Charleston, SC (PressExposure) July 30, 2008 -- Charlestonians will all be screaming for a new ice cream flavor thanks to the winner of the Charleston’s Choice Ice Cream Contest hosted by AAA Four-Diamond, Mobil Four Star restaurant Circa 1886. On Wednesday, July 30, local judges selected Seersucker as the ice cream flavor that best represented the city and tasted great to boot.

Seersucker, submitted by Kevin Kelly, a middle school history teacher at Christ Our King Stella Maris who lives in Mt. Pleasant, includes Charleston Chew candy, blueberries, honey roasted peanuts and vanilla ice cream. “I think all those flavors together equal Charleston,” says Kelly, a self-proclaimed ice cream aficionado.

As part of the contest, the restaurant asked locals to answer the question “If Charleston were an ice cream flavor, what would it be?” After receiving more than 200 entries with names as creative as the ingredients, like Pluff Mud, Holy City Peach Tea, and Low Country Lush, Executive Chef Marc Collins and Pastry Chef Scott Lovorn narrowed the field down to three: Cobblestone Cobbler, Seersucker and Charleston Gold.

On July 30, the Circa 1886 chefs prepared the three finalist recipes for taste-testing by the entrants, their families and the panel of judges, which included Stephanie Barna, editor of Charleston City Paper; Dean Stephens, anchor at WCIV; and Marion Sullivan, a food writer for the Post & Courier and Charleston Magazine.

Kelly received a complimentary dinner for four at Circa 1886, including, of course, an ice cream finale, as well as bragging rights to Charleston’s “coolest” recipe. Also taking home prizes were the contest’s two runners-up, Greg VanDerwerker of Johns Island, and Jill Barnes of Mt. Pleasant, both of whom received Circa 1886 aprons.

Circa 1886 will be serving Seersucker all throughout August to give guests a cool treat as the dog days of summer wind down. “We can’t wait to share this brand-new flavor with everyone,” says Lovorn. “It wasn’t easy choosing just one winner from all the incredibly thoughtful, creative and delicious entries, but we think people are really going to get excited about Seersucker.”

About Circa 1886
Set inside the historic carriage house for the award-winning Wentworth Mansion® hotel at 149 Wentworth St. in Charleston, S.C., Circa 1886 is a AAA Four-Diamond, Mobil Four Star restaurant offering traditional southern cuisine with a modern twist in a sophisticated, historic setting. Executive Chef Marc Collins, named by Esquire Magazine as a chef to watch in 2001 and co-founder of the successful BB&T Charleston Food + Wine Festival, presents innovative southern dishes, which draw on the rich culinary history of Charleston during the time period when the Mansion was originally constructed. Collins also brings a French influence and a touch of 21st century culinary artistry to his creations. Circa 1886 has received numerous accolades, including the DiRoNA award for fine dining in North America, as well as the Wine Spectator Award of Excellence.

The restaurant is open for dinner Monday through Saturday from 5:30 to 9:30 p.m., and prices range from $9 to $16 for first courses, $21 to $37 for featured courses, and desserts start at $9.

About Circa 1886

Lyn Mettler
Mettler PR
lmettler@mettlerpr.com

For more information and reservations, please visit http://www.circa1886.com or call (843) 853-7828.

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