Alex Fogg & Brian Asher
Pamela & Jim Homyak
Leo Cyr & Anna Clark
Ashley Ridot & Chef Gus Silivos
Faye McManus & David Magee
O
n the evening of Tuesday, August 14, the Coast
Watch Alliance hosted a very special Venom & Vino
Wine Dinner, at Skopelos at New World. This was
a reservation only event, and one of the most highly
regarded. Executive Chef Silivos and the Skopelos Culinary Team
constructed a menu that added a creative touch to lionfi sh with 4
courses expertly paired with incredible wines. All proceeds of this
charity event will benefi t Coast Watch Alliance and support valuable
marine conservation and research initiatives in the northern Gulf of
Mexico.
The 4-course menu for Venom & Vino featured the Southwestern
style taco fi sh salad, prepared with roasted corn, black beans, tomato,
cilantro, chipotle dressing, and purple chip garnish; and an appetizer
of lobster mac and cheese with a rubbed lionfi sh coconut curry. The
entrée showcased was medallions of veal and lionfi sh Oscar, served
with asparagus, hollandaise, and port wine demi. The evening ended
with a desert of cocoa seared lionfi sh mole, made with raisins, orange
zest, honey, chocolate sauce, and chocolate truffl es.
The Coast Watch Alliance is a nonprofi t working to protect
coastal and marine resources through the promotion of sustainable
practices, as well as a collaboration of technical expertise and
business leaders to identify and affect sustainable practices to protect
coastal environments for future use. Their mission is to educate,
empower and protect the Gulf Coast resources by removal of lionfi sh
and marine debris from our reef systems. Divers like Brian Asher,
and Alex Fogg volunteer their time hunting lionfi sh to spread the
word about the need for eradicating the species. Executive Director
Ashley Ridout says, “Our goal is to remove as many of the invader
species as possible while encouraging productive distribution in
our area, and making local restaurants aware that this is a readily
available seafood option, by decreasing demand on the more popular
species like salmon, and grouper.” Former Executive Director Anna
Clark explained that this was a mission she became a part of because
Pensacola waters contain some of the highest reported numbers
of lionfi sh, and she wanted to be part of the solution to cull the
population and save our ecosystem.
Venom & Vino
photos & story by
Kristina Wright
Marianne McMahon & Valerie Russenberger
VIP Pensacola at Skopelos at New World
Gourmet Series Dinner
16 | VIPPensacola.com
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9/27/18 11:08 AM