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Sebastian businesses light up grills, smiles during annual event

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    • SEBASTIAN — The streets of Sebastian were more crowded than usual with drivers parking on any available spot to get a sample of various papaya treats and take advantage of discounts and deals at more than 30 businesses and organizations as the Sebastian River Area Chamber of Commerce hosted its sixth annual Grill Out Night.

    “It’s a good way to get the community together,” said Mary Giguere, who, with her husband, Richard, stopped at the Chamber to pick up a map of the participating businesses and get a sampling of papaya-related foods.

    “The chicken is very good,” Giguere said, polishing off the last bite with a smile.

    Richard said their next stops would most likely be to a couple businesses they often go to, Computer Healthcare and Crab-E Bill’s.

    Every year, the Chamber comes up with a fruit theme for the grill out night. A few years back it was watermelon; last year was pineapple. This year – pineapple.

    “We wanted to challenge our business people,” Chamber Executive Director Beth Mitchell said. “And some of them didn’t know what it was.”

    It was indeed a challenge for them, Mitchell said, explaining that some had a difficult time finding papaya. She wound up delivering two crates worth of papaya to the businesses to ensure that they had the special fruit for the event.

    Carnival Confections owner Maureen McIntyre was especially perplexed with what to do with the papaya, she said, never having handled the fruit before.

    “What am I going to do with this smelly fruit?” she recalled asking after having cut into it. “It’s the smelliest fruit ever.”

    So she cut up the papaya, threw butter into a pan and sautéed the fruit, adding a bit of sugar and other ingredients.

    One of her employees, Anthony, spent that time walking around the kitchen with his shirt pulled over his nose in an attempt to keep the fumes at bay, she said.

    Once the fruit cooked down, McIntyre sampled it.

    “Wow, I was lucky,” she recalled.

    She turned the papaya concoction into a mousse and used it as a filling for her vanilla and banana cake. The dessert won her second place in the Originality category of the Grill Out Night competition.

    Secret judges went from business to business to judge the papaya offerings in Taste, Creativity and Originality. St. Elizabeth’s Episcopal Church took home first place in Taste and Sherri’s Floral Shoppe won first in Creativity. Beating out Carnival Confections for the top Originality spot was Del’s Barber Shop and Salon.

    McIntyre said she plans to participate in Grill Out Night every year, explaining that the store opened on Grill Out Night last year.

    “It means something to all of us,” she said, referring to her crew.

    “It really is a nice event to be a part of,” McIntyre said.

    Participation helps draw new customers to the businesses as well as reaffirm relationships with existing ones.

    Father Dave Newhart, of St. Elizabeth’s Episcopal Church, said they keep taking part in the Grill Out Night because they want the community to know they exist.

    “We’re the best kept secret in Sebastian and we’re trying to shake that,” he said.

    To that end, the church offered up a veritable smorgasbord of papaya treats ranging from three types of papaya smoothies and papaya glazed chicken to papaya and turkey wontons, chutney, candies and cobbler.

    Kay DiStefano organized the cooking efforts of the congregation and noted that each member came up with their own ideas and recipes, which resulted in the wide array of food.

    “We just enjoy doing this,” Father Newhart said. “Maybe next year we could do kiwi.”

    Over at Paradise Ice Cream, a band provided live entertainment as visitors cooled off with papaya ice cream sandwiches, which won the shop third place in Creativity.

    Debra McKendrick brought her family to Grill Out Night, having heard about the event for the last few years but never actually participating in it.

    “I guess we’re house people,” she said, quickly adding that they were having so much fun that they plan to take part in the Chamber’s Light Up Night in late November.

    “It’s a good socializing event,” McKendrick said, explaining that they have run into several people they know while jumping from business to business.

    McKendrick said the event opened her eyes to the wonders that are papaya, which she might not have tried if the opportunity had not presented itself.

    The night also served as a way to mix and mingle with candidates running for various county offices.

    Sheriff Deryl Loar grilled up hamburgers outside his wife’s business, Oceanview Optical at The Village Shoppes, while various candidates shook hands and chatted with the 100-plus size crowd at the plaza.

    Down the street, more than two dozen Sheriff candidate Bill McMullen supporters waved signs at the corner of US 1 and Sebastian Boulevard, receiving honks and thumb’s ups in return.

    Mitchell, executive director of the Chamber, said Grill Out Night keeps going because of the people involved.

    “It’s the response from the community,” she said.

     

    Grill Out Night Winners

    Taste

    Creativity

    Originality

    Grill Out Night Participants

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