Taste buds tingle at Lanark gumbo benefit

            The first ever Lanark Village Gumbo Cook-off was both a culinary and monetary success.

            Three teams squared off Saturday at the Lanark Boat Club to vie for the title of Franklin County Gumbo King and the visitors to the cook-off were the winners.

            The Franklin County Sheriff’s Office took on the volunteer fire departments from Eastpoint and St. George Island. Sausage was chopped and simmered with fresh shrimp, crab, spices and okra.

            The three offerings were surprisingly different and each was uniquely delicious. The Eastpoint gumbo was tomato-based and appropriately, added oysters to the other ingredients. St. George Island offered up a denser, meatier product that was long on texture, featuring two kinds of sausage.

            The sheriff’s dish was especially rich in crab meat and was exceptionally fragrant with a complex flavor. Could the secret ingredient have been curry?

            The contestants sold cups of their confections through the day and volunteers served about 100 bowls of chicken and shrimp gumbo inside the boat club. All proceeds go to the St. James Island-Lanark Village Volunteer Fire Department.

            When the steam had cleared, there was an award for each entry. The islanders finished first, Eastpoint second and the sheriff’s office third. The judges agreed that it was a very tough decision.

            “We’re winners just by being here,” said Sheriff Skip Shiver.

            Mike Rundel, Lanark’s fire chief, organized the event to benefit his department, which has suffered from financial woes during the last year.

            On Sunday he was still tallying earnings from the cook-off but said he was very pleased with the turnout and he is already planning for next year.

            “We thought it was terrific,” he said. “I can’t say enough about the three contestants. They were great.”