It’s all about the food: Dishes that wowed the crowd at the 37th annual Cortez Commercial Fishing Festival
The Cortez Commercial Fishing Festival celebrates the past, present and future of the historic fishing village of Cortez in Manatee County.
At the heart of it all is food.
Seafood has provided industry for decades in Cortez, and the fishing village is now one of the last of its kind in Florida.
Proceeds of the annual event aid in the maintenance and expansion of F.I.S.H. Preserve. The preserve is a rare piece of undeveloped coastline that serves as a sanctuary for marine life.
This year, vendors came from around the state to sell fresh seafood (and more) for the cause.
Business was booming on the final day of the festival. Here are some of the dishes that wowed the crowd in Cortez.
Clams and oysters
Clams and oysters were shucked fresh and plated up for lines of eager buyers.
Grouper
Grouper was a hit dish at the festival. It could be ordered fried and draped over rice and coleslaw or lovingly placed on a bun for the ultimate grouper sandwich.
Crab cakes
Jumbo crab cakes topped with lemon slices sizzled on the griddle at the Coastal Crab booth.
Shrimp
Shrimp flew by the pound on Sunday. It was served as a fried, coconut fried and in tasty jambalayas.
Homemade ice cream
Homemade ice cream was hand-churned and served by the cup or the cone.
Kettle corn
Many folks toted large bags of fresh kettle corn around the festival grounds.
Reuben Cardonick is the “master popologist” behind Calypso Concessions of Beverly Hills.
Cardonick and his his assistant Joe Pope whip up kettle corn using a special recipe that includes vanilla and maple syrup. Cardonick also uses a special variety of kernel to create popcorn that’s fluffy and melts in the mouth.
Didn’t make it to the festival?
There’s some good news. Even though the celebration is over, you can get fresh seafood all year round in the village of Cortez.
If you want to learn more about the historic village and its culture, visit the Florida Maritime Museum.