Bellies were blissfully sated at a sold-out Beer Pairing dinner at the Kilted Mermaid to benefit the Ocean Research and Conservation Association. The evening featured four courses prepared by Salvador Deli and Kilted Mermaid, plus one by Pepper and Salt BBQ, each paired with Walking Tree Brewery beers, and all donated.
“We are just blown away by the reception that we’ve been getting from Vero Beach. This is such a heartwarming example of it. I’m just in awe; this is amazing,” said Edie Widder, Ph.D., ORCA founder and CEO.
“We love ORCA and we’re very excited about ORCA moving to Vero Beach. We care a great deal about the lagoon and we’re all about science-based solutions to the problems that we’re having.
Anything we can do to support them, we want to do,” said Linda Moore, owner with Rick Norry of Kilted Mermaid.
She described Salvador Deli, a new project they co-own with Courtney Cotherman, as having “artfully elevated food,” and said it will soon have its own, permanent location.
“So having our first Salvador Deli event be for Orca, just feels like where we want to be in our hearts. It’s who we want to be as people and as a business and as a community,” said Moore.
“This is our first collaborative charity venture between Kilted Mermaid, Pepper and Salt Barbeque, Walking Tree Brewery and Salvador Deli. We are so honored to have Dr. Edie Widder and ORCA here in the house,” said Cotherman in agreement.
“This is a good way to showcase all these local businesses. Most importantly, though, help ORCA. We’ve gotten so close to their mission.”
During dinner, Mike Malone, Walking Tree co-owner and head brewer, introduced the carefully selected beers, and Moore and Cotherman spoke about the scrumptious dishes.
Pairings included an Afternoon Delight Peach Saison paired with kimchi deviled eggs; Czech Yu’ Lager paired with two incredible bratwurst varieties; Volksmarsch Oktoberfest paired with braised wild boar belly; and a Pantalones De’ Guava Sour sorbet as an intermezzo. Pepper and Salt BBQ contributed a smoked wagyu brisket paired with a Grass N’ Flowers Experimental IPA.
Dessert featured dark chocolate cups filled with date pistachio nougat and maple bourbon caramel served with Duke Snider Imperial Stout.
A video about ORCA demonstrated that through pollution mapping, they are able to identify problem areas. Widder said in the video: “We have to recognize that we’re all polluters, and we just have to work together to find solutions that we can all live with.”
“I’m just blown away by this evening. It’s such an amazing event, and menu, and outpouring. We’re just so grateful,” said Widder, speaking to guests directly.
She said that a year and a half ago ORCA found itself homeless after being evicted, with just 60 days’ notice, from the Fort Pierce headquarters they had occupied since its 2005 founding.
“We now have a new building, I’m very proud to announce, just a minute away. We’re on 16th Street, right next to Indian River Clay,” said Widder, gratefully acknowledging the support that made the purchase possible.
“Tonight is an example of that community support,” said Widder.
While their goal was to raise $2,500 to sponsor one ORCA pollution mapping site, the event raised double that amount, enabling two sites which will be monitored and tested quarterly.
“We now have 24 of them up and down the Indian River Lagoon maintained by citizen scientists like Walking Tree Brewery, who adopted a site and have been collecting data. And now Kilted Mermaid is going to do the same thing,” said Widder.
“Thank you so much for making this possible and for joining us tonight in this community effort, to figure out how to protect our local lagoon systems.”
For more information, visit TeamORCA.org.
Photos by Joshua Kodis
