wine dinners scheduled throughout the summer, extremely talented local purveyors will come together for an evening of fun, flavors, and perfectly matched food and drink with a little history thrown in. The result will make for a memorable experience and showcase everything that makes the Scenic 98 Coastal area a wonderful place to live, work, and play.

South Meets South is the theme for the May 30 event. We are bringing South African flavors in a rich history of Southern cuisine together with an array of fine South African wines curated by Suzaan Laing of South to South Wine Importers in New Orleans. Seth Hargett, an accomplished chef in his own right, and founder of Absintheminded Enterprises is providing the wines, which will be available for purchase at the event.

We will even have an Old Scenic 98 signature cocktail created by David Gibson and Judge Roy Bean Spirits to greet guests as they arrive! If bourbon is not your thing, there will be a nice South African Pierre Jourdan Brut to welcome you. 

Bay Gourmet founder, Sarah Clark and Chef Jamye Richberg have created a delectable menu with a South African twist to pair with Suzaan’s excellent South African wines. The idea is to gather with friends and watch as the cooking magic occurs.

Sarah and Jayme are excited to highlight authentic South African cooking methods with southern favorites like a Molasses and Rosemary Bacon Skewer, and a beautiful grazing board of specialty meats, and cheeses, adorned with flavorful accouterments. 

We are excited to partner with Admiral Shellfish Company to ensure the evening features local delicacies. Absolutely the best oysters I’ve ever tasted, Sarah and Jayme are preparing Fire Baked Dukkah Oysters with Herb Butter paired with a South African Springfield Albarino white wine.

The next course will be cornmeal-dusted fried Okra Spears with Crawfish Gravy served with a Nitida Semillon white, followed by Bone-in Ribeye Beef Braai served with a ramekin of Stacked Mustard and Cheese Potato Bake. Jayme will grill the beef for everyone to see and serve directly to guests. This course will be paired with a beautiful Stellenrust Pinotage red wine. 

Keeping with the South African theme, the dessert is a Chocolate Fondant Potjie Pudding with local Old Dutch Vanilla Ice Cream. The pudding is cooked in a cast iron Dutch oven directly on the coals before being served individually to guests. To compliment this dish, Seth is serving a Jardin Long Fuse Cabernet Sauvignon with a great story behind its creation. 

Also on hand will be Allie Nielsen who founded Vine+Branch and designs and sells luxury faux florals. She is providing the table decorations and will be on hand to showcase her offerings throughout the evening. 

Of course, we will hear a bit about each dish, and the South African wine pairings, and be entertained with short vignettes about our South African food and wine experience. South African flavors are prominent in Southern cuisine, so it should be fun and educational!  

After all, 98% of Relationships is Figuring Out Where to Eat! 

As far as Epicurean Delights are concerned, we’ve figured that out for you, at least for this evening. For our Summer Splash Wine Dinner series, we are shamelessly promoting Scenic 98 Coastal’s love of local food, drink, and good times. 

We hope to have 98 guests attend each of our four wine dinners at the oh-so-reasonable price of $98 per person. You can purchase tickets at Eventbrite. Corporate table sponsorships are also available, so don’t hesitate!

I’ve enjoyed exploring the connections between South African cuisine cooking methods, and how its wine region has gained notoriety. Is it the soil? The water? The air? Or the people that you just can’t find anywhere else?  Maybe it’s the zebras…

If you need further evidence that this will be an extraordinary evening of fun, terrific food, and fine wine, perhaps this little clip of South African native, Charlize Theron will convince you. What does she miss most about South Africa? 

The food. I can’t wait to see you at South Meets South on Thursday, May 30!